Dodgers Struggle in Playoffs: Can They Turn It Around?

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Dodgers Face Offensive and Bullpen Questions After Falling Behind Milwaukee

The Dodgers are still in the playoffs, but they are down 0-2 against the Brewers and have not looked good through the first two games. Milwaukee did the same thing to the Padres: The Brewers find a way to score one more run than their opponent. They won 105 games playing that way.

Milwaukee’s power may not be expected, but Contreras has been electric. The Dodgers forced Mizarrowski out of Game 1 earlier than usual, which should have been a positive sign, but they could not find a way to win. The Brewers ultimately did what they were supposed to do by winning both games at home.

Shohei Ohtani looks dreadful right now. If he is hurt or unable to play like himself, the Dodgers should consider sitting him and protecting him from himself. A day off, a massage, a conversation or home-field advantage may not be enough to fix what is wrong.

The Dodgers have specialized in finding an unexpected player somewhere on the roster who can make a key play. They may need to find that player again, because Ohtani cannot be the answer while he is struggling this badly.

He is not alone. Ohtani and Freddie Freeman are each 1-for-8, Kyle Tucker is 1-for-7, and Mookie Betts is 2-for-9 with one extra-base hit through two games. Will Smith has also been terrible at the plate throughout the playoffs, including the Braves series.

The Dodgers were poor offensively against the Braves, but Atlanta was worse. The concerns Dodgers fans had in August and September have carried into the playoffs. Milwaukee only needed to get to Scoble and Yamamoto for an inning or two to gain the upper hand. The Brewers forced Yamamoto into the shortest postseason outing of his career and pushed Scoble out after five or six innings, even though he pitched well.

Milwaukee scored seven runs in Game 2 after scoring only two in Game 1, while its pitching has been phenomenal.

Dave Roberts also deserves some blame for his bullpen decisions. The team appears to have an infatuation with Alex Vescia, while Rokki Sasaki could have remained in the game for three innings. Sasaki was a starter and had performed well toward the end of the season. He delivered a strong inning, but Roberts removed him before everything collapsed with Brock Stewart and the other relievers.

Will Smith’s failure to challenge pitches that could have changed the game was also frustrating. The Dodgers now have the ability to challenge those calls, and Roberts has already expressed frustration when players fail to do it.

Jose De Paula has had better at-bats in his last three appearances than Shohei has had in three months. Right now, De Paula should play over Shohei, regardless of the $700 million commitment.