Man, what a mess this Cardinals series has been. After getting absolutely blown out in one game, the second one was just pure gut-wrenching pain: Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tanner Scott coughed up a three-run lead, leading to the Dodgers’ first extra-inning loss this season. Seriously, if tonight’s game goes sideways, this could be the most frustrating series of the entire year.
What Even IS This Offense Right Now?
You’d be totally justified carrying a massive dose of pessimism into the series finale after those first two disasters. But then you look at the pitching matchup: Tarik Skubal is on the bump against Quinn Matthews, a rookie making only his fifth career start. Suddenly, that heavy cloud of frustration lifts a little, doesn’t it? That’s just how it is with the 2026 Dodgers. It doesn’t matter how rough things look in the moment. You get a glimpse of the talent coming up, what’s on the horizon, and most of your worries just seem to melt away. But man, the offense has got to figure it out.
Skubal’s First Month Is Rougher Than Anyone Thought
When Tarik Skubal got traded to the Dodgers, everyone knew he was joining a powerhouse. You figure he’d be cruising, right? Well, think again. He’s had to be absolutely dominant just to avoid a losing record in his first month with his new club. The offense? They’ve been nowhere near the height of their powers, giving Skubal a pathetic three runs of support per game across his five starts. And get this: all three Dodgers wins in Skubal’s starts have been one-run nail-biters. That’s not the cushy landing spot you’d expect for a pitcher of his caliber. He’s battling his butt off out there, but the bats are just not showing up for him.
Seriously, What Is Up With These Shortstops?
Beyond the excruciating losses, a bizarre theme of this series has been the insane production both teams are getting from their shortstops. Mookie Betts has been Mookie, racking up four extra-base hits in the series. Long-term, Betts kicking it up a notch or two is exactly what the Dodgers need to see. But here’s the absolute shocker: Mookie, with his four extra-base hits, actually got outslugged by the Cardinals’ ninth-hole hitter, Thomas Saggesse! Saggesse has mashed three of the Cardinals’ seven home runs this series. He only had two *total* in the entire 2026 season before arriving at Dodger Stadium! What a wild breakout for that rookie, and what a frustrating way for the Dodgers to be reminded that every team has a puncher’s chance.
Tonight, it’s Dodgers versus Cardinals at Dodger Stadium, first pitch at 7:10 p.m. PT. Skubal needs to pitch like the ace he is, and the offense *has* to give him more than three runs. This team needs to pull out a win and salvage something from this super frustrating series.
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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