The Los Angeles Dodgers are facing growing concerns after a rough homestand against the Milwaukee Brewers ended with another loss Sunday.
Los Angeles fell 6-2 in the series finale, dropping three of four games to Milwaukee and falling to 5-11 over its last 16 games. The Brewers also secured the head-to-head postseason tiebreaker between the teams.
After Sunday's loss, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts directly addressed the team's recent offensive struggles, saying, "This has been four, five, six weeks of below-average production from our offense. It's the truth. And I think we just haven't played clean baseball for quite some time, and that speaks to the defense."
The Dodgers' recent offensive production backs up Roberts' concern. Since July 1, Los Angeles has posted a 91 wRC+, which ranks 21st in MLB and is tied with the Seattle Mariners.
The slump has also affected several key players. Kyle Tucker has gone 0-for-19 during the homestand, while Mookie Betts has continued working through mechanical issues.
Los Angeles entered Monday with a 74-51 record and a lead in the National League West. However, the recent slide has reduced the margin for error as the Dodgers try to maintain their position heading into the final weeks of the regular season.
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The series against Milwaukee carried additional postseason significance because the Brewers now hold the season tiebreaker. Roberts acknowledged afterward that Sunday was a game he particularly wanted to win because of what could be at stake later.
For the Dodgers, the immediate challenge is straightforward: improve the offense and play cleaner baseball before the recent struggles become a larger problem during the postseason push.
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