Jul 3, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) walks back to the dugout at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Dodgers’ Dave Roberts Calls Out Players After Latest Loss: ‘It Better Be Rock Bottom’

Originally posted on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI
By Gabe Smallson | Last updated Jul 23, 2025 2:18 PM ET

The Los Angeles Dodgers are sitting at 59-43 on the year and have won just three of their last 14 games. This includes being swept in back-to-back series against the Houston Astros and Milwaukee Brewers, and then getting swept once again by Milwaukee as a sobering start to the second half of the season.

Manager Dave Roberts was not happy after Tuesday evening's 10-7 loss against the Minnesota Twins, citing defensive and pitching struggles as well as the sputtering offense.

“It better be rock bottom, as far as how we’ve been pitching, how we’ve been playing defense,” Roberts said. “I think the offense is starting to kind of tick up, which is good. There’s certainly more in there, will be more in there.“But yeah, I think as far as quality of baseball, it’s been a tough watch. It really has."

Roberts also touched on the many absences that the Dodgers have had throughout the season, but regardless of who is in the lineup, the team still has to come together in tough moments.

“It’s difficult. This is the guys we have right now. And they’re getting opportunities to make an impression. So that’s on them,” Roberts said. “When you have certain guys down, you’re put in leverage, bases loaded, nobody out, whatever it might be, you’ve gotta come in there and do your job. Some guys are, some guys aren’t.”

Specifically for the pitching roster, the skipper talked about the lack of efficiency he has seen from his team and the opportunities that exist for pitchers that may not be on the mound without as many injuries that the Dodgers have suffered.

“They’ve got to throw strikes. They’ve got to put guys away. They’ve got to be efficient. Limit the walks, minimize the walks. But like I said, these are the guys we’ve got. We’ve got guys coming (back from injuries). But some of these guys, you can’t protect them. They’re going to be in leverage because of who we’ve got in the ’pen. So that’s just kind of where we’re at. I look at it as these guys are getting opportunities, golden opportunities. It’s what they make of it.”

This article first appeared on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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