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The Los Angeles Dodgers are tied with the San Diego Padres atop the National League West, but their offense has cooled off despite their solid record. A star-studded lineup has struggled to find the consistency expected of a team seeking a third World Series title.
Dontrelle Willis, FOX Sports analyst pointed to the lack of production from the top of the Dodgers lineup during Monday night’s MLB broadcast on FOX. For Willis, the problem isn’t just that the offense is struggling overall, but that the team’s biggest stars aren’t producing consistently.
“Andy Pages has been a great story and hopefully he has a chance to be an All-Star,” Willis said. “He leads them in batting average, RBI and slug. The problem is, you don’t want Andy Pages on the sixth or seventh hole to lead you in RBI or slug.”
The Dodgers have struggled to get consistent production from the top of the lineup, and one of the most notable slow starts came from reigning MVP Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani is hitting .241 this season, which would mark the second-lowest batting average of his career.
“Shohei Ohtani is off to a slow start, he doesn’t look comfortable at the plate,” Willis said. “So the production is a little sketchy, especially when you’re facing the upper echelon of ballclubs.”
The Dodgers’ stars have especially struggled in recent games. Over the last 11 games, Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez, Max Muncy and Freddie Freeman have combined for a .591 OPS. During that stretch, Los Angeles went 4-7 and lost three of its last four series.
“The run differential is still there,” Willis said. “They’re behind the Yankees and the Braves, but I want to see more quality at-bats throughout the lineup. We’re not seeing that. Maybe it’s a little fatigue, but I just hope this isn’t the hourglass coming to an end in this locker room.”
The recent offensive slump has begun to overshadow what would have otherwise been a good start in Los Angeles’ standings.
“They look a little slow, especially the key guys,” Willis said. “Hopefully Mookie Betts’ return to the lineup will bring a little boost, a little motivation and a little jolt, and they can move forward from there.”
