Los Angeles Dodgers: The new guys are key for avoiding sweep

The Los Angeles Dodgers are at risk of being swept by the Houston Astros, at home, after falling 14-0 to the defending World Series Champions on Saturday.

Things have not been pretty for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the team has been unable to capitalize on a 21-run outing against the Milwaukee Brewers. In what should have been a spark for the team, that game seemingly sucked all the offense out of the Dodger bats.

The Dodgers have scored just one run over the last two games and have combined for just seven hits. This is starting to feel all too similar to the 2017 World Series, where the Houston Astros simply got the best of the Dodgers.

However, it is more than just a one-game issue. Although the Dodgers did score 21 runs off the Brewers, the offense has been inconsistent since the All-Star Break. Max Muncy and Matt Kemp, who carried the offense out of the rut in the beginning of the season, are ice cold.

Manny Machado has entered a slump now that he is in Los Angeles to go along with the underperformances of Justin Turner and Cody Bellinger.

It is not a big sample size so it is not time to panic in Los Angeles. However, a lineup built like this should be able to score more than one run in two games; especially when that one run was a Joc Pederson solo shot to lead off Friday’s game. The Los Angeles Dodgers have gone 54 straight outs without a run.

That has understandably hurt our Dodgers Beat the Streak series, which was finally starting to catch some momentum. Yesterday, our picks, Yasiel Puig and Max Muncy, went a combined 0-5.

Sarah’s pick — Current streak 0:

My pick for today is Brian Dozier. Even in his very few games in a Dodgers uniform thus far, he’s been pretty solid. After last night, the Dodgers need a win, to avoid being swept by the team that beat them in the fall classic.

Dozier had been a Twin for his entire career before coming over to LA. That means that he’s seen the Astros far more than the Dodgers over the course of the last 6 years. With Walker Buehler on the mound today, and hopefully some run support, the Dodgers may just get the W.

Jason’s pick — Current streak 0:

I am going to go with the other new face on the Los Angeles Dodgers, Manny Machado.

While the Dodgers are still going to have a bitter taste in their mouths from dropping the series and losing 14-0 in the process, they can at least salvage a win in the final game to hopefully add some momentum heading into the team’s six-game road trip.

These next six games could make or break the Dodgers’ season. Los Angeles is facing two potential playoff teams in the Oakland Athletics and Colorado Rockies and could gain some much-needed ground on Colorado.

Four out of six wins should be the bare minimum goal. Winning all six would be huge and would probably create at least two games separation with the Arizona Diamondbacks, who lead the Dodgers by one game.

However, if the bats continue like this, the Dodgers could lose five to six of the games, which puts them in a tough hole. LA would then trail the Diamondbacks by at least four to five games while the Rockies would leapfrog for second place.

This upcoming road trip may be the most important of the season and the Los Angeles Dodgers need to avoid a sweep heading into it. Hopefully, Manny Machado and Brian Dozier can make that happen.