Dodgers Fall to Diamondbacks, Raising Concerns

PHOENIX — The Dodgers have mostly kept the San Diego Padres in their sights this season. However, things might be changing after Monday night’s game. You might want to keep an eye on the Arizona Diamondbacks, too.

In the first game of a four-game series at Chase Field, the Dodgers suffered a 4-1 defeat to a revitalized Diamondbacks team. Arizona has recently been on a roll, winning 15 of their last 22 games, narrowing the gap to just half a game behind the Padres in the NL West, which now puts them second in the division.

Neither the Padres nor the Diamondbacks seem to be giving the Dodgers a break lately. With the win on Monday, the D-backs still trail the Dodgers by five and a half games in the NL West race.

This week’s series presents a chance for Arizona, which has bounced back impressively from a rough start (17-20) thanks to a strong offense and an unexpectedly improved pitching staff in recent weeks.

“They’re tough, athletic, and they play great defense,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts ahead of Monday’s game. His assessment proved accurate throughout the night.

Eduardo Rodriguez, the left-handed pitcher for the D-backs, effectively held the Dodgers to just one run during the sixth inning, continuing his comeback after some early-season struggles.

In the second inning, the Dodgers found themselves in a promising position with no outs and runners on second and third. However, despite another opportunity presented by back-to-back doubles from Shohei Ohtani and Andy Pages in the third, they managed only one run when Freddie Freeman grounded out.

From then on, the Dodgers (38-22) struggled to create additional scoring chances, even having several hits thwarted, including a diving catch by D-backs outfielder Jorge Barosa.

“That definitely changed the momentum of the inning,” Roberts commented about the catch. “It could have made a real difference.”

The D-backs capitalized on their opportunities, overcoming an early deficit with solo home runs from Tommy Troy and Nolan Arenado in the sixth and seventh innings, along with a crucial two-run hit by Ketel Marte in the eighth.

The D-backs’ bullpen, which had been somewhat shaky in recent games, performed well by shutting out the Dodgers for the final three innings.

What it Means

This marks the first time in three weeks that the Dodgers lost two of three games, with both losses stemming from inadequate offensive performance.

Despite this, the Dodgers have been averaging nearly six runs per game during a 14-4 stretch starting from May 13, so it’s perhaps too early to panic.

After a solid outing by Emmett Sheehan, who pitched 6 1/3 innings and lowered his ERA to 4.50 while allowing just two runs, the offensive struggles for the Dodgers kept him from securing a win.

“I had some good at-bats, felt like I hit the ball well,” outfielder Kyle Tucker remarked. “But they made some great plays and we just couldn’t score. That happens sometimes.”

Who is Hot

Sheehan seems to have regained his fastball velocity, which has been a concern all year. After averaging around 94.2 mph this season, he hit a season-high of 95.9 mph on Monday, with peaks reaching 97.2 mph.

These improvements helped him maintain efficiency, completing 15 of his pitches in 62 within the first seven innings. However, he faced trouble when he allowed two home runs: one to Troy, who hit his first career home run, and another to Arenado, pushing Sheehan out of the game.

Who is Not

On the flip side, Kyle Tucker had a disappointing game. Although he managed two hits in the previous match and was expected to play a pivotal role, he went hitless on Monday, finishing 0-for-3.

“We need to be more consistent, not just occasionally,” Tucker expressed, emphasizing the need to improve. “So, we’ll come back tomorrow and aim for better.”

His batting average has dipped to .238 this season, and with an OPS of .722, he sits behind only Mookie Betts, who has struggled lately after missing a month due to an injury.

Looking Ahead

The Dodgers will seek to rebound on Tuesday, with Eric Lauer set for his second start for the team against right-hander Michael Soroka, who holds a record of 7 wins and 2 losses with a 3.25 ERA.