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Los Angeles Dodgers Roundtable: Is it Time to Press the Panic Button?

By Sarah Maninger

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 13: Matt Kemp #27 of the Los Angeles Dodgers walks back to the dugout after making the final out in the ninth inning of the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium on May 13, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 13: Matt Kemp #27 of the Los Angeles Dodgers walks back to the dugout after making the final out in the ninth inning of the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium on May 13, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Dodgers
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Dodgers /

1.) If you could pinpoint one reason as to why the Los Angeles Dodgers are faltering right now, what would it be?

Jason:

Health, World Series hangover, a mental block? I think is it a mixture of all of those things.

After a deep run that pushed the team to the brink, I do not think the Dodgers were ready for the regular season. They were sluggish. The proverbial World Series hangover was real.

Then the health complications happened. The Dodgers definitely were not great before losing Corey Seager, Clayton Kershaw and company, but it did not help. Now, knowing they are supposed to be a powerhouse, the Dodgers may have developed some form of a mental block that is hurting the production, especially in big situations.

Jamaal:

The Dodgers aren’t living up to their potential because they aren’t healthy and haven’t been since Spring Training. Yasiel Puig, Justin Turner, Logan Forsythe, Clayton Kershaw, Hyun-Jin Ryu, and Alex Wood have all been hurt for a significant amount of time. That’s a lot of at-bats, and innings missing from big-time players.

Redan:

Many things could be pointed at, but the most important thing is proving run support behind pitching. The Dodgers have provided inconsistent run support for their pitchers through the season. Pitching can only help you so far, and the Dodgers need runs more frequently. This, of course, must come no matter who is in your lineup.

Per MLB.com, the Dodgers are 28th in home runs hit, with 34 and are middle of the road (18th) in total runs scored (168) and 19th in batting average (.241). Certainly, more run support would be welcomed to a team that is also not having it’s best pitching start so far this season. I get the feeling that the Dodgers need more of a balance to win more games, scoring more and preventing more.

But, if the Dodgers cannot score on a more regular basis, they are going to put immense pressure on their pitching and fielding to pull together wins.

Sarah:

Looking at the entirety of the season so far, I’d have to say that offensive struggles are the Dodgers kryptonite. Jamaal definitely makes a good point when he said injuries have hurt the Dodgers, so I decided to go at this question from a different angle. The Dodgers, even with the depleted lineup they have now, are capable of winning games, and beating even the best of teams. That’s something they haven’t been able to do.

Even when the Dodgers get reinforcements back from the DL, if they don’t start hitting, the Dodgers will still be facing the same problem they are now; a lack of solid production from spots 1-8 in the lineup.

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