Dodgers president backs Dave Roberts amid club's alarming struggles
With the Los Angeles Dodgers reeling, team president Andrew Friedman gave his manager a vote of confidence on Monday.
"There is no doubt in my mind that (Dave Roberts) is the right guy to lead this team going forward. The way our minds work is not to assign blame to anyone at this point. It's to hunker down, all together, and try to solve problems," Friedman told Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.
"I'm very comfortable in saying that, if we had to assign blame at this point, it should be me who is taking that, and not Doc."
After a four-game sweep at the hands of the lowly Cincinnati Reds, in Dodger Stadium stadium, no less, L.A. has now lost seven of its last eight games and is off to its worst 40-game start since 1958. The club's struggles can be largely attributed to injuries, which have decimated a talented core.
| Player | Injury | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Clayton Kershaw | Left biceps tendinitis | 10-day DL |
| Corey Seager | Tommy John surgery | Out for season |
| Rich Hill | Left middle finger blister | Could make next start |
| Hyun-Jin Ryu | Left groin strain | 10-day DL |
| Justin Turner* | Left wrist fracture | 10-day DL |
| Logan Forsythe* | Right shoulder inflammation | 10-day DL |
| Tony Cingrani | Left shoulder inflammation | 10-day DL |
| Tom Koehler | Anterior capsule strain in right shoulder | 60-day DL |
*Turner and Forsythe are expected to be activated ahead of Tuesday's game against the Miami Marlins
The players who are currently active haven't fared much better. Yasiel Puig and Chris Taylor, in particular - two players who combined to 7.7 WAR and 122 wRC+ for last year's World Series-bound Dodgers - have yet to find their 2017 form. Cody Bellinger, last season's National League Rookie of the Year, has also regressed.
| Year | ISO | wOBA | xwOBA | wRC+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | .315 | .380 | .360 | 138 |
| 2018 | .191 | .336 | .306 | 115 |
"It's early in some respects. That being said, we're not using that as a crutch," Friedman said of his team's efforts. "Whether it is early or late, we want and we expect to play better baseball."
Roberts and the Dodgers will look to end their current slide in a three-game set against the Marlins. After that, their schedule will feature some tough matchups, with upcoming series against the Washington Nationals and Colorado Rockies before ending the month against the Philadelphia Phillies.