Dodgers Experience Another Setback Against Rangers
On Sunday, Roki Sasaki managed to dodge trouble time and again, but it wasn’t enough to save the Dodgers from a disappointing loss.
The team fell to the Rangers with a score of 5-2, and Sasaki’s performance was less than stellar. He allowed five hits and five walks over four innings. Thankfully, he limited the Rangers to just two runs, which, I suppose, is a silver lining.
What really stood out in this game were the mistakes made by the rest of the team. Sasaki’s struggles were evident, yet it seemed like the offense had a missed opportunity to support him.
Despite Shohei Ohtani’s leading home run, the Dodgers couldn’t crack the code against Jacob deGrom, a two-time Cy Young Award winner. Ohtani’s home run was a nice touch but, in the end, it didn’t change the course of the game. They only managed six hits in total and left nine runners on base. Not ideal, to say the least.
One particularly frustrating moment came in the third inning. With two outs and runners on second and third, a double steal attempt by Alex Cole and Ohtani backfired, squandering what could have been a scoring situation.
The Rangers capitalized on the Dodgers’ defensive blunders, scoring crucial runs in both the sixth and eighth innings. A throwing error in the first inning allowed a runner to reach third, setting the stage for additional scoring that hurt the Dodgers’ chances.
Even the Dodgers’ attempts to challenge calls earlier in the game went awry. Those missed challenges, especially after a rough appeal by Hyesung Kim, didn’t help their cause.
What It Means
Despite the loss, the Dodgers remain the top team in the majors with seven wins out of their last nine games. However, their losses, including the one in Toronto, were largely self-inflicted and highlighted the need for improved fundamentals.
Who Is Hot
Two days ago, manager Dave Roberts noted that Ohtani hadn’t fully found his stride yet. Fast forward two days, and he’s looking a lot like his usual self. After a leadoff home run on Saturday, he repeated the feat Sunday with another on the first pitch against deGrom, notching his fifth of the season.
Ohtani didn’t have a flawless day, as he struck out in the ninth inning and popped out in the seventh. Still, he wrapped up with a .286 batting average and an impressive OPS of .996, extending his on-base streak to 46 games.
Who Is Not?
While Sasaki recorded a career-high six strikeouts and held the Rangers to just one hit in seven opportunities with runners in scoring position, it was still a tough outing. He struggled with control, letting ten runners reach base, a career high for him.
Though he avoided a total disaster by closing out the third innings without further damage, his lack of command left many wondering about his readiness this season, as his ERA now stands at 6.23.
Next Up
The Dodgers will be facing the Mets in a three-game series this week. Justin Wroblewski, with a 1-0 record and a 4.00 ERA, is set to pitch Monday against the struggling Mets lefty David Peterson, who’s at 0-2 with a 6.14 ERA.
