ST. LOUIS — Loki Sasaki Seems to Turn a Corner

It looks like Loki Sasaki might have finally put his recent challenges behind him on Saturday night.

Sadly, the Dodgers’ lineup has yet to find its rhythm, continuing their struggles in a 3-2 loss to the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.

In what’s become all too familiar, the team endured eight innings without a score, tallying as many hits as double plays—four each. Although they had a fortunate sequence that allowed them to score two runs in the ninth, they ultimately left the tying and winning runners stranded.

“At the end of the day, we just didn’t score enough tonight,” manager Dave Roberts remarked.

This game mirrored the recent pattern for the Dodgers (20-13). They have now gone five games without hitting a home run—a stretch not seen since 2015. Opportunities came and went, and the team struggled to capitalize, managing only one hit with runners in scoring position until a small rally in the 9th.

That inning saw three singles with two outs, all deflecting off a Cardinals fielder’s glove, and Andy Pages stole an infield grounder to narrow the deficit.

Unfortunately, Dalton Rushing struck out as a pinch hitter to seal the Dodgers’ fourth consecutive loss.

Even with the double plays, they still had six runners left on base.

In the first inning, Will Smith was the first victim, hitting into a grounder that ended the inning. Alex Freeland followed in the third, making an ill-timed jump at a lineout, leading to a double. The fourth saw JJ Weatherholt caught in another double play, spinning at second on a grounder. Hyesung Kim couldn’t make it out in the fifth, returning to the mound instead.

“Every time we had a chance to gain momentum, the double plays just killed us,” remarked Roberts. “Their pitchers had some good outings that disrupted our flow.”

This made the 3-0 lead feel much larger than it actually was when Sasaki struggled during a three-run third inning.

Despite a few positive moments at the end, the Dodgers have only managed a 5-9 record over their last 14 games.

“There are going to be times when things don’t work out,” Pages noted through an interpreter. “Right now, we seem to be in one of those times.”

Finding Their Way

Before the game, Roberts humorously labeled himself an “eternal optimist,” claiming that this could be the day they found their stride.

By game’s end, the lighthearted atmosphere had dimmed a bit, but Roberts still aimed to inject some positivity into the team’s chaotic journey.

He suggested that slumps like this are common across baseball, downplaying the idea that fundamental issues were causing their offensive woes. In his view, the quality of the at-bats was relatively high during Saturday’s game.

He had previously mentioned that the hitters seemed too “passive” about pitches they should have attacked. After the game, he remarked, “I think we were better with our targets in the hitting zone.”

“Yes, we had some double plays, but we also drew some good walks and built a solid at-bat in the ninth. We just need to be more aggressive and take advantage of what pitchers give us.”

Standouts and Struggles

As for Sasaki, he showed promise, particularly by the end of the game.

After altering his splitter grip last week, he utilized both variations effectively, though he initially struggled with command, walking two batters and allowing a hit in the early innings. The Cardinals capitalized in the third, hitting successive doubles off his fastballs and bringing in two runs.

Despite some rocky moments, Sasaki managed a six-inning complete game for the first time this season, striking out 12 of his last 13 batters, marking only his second “quality start” in 14 career games.

There’s still a lot of room for growth, and his ERA currently sits at 5.97, yet one can’t help but notice an upward trend for him.

Roberts commented, “I think there’s been significant growth. He’s improved in each of his last few starts.”

Ohtani’s Ongoing Struggles

While there are many players in the Dodgers’ lineup struggling, none seem to be affected more than Ohtani.

This weekend, he went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, and he hasn’t recorded a hit since Monday. Though he seemed to be trending upward last week, his season batting average is now at .252 and his OPS has fallen to .835.

Ohtani mentioned earlier this week that he typically finds his rhythm by May, but also acknowledged that juggling his dual role complicates his timing and mechanics.

Strikingly, he has only one home run in the last 18 games and just two extra-base hits in the past 12.

Looking Ahead

The Dodgers will seek to avoid a sweep on Sunday when Justin Robleski (4-0, 1.50 ERA) takes the mound against former Dodger Dustin May (3-2, 5.28 ERA).