Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell, and it still amazes me every season how some fans are ready to throw in the towel at the first sign of distress.
So, the Dodgers’ offense has been sputtering as of late. Since April 21, a span of 12 games, they have scored two runs in a game three times, one run in a game twice and have been shut out once. They are 5-7 in that time and lost four in a row before winning Sunday.
Is that good? Of course not, but it’s nothing to get overly concerned about. Every team goes through highs and lows on offense. In that same time, they also scored 12 runs in a game and beat the Chicago Cubs, who had a 10-game winning streak, twice.
When they opened the season 15-4, they were averaging almost six runs a game. No one was bowing down and handing them the World Series trophy just for that, just like no one should write them off because of a bad stretch of games.
Let’s look at the Dodgers’ offense each year since 2017, with the number of times the team scored two runs or fewer in a game each season.
2026
Two runs: 6 times
One run: 3 times
No runs: 1 time
Season record: 21-13
Average runs per game: 5.15
Longest losing streak: 4 games
The Dodgers project to score two or fewer runs 47 times this season, which is higher than the last few seasons, but it’s a relatively small sample size and projections are a bit wonky this early. This is looking more and more like a repeat of last season. Streaky offense, erratic bullpen, solid (for the most part) starting pitching.
2025
Two runs: 13 times
One run: 16 times
No runs: 8 times
Season record: 93-69
Average runs per game: 5.09
Longest losing streak: 7 games
2024
Two runs: 15 times
One run: 14 times
No runs: 5 times
Season record: 98-64
Average runs per game: 5.20
Longest losing streak: 5 games
2023
Two runs: 12 times
One run: 14 times
No runs: 4 times
Season record: 100-62
Average runs per game: 5.59
Longest losing streak: 4 games
2022
Two runs: 12 times
One run: 13 times
No runs: 7 times
Season record: 111-51
Average runs per game: 5.23
Longest losing streak: 4 games
2021
Two runs: 22 times
One run: 14 times
No runs: 5 times
Season record: 106-56
Average runs per game: 5.12
Longest losing streak: 4 games
2020
Two runs: 7 times
One run: 2 times
No runs: 0 times
Season record: 43-17
Average runs per game: 5.82
Longest losing streak: 2 games
2020 was the COVID-shortened season.
2019
Two runs: 22 times
One run: 11 times
No runs: 6 times
Season record: 106-56
Average runs per game: 5.47
Longest losing streak: 6 games
2018
Two runs: 19 times
One run: 17 times
No runs: 8 times
Season record: 92-71
Average runs per game: 4.93
Longest losing streak: 6 games
2017
Two runs: 14 times
One run: 20 times
No runs: 8 times
Season record: 104-58
Average runs per game: 4.75
Longest losing streak: 11 games
So, there’s nothing really unusual going on so far this season. Now, if we reach May 20 or so and they still are slumping, then we can worry more. At some point, this team will age out. Mookie Betts seems to be injury prone, and Freddie Freeman has slowed some. At some point, this team will fail to make the postseason. But not this season.
The biggest obstacle this team faces is expectations. Some in the media proclaimed this the best offense in history. It was never going to be that. But it raised expectations, making them almost impossible to beat.
Heck, last season’s Dodgers went 0-6 against the Angels. They went 3-6 in one stretch, losing one of those games 16-0. They went through another stretch of the season in which they went 2-10, scored two or fewer runs seven times and averaged 3.5 runs per game. And last time I checked, they won the World Series.
So, this is nothing new.
When will Blake Snell be back?
Blake Snell, whom the Dodgers should start encasing in bubble wrap when he’s not pitching, is on a rehab assignment. In three games (two for class-A Ontario, one for triple-A Oklahoma City) he has pitched eight innings, giving up six hits, four runs and two walks while striking out 10. If all goes well, he will be back in mid-to-late May.
And who goes out of the rotation when he comes back? Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow aren’t going anywhere, so that leaves Emmet Sheehan, Justin Wrobleski and Roki Sasaki. If you go by results, then it has to be either Sheehan or Sasaki. How these guys pitch over the next couple of weeks will solidify that answer, but as for now, I’d remove Sasaki from the rotation.
Justin Turner, manager?
With three World Series titles, Dave Roberts will be Dodgers manager for a long time. But when he does step down, could Justin Turner be next?
Turner’s wife, Kourtney, recently appeared on the “Foul Territory” podcast and had this to say when asked if she believes Justin will become a manager after retiring.
“I do. I think it will be more nerve-wracking than his playing days for me, though, because I think it’s a tough job. Because if things are going well, not everyone looks to the manager. But then if there’s a decision that doesn’t pan out, I think it falls back on the manager.
