It’s a top heavy lineup for the Dodgers.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have one of the most star-studded rosters in all of MLB for the 2024 season. Through nearly the first month of the season, they’re sitting at 18-11, atop the National League West with a 4.5-game lead over the San Diego Padres. As good as they’ve been, they have still yet to truly dominate like most thought they would, making for a mediocre first month.
The Dodgers have placed lofty expectations upon themselves with each and every big-name signing they’ve acquired over the past several years, with this offseason’s signing of Shohei Ohtani being the biggest. The former Los Angeles Angels pitcher/slugger has intensified the expectations to the next level. The problem with this method is that while they keep adding to the intensity of their expectations, even for themselves, they have yet to yield the results that match them.
After the Dodgers won their first three series of the 2024 season, starting with a two-game series against division rival Padres in Seoul, they have won just two since, losing three out of their last five. That makes them 14-9 in the month of April. That’s not terrible, but it seems like more was expected from this team, even if it is just after the first month.
What’s even more shocking about this year’s Dodgers team is that they’re only one game above .500 at home (9-8) where they’ve lost both of their extra innings games. Thus far, they are a much better road team at 9-3.
So, let’s see who’s most to blame for this mediocre start for the Dodgers in 2024.
The Dodgers have a top-heavy lineup, need more from Gavin Lux, James Outman, Chris Taylor, Kike’ Hernandez, others
When you think about the Dodgers, most who may not follow the team closely might think there isn’t a weak link in the team’s lineup chain. When you have guys like Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Ohtani going 1-2-3, to then follow that up with Will Smith, Max Muncy, and even Teoscar Hernandez occupying 4-6 in some order, why bother even looking at 7-9, right? Well…
As formidable and top-heavy as the Dodgers’ top of the order is, the bottom third is a little less intimidating. The Dodgers have gone through eight different guys this season who have batted anywhere from 7-9: James Outman, Gavin Lux, Chris Taylor, Kiké Hernandez, Miguel Rojas, and Austin Barnes, Andy Pages, and even Jason Heyward. The most consistent of this group, as far as playing time, in some order, has been Outman, Lux, and Hernandez, with Taylor also thrown in there. Heyward has played in just four games after he was sent to the IL, and Pages was just called up not long ago. Rojas is mostly used for defensive purposes.
Out of that list, Pages and Rojas are putting up the best numbers, yet they only have a combined 28 games played between them. Those who are typically finding their way into the lineup (20-plus games) like Outman, Lux, Hernandez, and Taylor, have just a combined .163 batting average and 22 RBIs. That leaves Betts, the Dodgers’ leadoff hitter, who has 23 RBIs, alone, having batted just 44 out of 137 plate appearances where there’s been someone on base, per FanGraphs.
The Dodgers bottom of the order has begun to improve lately with Gavin Lux, Andy Pages
·
·
·
There have been some signs of life here as of late, however, with the bottom of the lineup having their moments in the Mets and Nationals series, and later the Blue Jays. As mentioned, Pages has been one of the better hitters of the group, even in his minimal time. Starting with the Nationals series, he has a hit in all but one game, with nine total, along with one home run and two RBI, now hitting .302 for the season.
“For me, it’s not necessarily the slug with those guys,” Roberts said (via MLB.com) last Tuesday after a 4-1 win over the Nationals. “It’s conducting at-bats and keeping the line moving, getting a hit when needed. I can’t say enough about those guys’ at-bats tonight.”
Lux has also begun to put bat to ball, bumping his average up 20 points over the last three games, from .167 to .187 with four hits. The Dodgers meanwhile have won six out of their last seven with back-to-back series wins.
But this will be something to watch out for if you’re a Dodgers fan. Sure, having a lineup start with three MVP-caliber hitters makes up for a lot. But what about when those guys go into their eventual slumps? Or even worse, when the team faces an even more daunting lineup like the Atlanta Braves’ 1-9?
