The Los Angeles Dodgers are heading to Atlanta for their NLDS series against the Braves, tied up 1-1, and after a disappointing Game 2 loss, there are some serious questions forming about their offense and pitching. This off day isn’t just a travel day, it’s a gut-check for a team that looks out of sync.
Snell’s Struggle: Rust or Something More?
Game 2 was rough, especially on the mound. Blake Snell, their ace, only managed to get 11 outs on a hefty 90 pitches. Yeah, he only gave up one run, but that workload forced the Dodgers to bring in six relievers to cover the final 5 1/3 innings. That’s a huge bullpen drain for a critical playoff game. The team feels it was more rust than anything else, not lingering effects from the left groin discomfort that cut his September 16 start short. Manager Roberts kept it real, telling Sonja Chen at MLB.com, “He just was fighting himself with his delivery all game… didn’t have fastball command, didn’t have slider command and the changeup wasn’t there.” He was quick to point out, “It wasn’t the groin. He just wasn’t sharp tonight.” But when your guy isn’t sharp in October, you’ve got problems.
Freddie Freeman Calls Out the Homer-Only Offense
Here’s the biggest issue, and it’s coming straight from the guy who knows: Freddie Freeman. All five runs the Dodgers scored in Game 1? Home runs. Two-run shots by Teoscar Hernández and Kyle Tucker, plus a solo bomb from Mac Muncy. Then in Game 2, their only two runs came from solo home runs by Freeman and Muncy. Freeman, who homered Sunday and has three hits in the series, pulled no punches with Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times. “We’ve to find a way to score some runs without hitting a home run,” he said. “That’s our biggest thing right now. So keep getting guys on base and get that big hit.” He even gave props to the Braves’ bullpen strategy, saying it’s tough to get going when you’re facing a fresh arm every couple of innings. “It’s different angles, different velocities, different things. So stringing hits together is very hard.” If your offense can only score with dingers, you’re living on borrowed time.
Didier Fuentes Was an Absolute Wall
And speaking of those fresh arms, how about Braves reliever Didier Fuentes? That guy was lights out. He retired 11 straight batters before Muncy finally broke through with a ninth-inning homer that pulled the Dodgers within a run. Roberts, talking to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, just shrugged. “I think it was just the fastball… Tonight you could see the fastball, it was 99, 100.” He noted how the Dodgers were just missing balls, hitting “lazy fly balls,” unable to hit it flat. Fuentes was mixing in his split once in a while, but it was that heat that did them in. Roberts had to tip his hat, acknowledging Fuentes’ impressive performance after just two days off. When an opponent’s reliever can shut you down like that, you know you’re in a tough spot.
The Dodgers are now off to Atlanta with the series knotted. They desperately need to figure out how to generate some offense beyond the long ball if they want to make a real run in this NLDS. Next up is Game 3 in Atlanta, and the entire series could hinge on whether they can find some way to scratch across runs against what’s clearly a formidable Braves bullpen. This is where champions are made, or unmade.
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.
Leave a Reply