“So I’ll have to stay off Twitter and all the comments for that one. I think he has such a good understanding of the game. I think he has good feel. I think he does a really good job.
“I’m always in awe when he goes to these new teams. And then I see him in the dugout the first or the second game of the season, and he’s already meshing so well. He just has that ability to reach, I think, every single guy there. And I think that’s what makes him so special.”
Turner is currently playing for Tijuana in the Mexican League.
These names seem familiar
How notable players who were with the Dodgers the last couple of seasons are doing with their new teams. Click on the player’s name to be taken to their full stats page:
Anthony Banda, Twins: 1-0, 9.00 ERA, 14 IP, 16, hits, 5 walks, 13 K’s, 50 ERA+
Austin Barnes: out of baseball (released by Mets in spring training)
Cody Bellinger, Yankees: .275/.373/.483, 142 PA’s, 8 doubles, 1 triple, 5 homers, 20 RBIs, 137 OPS+
Walker Buehler, Padres: 1-2, 5.40 ERA, 25 IP, 27 hits, 12 walks, 24 K’s, 78 OPS+
Mike Busch, Cubs: .218/.317/.339, 145 PA’s, 7 doubles, 1 triple, 2 homers, 17 RBIs, 92 OPS+
Michael Conforto, Cubs: .300/.321/.433, 38 plate appearances, 4 doubles, 5 RBIs, 150 OPS+
Caleb Ferguson, Reds: on the IL
Jack Flaherty, Tigers: 0-2, 5.90 ERA, 29 IP, 27 hits, 25 walks, 32 K’s, 74 OPS+
Jason Heyward: retired
Justin Dean, Cubs: in the minors
Tony Gonsolin: out of baseball
Kenley Jansen, Tigers: 0-2, 6.14 ERA, 6 saves, 7.1 IP, 8 hits, 4 walks, 9 K’s, 74 OPS+
Craig Kimbrel, Mets: 0-1, 4.26 ERA, 6.1 IP, 6 hits, 3 walks, 8 K’s, 100 OPS+
Michael Kopech: out of baseball
Gavin Lux, Rays: on the IL
Dustin May, Cardinals: 3-3, 5.15 ERA, 36.2 IP, 47 hits, 9 walks, 25 K’s, 75 ERA+
Zach McKinstry, Tigers: .209/.261/.326, 46 PA’s, 2 doubles, 1 homer, 5 RBIs, 62 OPS+, on the IL
James Outman, Twins: .129/.182/.194, 33 PA’s, 2 doubles, 4 OPS+
Ben Rortvedt, Mets: in the minors
Corey Seager, Rangers: .213/.315/.410, 143 PA’s, 6 doubles, 6 homers, 17 RBIs, 113 OPS+
Chris Taylor, Angels: in the minors
Justin Turner, Tijuana (Mexican League): .276/.344/.448, 32 PA’s, 2 doubles, 1 homer, 3 RBIs
Trea Turner, Phillies: .243/.304/.375, 148 PA’s, 6 doubles, 4 homers, 11 RBIs, 86 OPS+
Miguel Vargas, White Sox: .220/.359/.424, 145 PA’s, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 6 homers, 17 RBIs, 119 OPS+
Kirby Yates, Angels: on the IL
Up next
Monday: Dodgers (Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 2-2, 2.87 ERA) at Houston (TBA), 5:10 p.m. PDT, Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020
Tuesday: Dodgers (Shohei Ohtani, 2-1, 0.60 ERA) at Houston (Peter Lambert, 1-2, 3.52), 5:10 p.m. PDT, TBS, Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020
Wednesday: Dodgers (Tyler Glasnow, 3-0, 2.56 ERA) at Houston (Lance McCullers Jr., 2-2, 6.32 ERA), 11:10 a.m. PDT, Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020
*-left-handed
In case you missed it
Why Dodgers pitcher Emmet Sheehan has ‘K ALS’ stitched into his glove
‘We’re in a little funk’: Dodgers fizzle at plate, suffer third straight loss
Ex-Dodger Alex Cora’s wild roller-coaster departure from the Red Sox explained
Shaikin: The Dodger hosting a comedy show? Stoic Will Smith. No joke
McCourt Foundation’s L.A. Marathon to city: Can you save us half a million dollars?
What Shohei Ohtani’s start against Marlins says about how Dodgers are handling his workload
And finally
Vin Scully tells a story on how a player’s career was influenced by … well, you have to see it to believe it. Watch and listen here.
Until next time…
Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
