Dodgers Prevail in the Week, But Struggle with Consistency

In the past week, the Dodgers demonstrated a formidable performance, outperforming in four out of six games, thereby enhancing their lead in the division and securing the best track record across all National League playoff competitors from the start to the end of the week. However, an ineffable sensation of incompleteness pervaded the week, highlighting the stringent anticipations set for a Dodgers team initially predicted to achieve triple-figure wins this season, but has exhibited wavering stability in the past couple of months.

The team’s scoring trend presented an interesting view. On the winning front, they consistently crossed the five-run threshold, amassing 23 runs across their triumphs. However, on the flip side, their losses were notable for their solitary run in each of the two matches they conceded. This dichotomy brings forth a challenge that reverberates throughout the final month of the season: seeking stability and channeling the intensity of October into the games of September.

Reflecting on the season’s journey, Dave Roberts, the team’s manager, shared on Sunday, ‘I am reluctant to recycle discussions about previous years, but playing a prolonged baseball season and holding up the badge of defending champions, naturally escalates the level of competition. We understand our position as a target. However, maintaining such condensed focus is a Herculean task within the realm of human nature.’

Roberts continued, ‘This does not spring from any inadequacy in our readiness or efforts. Instead, it is a reflection of our inherent humanity. But, it is time to strive for refinement. I believe we are at that juncture.’ Indeed, consistency and focused energy are requisites in any contender’s arsenal, and the Dodgers are no exception.

In this week’s series of games, Smith hit a decisive home run that claimed the match on Sunday. His one extra hit for the week might not seem plenty, but even this modest contribution was enough to place him second in OPS. His performance aptly underlined the unpredictable and highly competitive nature of the sport.

Nevertheless, the crown for this week’s most dependable hitter sat firmly on Andy Pages’ head, who scored six and led in RBI, hits, and tied for the lead in the home run department. Another commendable performance, albeit from a lower rank in terms of plate appearances, was Michael Conforto’s, who topped in OPS on the back of a home run and a pair of doubles.

Emmet Sheehan pitched an impressive game mitigated by a few fortuitous outfield catches but mostly powered by his skilled performance. He struck out 10 batters and set a personal best by reaching the seventh inning in a shutout against the Reds on Monday. This splendid performance equalized the highest game score by any Dodgers pitcher this season, demonstrating the high stakes and fierce competition in the games.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto also deserves a tip of the hat for his performance on Sunday against Arizona. He managed to strike out 10 batters in seven innings, replicating the feat Sheehan accomplished earlier.

Freddie Freeman, another significant player for the Dodgers, made his mark this weekend. He hit his 35th double of the year against Eduardo Rodríguez on Saturday, continuing his remarkable four-year streak with the Dodgers of hitting at least 35 doubles each year. This achievement places Freeman on par with Steve Garvey for the second-most seasons with 35 doubles in franchise history, trailing only Babe Herman by one.

Freeman’s impressive contribution goes beyond just this season. He has accrued 177 doubles with the Dodgers, with his cumulative career total of 544 doubles equating him with the legendary Derek Jeter for the 35th spot on the all-time list.

During the conclusive match against the Reds on Wednesday, Shohei Ohtani made his mark. He managed a season’s best by striking out nine in merely five innings. But the match was not just about Ohtani’s prowess. Jack Dreyer, Justin Wrobleski, Edgardo Henriquez, and Blake Treinen followed in his steps, each with double-digit strikeout records in their respective innings.

As a result, the Dodgers embarked on an unprecedented journey, striking out 19 batters for the first time in their history in a nine-inning match. This feat added another feather in their cap as they already held records for five extra-inning matches with a minimum of 19 strikeouts. Notably, the first time they achieved this was back on June 2, 2017, in Milwaukee, where they struck out 19 within the first nine innings.

In the long history of the Dodgers — and precisely since 1912 when Baseball Reference started maintaining complete play-by-play data — the team has succeeded in hitting 25 pinch-hit walk-off home runs during the regular season. The man at the center of this achievement in recent years is none other than Will Smith, who has the last four walk-off home runs to his name, all achieved since 2019.

Surprisingly, the only other Dodger to have achieved more than a single pinch-hit walk-off home run was Rick Monday, who managed to do it twice. In the grand scheme of Major League Baseball history, Smith’s four pinch-hit walk-off homers hold the distinction of being the second-most ever.