As the 2025 MLB calendar turns toward September, suddenly every regular-season game carries much more weight. For the Los Angeles Dodgers, this weekend’s showdown against the San Diego Padres could represent what lies ahead — two teams deadlocked atop the NL West, with first place literally hanging in the balance.
As recently as July 3, the Dodgers had what seemed like a comfortable nine-game lead in the NL West. However, they went into this weekend’s showdown as a second-place team. Los Angeles has gone 12-21 since July 3, while the Padres have gone 23-12 to storm back into contention.
With six weeks left in the regular season, three pressing questions will determine whether this Dodgers team can navigate September successfully and position themselves for another championship run.
Question 1: Will the Bullpen Ever Get Healthy?
While the Los Angeles starting rotations seems to have rebounded nicely, the relief crew is an entirely different story. The team’s currently ranks 20th in the MLB with a 4.18 bullpen ERA, a far cry from the championship-caliber unit that helped deliver a World Series title last October.
Friday’s 3-2 win broke a four-game losing streak for Los Angeles, with three of those losses featuring leads blown in the eighth or ninth inning. This late-inning vulnerability has become an all-too-familiar script for a team that once dominated close games.
Nevertheless, help might be on the way. Both Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates are set to begin rehab assignments with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday, offering hope that two key late-inning arms could return soon. Scott threw 22 pitches in a simulated game this week and said everything felt “good,” while Yates is expected to be the first off the injured list.
Michael Kopech, who has only pitched seven innings this season, is also working his way back from knee surgery and could return later this month. The combination of these three returning arms could dramatically alter the team’s playoff outlook.
But the injury report remains extensive. Righty Evan Phillips underwent UCL surgery to end his 2025 season, while the newly acquired Brock Stewart recently landed on the 15-day IL with right shoulder inflammation. For a team built to go deep in October, the health of their bullpen will be crucial.
Question 2: Is the Roster Deep Enough?
The answer to this question took another troubling turn just days ago. Max Muncy was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain, marking yet another blow to a lineup already stretched thin. During Muncy’s previous 25-game absence from a bone bruise in his left knee, the Los Angeles offense took a tumble, averaging just 3.5 runs per game while batting .217 as a team and going 10-15.
The Dodgers’ response was to claim Buddy Kennedy off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays, a move that speaks to their desperate need for infield depth. Kennedy was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays last week after appearing in just two big league games.
Meanwhile, Michael Conforto continues to occupy a starting role in left field despite production that would make most managers cringe. After showing a few signs of improvement earlier this summer, Conforto is hitting just .175/.283/.225 over his last 40 ABs while sporting a strikeout rate of nearly 24%. The fact that he remains in the lineup daily speaks volumes about the team’s lack of alternatives.
Saturday’s lineup card told the story perfectly — the team’s 7th, 8th, and 9th hitters were Conforto, Alex Freeland, and Miguel Rojas — hardly the kind of depth that championship teams typically feature. With Tommy Edman and Hyeseong Kim also on the injured list, the club doesn’t have many options.
Question 3: Will the Superstars Ever Fire on All Cylinders?
Last October, the Dodgers’ championship run was fueled by their stars all clicking simultaneously when it mattered most. This season has been a different story entirely.
Mookie Betts‘ struggles have been particularly jarring. The veteran righty hitter is recording career lows across the board on offense, batting .241/.311/.365 and rating as a below-average hitter for the first time in his career. After trying Betts in the leadoff spot for 11 games, he went 0-for-16 over four games before manager Dave Roberts moved him back to the No. 2 hole.
Shohei Ohtani, despite leading the National League in home runs, has had his own inconsistencies. Although he’s been on fire lately, he hit .214 in a 30-game stretch during July and has 149 strikeouts through early August, threatening his career-high mark of 189 in 2021. While his power numbers remain elite, the consistency that championship teams require has been elusive.
The supporting cast of Teoscar Hernandez, Will Smith and Freddie Freeman has provided some glimpses of hope, but the explosion as a team that characterized their title run remains absent. Ohtani leads the team with 43 home runs and 80 RBIs, but individual excellence hasn’t translated to the collective dominance this star-studded lineup was constructed to deliver.
Looking Ahead
The health of Scott, Yates and Kopech could provide the bullpen stability the team desperately needs and put the club in the driver’s seat for another divisional title. The roster depth issues may require creative solutions with the hopes of Muncy, Edman and Kim coming back strongly. And the offensive chemistry that delivered a championship just 10 months ago may need to rediscover its magic when September’s urgency demands it the most.
The answers to these three questions will ultimately determine whether this Dodgers team can author another October fairy tale or watch their championship window narrow from the outside looking in.