In a season marked by inconsistency, the Los Angeles Dodgers suffered yet another disappointing defeat, this time at the hands of their rivals, the San Francisco Giants. Despite entering the series on a four-game winning streak and showing signs of offensive improvement, the Dodgers stumbled, leading to a familiar late-game loss that has become a hallmark of their 2023 campaign.
After an off day, the Dodgers came out flat at Oracle Park, ultimately falling 5-1 to the Giants. This game was particularly disheartening as it featured Tanner Scott, the team’s $72-million closer, who gave up a walk-off grand slam to Patrick Bailey in the bottom of the 10th inning. This marked the third time in just eight days that Scott has faltered in critical moments, but he wasn’t the only one responsible for this loss.
The Dodgers (82-65) struggled to generate offense, with their only run coming from a seventh-inning home run by Michael Conforto. They failed to support another outstanding performance from Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who pitched seven innings, allowing just one run on one hit while striking out ten batters. The team's inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities was glaring, as they went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position.
Manager Dave Roberts expressed his disappointment in the postgame press conference, stating, “When you score one run and you’re in a tight ball game, there’s just no margin for error.” He acknowledged that the team’s performance was not solely on the bullpen but reflected a lack of offensive execution throughout the game.
The Dodgers had multiple chances to take control of the game early on. They failed to capitalize on one-out walks in both the first and third innings, and in the fourth, they had two players on base with no outs but still could not score. Yamamoto, who had recently shined in a near no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles, managed to keep the game close despite an early run allowed.
As the game wore on, the Dodgers let a winnable situation slip away. They stranded another runner in the eighth inning after Max Muncy was hit by a pitch. A glimmer of hope came in the ninth inning when the Giants’ pinch-runner was thrown out at home plate. However, the Dodgers faltered again in the 10th, making critical base-running errors that compounded their mistakes.
With the game on the line, Scott was summoned to pitch, but the decision backfired when he allowed a grand slam to Bailey. “I gave up a bad pitch to a hitter that can hit fastballs and it cost us again,” Scott lamented. He has struggled throughout the season, with a current ERA of 5.01 and nine blown saves. Roberts hinted that it may be time to use Scott in lower-leverage situations moving forward.
In other news, rookie right-hander Roki Sasaki may rejoin the Dodgers before the regular season concludes. After recovering from a shoulder injury and recently rediscovering his fastball, Sasaki is set to make one more minor league start. If successful, he could provide a much-needed boost to the Dodgers’ pitching staff as they head into the postseason.
As the Dodgers continue to grapple with their inconsistencies, they must regroup and find a way to maintain their momentum in the coming games. The team's ability to rise above these challenges will be crucial as they aim to secure their place in the playoffs.
