Dodgers Battling Batting and Pitching Discrepancy Amid Playoff Hopes

The Pirates handed another disheartening defeat to the Dodgers on Tuesday evening, a game where there was a clear disconnection between their batting and pitching effectiveness. If the Dodgers can’t reconcile this mismatch, their hopes for a first round bye in the playoffs could be dashed. In Tuesday’s game, they managed to rack up seven runs, bringing their season total to 33-7 (.825) when they score at least that number. Considering the Major League Baseball (MLB) teams of 2025 have a win percentage of .880 when scoring seven or more runs, that’s an underwhelming performance.

In games where the team notched exactly seven runs, MLB boasts a season record of 227-56 (.802). However, the Dodgers haven’t fared quite as well, with a record of 7-5 (.583) in these situations. This includes four losses in their last five comparable games, tracing back to their slump just prior to the All-Star break. This slump marked a downturn for the Dodgers, who since the break have maintained a merely average record of 20-21, despite outscoring their adversaries by 30 runs.

The undoing of the Dodgers in their recent match with the Pirates was largely due to a high number of walks. They handed out a total of eight free passes during the game; starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw being responsible for half of them. This contrasts sharply with Kershaw’s previous performance in August, where he had only walked three out of the 107 opposing batters he challenged. This season, all games in which the Dodgers have allowed eight or more walks have ended in losses.

Walks have remained a persistent problem throughout the current season for the Dodgers’ pitching unit, culminating in a 9-percent overall walk rate that places them as the seventh-highest in the MLB. On a monthly basis, the Dodgers’ pitching walk rate distribution has been as follows: March/April saw a walk rate of 10.1 percent (ranking 7th in MLB), May had 8.3 percent (17th in MLB), June recorded 9.2 percent (once again 5th highest in MLB), and July topped at 9.6 percent, achieving the unfortunate distinction of 2nd place.

Thanks to a healthier pitching squad and more stability, August saw a significant drop in the walk rate, down to 7.5 percent, bringing them to a lower rank of 20th place in MLB. This was the lowest walk rate of the season for the Dodgers’ pitchers, testifying to the strength of a full roster of starters, which brought a much-needed steadiness. For the Dodgers to enjoy a successful postseason run, they have to continue this trend through September and October, doing their best to steer clear of matches reminiscent of the recent lackluster performance against the Pirates.