The Los Angeles Dodgers entered this weekend’s series against the San Francisco Giants having lost seven straight games for the first time since September 2017 — a drought that feels especially painful for a team that hoisted the World Series trophy just eight months ago.
But sometimes the most revealing moments come not during the peaks, but in the valleys. And right now, the Dodgers find themselves in a valley that’s testing everything they thought they knew about a roster that was once believed to be the most elite in the majors.
When Everything Goes Wrong at Once
The July 31 trade deadline is just a few weeks away, and it remains unclear what moves the Dodgers will make, but the urgency has never been clearer. This isn’t just about a rough week — it’s about a team watching its carefully constructed plans unravel in real time.
The offensive struggles tell the story of a battered lineup struggling to produce. Max Muncy was injured in a collision at third base against the Chicago White Sox on July 2, just when he was finding his stride at the dish. But the problems run deeper. Tommy Edman, who has been dealing with nagging injuries all season, is hitting just .227/.283/.400. Meanwhile, Teoscar Hernandez has been dealing with elbow issues that have clearly compromised his swing, limiting his ability to drive in runs when the team desperately needs offense.
The pitching staff reads like a medical report, with several key starters sidelined, including Blake Snell, Tony Gonsolin and Roki Sasaki. Three of the club’s top relievers heading into the year — Michael Kopech, Evan Phillips and Blake Treinen — are all on the 60-day injured list.
Friday night’s 8-7 loss to the Giants exemplified their struggles when Dustin May surrendered a season-high six earned runs. Earlier in the week against the Brewers, Yoshinobu Yamamoto was unable to make it through the first inning before being pulled. On July 4, the Dodgers gave up a season-high 18 runs to the Houston Astros.
The Ohtani Factor
Yet amid all this darkness, there’s been one remarkable bright spot that could change everything. Shohei Ohtani made his first start at Oracle Park on Saturday, throwing three scoreless while allowing just one hit and striking out four in the club’s first victory in eight games.
Ohtani’s throwing harder than ever, reaching a career-best 101.7 mph, and while he’s limited to short stints as he builds back up, his presence alone changes the entire dynamic of the rotation. His gradual increase in innings could provide a crucial boost to a battered staff that has been decimated by injuries all season long.
And that’s not even mentioning he’s leading the National League with 32 long balls.
Fighting the Slump
Let’s be honest about what we’re witnessing. Season slumps are real, and they hit every team differently. For the Dodgers, it’s manifesting as a perfect storm of injuries, slumps and the kind of small-margin losses that feel disappointingly crushing.
Entering Sunday, the Dodgers (57-39) still hold first place in the NL West, with the Giants and Padres neck and neck in second at less than five full games out. In any other context, a 57-39 record would be cause for celebration. But when you’re the defending World Series champion with one of the highest payrolls in baseball, expectations are different. Standards are higher. Every loss feels magnified.
The Path Forward
The beauty of baseball is that everything can change in a weekend series. The Dodgers have the talent, the experience and the recent memory of what it feels like climbing the mountain. With the trade deadline approaching, they have the resources to address their most pressing needs.
But sometimes the solution isn’t about adding pieces. Sometimes it’s about rediscovering what made you special in the first place. For this Dodgers team, that means weathering this storm, getting healthy and remembering that most championship teams are truly defined by how they respond to adversity.
The next several weeks could tell us everything we need to know about whether this group has another title run in them. And if Ohtani’s pitching performance on Saturday is any indication, the most interesting chapters of their season may still be ahead.