The Los Angeles Dodgers suffered a 7-3 loss to the Washington Nationals on Saturday, and the box score told a familiar story: their superstar trio of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman combined for just one hit in 12 at-bats, striking out six times. For a team built on top-heavy offensive firepower, the recent skid is raising questions.
“It is tough, and they feel it, obviously,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said postgame. “With their track record, their talent, they feel a responsibility to kind of get things going… But especially Freddie and Mookie, they’re grinding right now, trying to figure out some things with their swings.”
Los Angeles Dodgers Searching for Answers as Star Trio Slumps at the Plate
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Ohtani, in particular, has been in a bit of a funk. The reigning MVP has just two hits in his last 19 at-bats, though he still leads the National League with 25 home runs and a .996 OPS. In his past seven games, Ohtani is slashing .222/.364/.444 with 13 strikeouts.
Some have questioned whether his return to pitching has impacted his performance at the plate. However, Roberts isn’t ready to draw that connection.
“I wouldn’t think it’s related to (his return to) pitching,” Roberts told reporters. “But as we keep going with this process, he keeps pitching. We’ll know more. But I don’t know that answer right now.”
In Sunday’s win, Ohtani showed flashes of his signature brilliance. He tossed a scoreless inning with two strikeouts, then delivered at the plate, going 2-for-5 with a home run, triple, and five RBIs.
Ohtani’s turnaround may hint at better days ahead—not just for himself, but for the Dodgers. Still, with the San Francisco Giants closing the gap in the NL West and the Padres gaining ground, Los Angeles can’t afford prolonged slumps from its stars.
Roberts hinted at potential changes to optimize Ohtani’s dual-role responsibilities. “It might make more sense to drop to second or third or fourth,” he said of the leadoff hitter. “But right now, we’ll remain status quo.”
As the Dodgers prepare for the stretch run, all eyes remain on their three MVPs to lead the way.