The Dodgers’ pitching situation has become increasingly ugly this weekend, after manager Dave Roberts announced Saturday that ace right-hander Tyler Glasnow will likely miss the rest of the season.
But, in back-to-back losses to the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park, the team’s on-field play hasn’t been much better.
On Saturday night, the Dodgers could do little right in a 10-1 defeat that didn’t even feel that close.
Jack Flaherty, who has ascended to a de facto No. 1 role in the rotation since being acquired at the trade deadline, had his worst start in Dodger blue, giving up four runs in an 83-pitch outing that ended after the third.
The Dodgers’ defense didn’t offer much help, with misplays and missed opportunities in the field aiding a three-run rally for the Braves (81-67) in the second and a six-run outburst in the sixth.
And, in a continuation of their recent regression at the plate, the lineup offered little resistance, managing just seven hits in what was their seventh game out of the last nine scoring fewer than five runs.
Flaherty’s struggles were most alarming, especially given his ever-increasing importance as one of only two frontline pitchers currently available for the club (alongside Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who recently returned from a shoulder injury).
Struggling with his command from the start, Flaherty gave up one run in a 27-pitch first inning. He had to work around a two-out double in an 18-pitch second. Then, he got little help behind him in a back-breaking 38-pitch third.
Jorge Soler led off the frame with a double to right, hitting a deep fly ball Mookie Betts couldn’t catch on the run. After a walk to Marcell Ozuna, Flaherty dialed up a potential double-play ball that Miguel Rojas booted at shortstop and managed to turn for only one out. Then, after another walk to Jarred Kelenic, Orlando Arcia found the gap in right-center for a three-run, bases-loaded double.
Having tied the game the previous half-inning, on Betts’ RBI single, the Dodgers (87-61) were suddenly down 4-1.
They would never get close again.
Flaherty finished the third inning — though not before issuing another walk, his season-high fourth of the night — but couldn’t go further, stumbling to his first start of less than five innings all season.
He is 5-2 with a 3.25 ERA in eight starts with the Dodgers.
Offensively, L.A. didn’t benefit from a switch to the lineup, with Freddie Freeman moving down to the cleanup spot for the first time in his Dodgers career.
The new No. 3 hitter, Teoscar Hernández, ended the first inning with a poor baserunning decision, getting thrown out at third while trying to stretch a two-out double into a triple.
After that, the Dodgers mounted few threats. Kiké Hernández scored their lone run in the third after hitting a one-out double. From there, however, the Dodgers didn’t have another inning in which more than four batters came to the plate.
