The Dodgers are facing early-season struggles once more.
The Dodgers managed to avoid a home sweep by the Mets with a decisive 10-0 victory on Sunday, fueled by an eight-run fifth inning that saw Andy Pages hit his first major league home run. Despite this win, their season has started sluggishly, even after investing nearly $1 billion in free agent contracts during the winter, pushing their payroll to a record $314 million. Despite their star-studded lineup, they seem to be a work in progress.
Before Sunday’s win, the Dodgers had lost seven of their last nine games, dropping games to various teams with a combined projected winning percentage below .500. Their pitching, in particular, has been a concern, allowing an average of 4.54 runs per game, ranking them 11th in the National League. However, their current defensive struggles are reminiscent of last year’s early season, where they also allowed a similar number of runs but managed to pick up their pace and secure 100 wins.
Looking closer, aside from Tyler Glasnow’s solid performance, the rest of their starting pitching rotation has been inconsistent, with a combined ERA of 4.40 and averaging only 4.20 innings per start. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a high-profile signing, had a shaky debut, and although he has improved, his recent quality start came after a series of lackluster performances. Despite a respectable FIP, Yamamoto has struggled with hard contact, evident in his high exit velocity and barrel rates, particularly with his four-seamer.
