For Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers, it has become a perennial expectation to not just compete for, but win the World Series. This year is no different after winning last year, returning every major contributor except a retired Clayton Kershaw, and getting Tarik Skubal at this year’s Trade Deadline. The concern behind their recent struggles has grown even more with a 1-8 stretch and 7 consecutive losses during that run. Into town comes a Royals team on a cold streak as well, entering the series against LA with a 3-7 record over their previous 10 games. Shohei and Mookie, LA got the boost needed to bounce back and sweep KC.
With a lineup stacked with stars, it’s only a matter of time and which of those players will be the catalyst(s). As a team, the Dodgers hit 13 extra-base hits and 4 home runs in the series. Ohtani had a double and a homer, and Mookie Betts added 2 doubles and 2 home runs over the 3 games; the offensive stars are looking to heat up for the final stretch before the Postseason. The team averages 5.01 runs/game on the season and a 3.72 ERA. During their recent skid, they scored 3.6 runs/game and allowed a 4.81 ERA, flip-flopping the Offense and Pitching statistics.
Their season numbers have them ranked in the Top 5 in Offense in runs/game, and the Pitching staff has the 7th-best team ERA of the season; both were 24th overall over the past 10 games. For most teams, to have such a drastic swing is troublesome. Looking at their offensive stats over the last 7 games, it begins to make sense. Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy both batting .200, Kyle Tucker batting .130, and Teoscar Hernandez batting .150. In addition to the less-than-average pitching, there are a few areas they can be more consistent.
Overall, it doesn’t feel like any panic has entered the clubhouse, and once Skubal gets comfortable and pitching like he can and Blake Snell gets mixed back into the rotation, it just gives more reason not to worry too much about the recent run of play. Here is what Jeff Passan said on First Take via x.com last week, comparing the last lengthy losing streak the Dodgers had in July of 2025:
After the Dodgers’ recent slide, the Braves and Brewers have caught up, and in Milwaukee’s case, surpassed them in the standings in the NL Division Leaders.
The Dodgers may have given those other clubhouses more hope and belief that they can defeat LA in a Series. As of now, LA is still the heavy favorite to win the NL and the World Series. Atlanta has been to the World Series more recently with a portion of that core intact from 2021, but doesn’t bolster the same depth. The Brewers aren’t as star-studded, but with a young, growing team, they can take some pressure off and play baseball as their championship expectations are just now taking shape. Does experience give LA the advantage, or can these other teams make a statement?
Dodger’s manager Dave Roberts has a luxury no other Manager in the MLB has, and that’s the depth and power of this roster. 6 Players named to the All-Star team: Freeman, Muncy, Pages, Yamamoto, Ohtani, and Wrobleski; Ohtani missed the All-Star game due to injury, and Wrobleski was named a replacement.
Who else didn’t make it to Philly for All-Star weekend as a member of the Dodgers? Names like Mookie Betts, Teoscar Hernandez, Will Smith, Kyle Tucker, Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, and Edwin Diaz. All of whom have previously earned All-Star selections – over a dozen players with that pedigree to slot into your lineup, rotation, or bullpen.
Shohei Ohtani hasn’t pitched for over a month, with his last start on 7/3/2026, and it’s unlikely he will pitch regularly for the remainder of this season, or ever. He has said he wanted to go “all out” on pitching this year because he felt, “on the inside, this is my last chance to be a pitcher”. It doesn’t seem like he is confident in his future on the mound. It could just be Ohtani being cautious with his history of elbow injuries and the long rehabilitation process as he ages. But he clearly loves the challenge of being a two-way player and excelling at both.
If the Dodgers repeat, it will improve Skubal’s desire to stay, and they will need that caliber of arm if Shohei doesn’t take the mound again. Ohtani has shown how dominant he is at the plate when that is his only focus. If he has a chip on his shoulder from not being allowed to pitch, he might hit 80 home runs in a season. LA would maintain a deep and talented rotation, and lightening Ohtani’s load could make that clean bill of health much more likely.
To win this year, the bats need to be on at all times, the rotation can’t take days off, and the bullpen needs to lock things down. Obviously, right? Though the expectation in that clubhouse should be dominance at every moment, they have shown they can perform well below that lately. The NL just got a lot more confident they can beat LA; now the Dodgers need to prove they had nothing to worry about and walk to another World Series.
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