The Dodgers snagged a huge road win in Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the Braves’ ace, but don’t let that fool you: this team is still only winning on elite pitching, and their offense can’t generate a single run unless it’s a long ball. It feels like we’re watching a team that’s just barely getting by, despite being well positioned to advance in this specific series.
The One-Trick Offense Is a Real Problem
Winning with three runs in five innings against Chris Sale is probably the best-case scenario for a team that was completely shut out the last time they faced the future Hall of Famer. But honestly, they could have done way more damage. Sale was on the ropes for most of the game before Kiké Hernández finally broke the scoring drought with a two-run shot in the fourth. That’s the thing, though: every run has come via the long ball. They chased Sale off after only 15 outs, which is big, but then against four different Braves relievers, they added exactly zero insurance runs. Zero! That puts so much pressure on their pitching, and you just know it’s not sustainable if they’re aiming for that World Series title. Look, strong pitching has been a reality for both sides in this series. These two offenses combined for a single hit with a runner in scoring position. For the Dodgers, it almost doesn’t seem to matter who’s on the mound for Atlanta, they can run into one or two home runs even against the best, and they did it against Sale and Didier Fuentes. But stringing hits together for a big rally, like we know this team can do, just hasn’t been a part of their NLDS performance.
Pitching Can’t Do It All, Forever
While the Dodgers’ offense might struggle no matter who they face, it’s a totally different story on their side of the mound. Yamamoto has been dominant, and so has Tarik Skubal in other games. That’s a huge reason why the Dodgers have won their games. But what happens when Tyler Glasnow takes the mound next? Can he bring anything other than his A+ game, which we’ve seldom seen in the postseason? The bullpen, we’ve seen, can be effective, but it’s far from bulletproof. Game 2 went off the rails pretty quickly. For that not to happen again, and for them to reach their ultimate goal of a World Series title, this offense absolutely has to find a higher gear. Maybe Game 3 had a good share of bad luck for guys like Teoscar Hernández, but that’s not an excuse for the long haul.
It’s clear the Dodgers are relying heavily on their pitching, with the offense leaning hard on the long ball. With Glasnow coming up, the pressure is on the bats to finally wake up and put together some real rallies. The ultimate goal is a World Series title, and they won’t get there relying solely on homers and incredible pitching performances that might not always be there.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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