Dodgers' Dave Roberts Calls Out Outfielders for Bad Defense: 'That Stuff Can't Happen'

The Los Angeles Dodgers have showed some of their flaws this past weekend against the Milwaukee Brewers.

After being swept for the second time this season by the Brew Crew, the Dodgers showed signs of a stagnant offense, something that started to creep in before the All-Star break, but fielding woes didn't seem to help out the defending champs as they dropped three straight.

Right fielder Teoscar Hernández spoke on a miscue that occurred Saturday, where a presumed double headed his way turned into a triple. The Dodgers would end up losing, 8-7.

“I tried to cut it off. But I was playing a little close to the line. Didn’t get a chance,” Hernandez said. “I tried to cut the ball off just to keep him at first, maybe, if he continues to go to second maybe throw him out. But I didn’t get there on time. I tried to play aggressive, tried to help the pitching side. I didn’t get on time there. It went under my glove and it was a triple.”

Manager Dave Roberts also spoke on the miscue, as well as bringing up an Andy Pages misplay later in the game that easily could have been held to a single.

“That ball has got to be a double. That ball has got to be cut off. It can’t be a triple,” he said. “And then the other one late (from Pages) turned into a triple as well, or double with an error, whatever it was. Those are little things that just can’t happen. Baseball – pitching is tough enough. Hitting is tough enough. With the defensive part of it, throwing to the right bases, cutting the ball off, getting it in, not turning a double into a triple, that stuff can’t happen.”

During Sunday's contest, it was unfortunately more of the same from the outfield in another one-run loss, this time, 6-5.

“It’s frustrating,” Roberts said. “That’s the word everyone uses when things aren’t going well, but you also have to make your own breaks. And when things are tough, you can’t do things to sabotage yourself. Today, specifically, it was the defense.

“I think the defense, the plays that I’ve seen, (our) lack of focus,” Roberts said. “That’s what I feel … Recently we’re seeing that more and more. That shouldn’t happen with our club.”

The Dodgers have lost 10 of their last 12 games, and six of which have been to the scorching hot Milwaukee Brewers, who have won 11 of their last 12. Things must change on both sides of the ball, and LA has to limit the inexcusable mistakes that eventually lead to staying in the loss column.