Dave Roberts Puzzled By Dodgers’ Offensive Struggles

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ offensive struggles continued in a 2-1 walk-off loss to the Detroit Tigers on Saturday.

The Dodgers’ lone run came on Freddie Freeman’s RBI single in the top of the sixth, which was after Alek Thomas led off the inning with a double. They otherwise went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left five on base while recording just eight baserunners.

The Dodgers also wasted a strong effort from Blake Snell, who allowed one run and collected 10 strikeouts in five innings. It was their fifth consecutive one-run game and fourth loss in that span.

“It’s been going on for quite some time, obviously, so just being able to put crooked numbers up and not play these one-run games where every margin is so fine,” manager Dave Roberts said on SportsNet LA of the team’s offensive struggles. “I know the work is there, I know the will is there, I know the talent’s there, but we just haven’t put it together in quite some time consistently.”

The Dodgers rank fourth in the Majors with 664 runs this season, but have struggled mightily as an offense since the All-Star break. They rank 22nd with 158 runs scored and are hitting just .247/.315/.393 as a team during the span.

Roberts knows the Dodgers lineup has too much talent to underperform like that and is at a loss as to how he can get more out of the group.

“I think that for me, right now, personally speaking, I’m just trying to figure out solutions. Just trying to figure it out,” Roberts said. “We’re all frustrated. We know we should be better. But again, now it’s more of: what are we going to do about it? And so, that’s kind of where my head is at.

“I do know coming down on guys when I know guys are putting in the effort isn’t the answer. And then you have to figure out if it’s a process thing? Is it an approach thing? Is it a focus thing? Those are things that I’m trying to figure out collectively, individually. Yeah, that’s kind of what I’m thinking.”

Why are Dodgers struggling offensively?

Part of what makes the Dodgers’ offensive struggles so concerning is that they have happened in different ways and due to several players. Roberts can’t identify a direct reason for them and instead pointed to a variety of issues that have contributed to the team’s below-average production.

“This has been two months. I think, honestly, every night it’s different,” Roberts said. “Whether it’s not having a good two-strike approach, not hitting with runners in scoring position, situationally, getting a leadoff guy on, controlling the strike zone, whatever.

“I mean, there’s a lot of it, you know. So, I think for me to sit here and try to cover two months of below-average offense, that’s just impossible.”