At the start of Monday night, the main discussion surrounding the Dodgers revolved around Aki Sasaki.
However, as the game concluded, the focus shifted to the lackluster performance of the offense.
In a 4-2 defeat against the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium, Sasaki surprisingly delivered a strong performance, yielding just one run and walking two batters over four innings. This was a stark contrast to his 14.50 ERA during a shaky Spring Training, where he struggled with command.
Instead, it was the Dodgers’ batting lineup that faltered, leading to disappointing results for the third year running after giving up eight runs in the first game.
Early in the game, they encountered difficulties against the Guardians’ young left-hander, Parker Messick. He threw six scoreless innings in just his eighth start, showcasing an unconventional pitching style that included a six-pitch delivery, striking out five and yielding only two hard-hit balls.
By the time he exited, the Guardians (3-2) had established a four-run lead, and their reliable bullpen took care of the last three innings. The Dodgers managed to score both their runs during a late 9th-inning rally.
In their last three games, the Dodgers (3-1) have recorded only 10 runs and 19 hits with 17 strikeouts and just six walks (none on Monday).
This isn’t typical, especially for a team that led the National League in 2025 and was awarded the Silver Slugger title beforehand.
Still, this slow start raised some eyebrows; it’s reminiscent of their struggles last season during the second half and postseason.
What it means
Even though the Dodgers have a highly talented roster, they can’t overlook the fundamental issues.
Monday’s game highlighted this as the team made some unusual mistakes.
In the third inning, with two outs and a runner on second, Shohei Ohtani came to the plate. However, Miguel Rojas had vacated second base, leading Ohtani to chase a pitch that resulted in a quick out.
The Guardians, with their backup catcher Dalton Rushing, managed to steal bases successfully on all three attempts.
Later, in a pivotal seventh inning, relief pitcher Justin Roblewski made critical errors, including failing to successfully execute a bunt with the bases loaded and allowing a two-run double to Daniel Schneemann, which put the game out of reach.
Who is hot
Against the odds, Sasaki has made notable improvements since his shaky spring.
His fastball control was on point; he threw strikes on 45 of his 78 pitches, despite a few hiccups. The addition of a cutter diversified his arsenal and contributed to two of his four strikeouts. Although his trademark splitter didn’t perform well, he still forced three swings and misses out of five attempts.
Interestingly, the Guardians, who had the weakest offense in the American League last year, missed several chances to capitalize on Sasaki’s mistakes by swinging at pitches outside the zone.
Nevertheless, the Dodgers are likely pleased with Sasaki’s contribution, as it kept them competitive and eased the strain on the bullpen.
Who is not?
With Will Smith out, Teoscar Hernandez stepped into the cleanup role against left-handed pitchers, but it didn’t help his recent struggles.
Hernandez recorded a hit in the seventh inning, his first since a swinging bunt single in the season opener. He managed to overturn two strike calls during at-bats, including one that would have resulted in a strikeout.
Even so, he finished with just one hit in four at-bats, resulting in a batting average of .143—low for any regular player on the Dodgers.
To the next
Shohei Ohtani is set to make his pitching debut this season on Tuesday in the continuing series against the Guardians. Despite having slowed his pitching routine during the World Baseball Classic, Ohtani aims to pitch six solid innings. The Guardians will respond with right-hander Tanner Bibby, who posted a 12-11 record and a 4.24 ERA last year, and allowed three runs in five innings during his season debut last week.
