THE Dodgers pitching situation got uglier and uglier this weekend, after Director Dave Roberts announced on Saturday that the right-handed ace Tyler Glasnow likely to miss remainder of 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 failed to do much right in a 10-1 defeat it didn’t even seem that close.
Jack Flahertywho has assumed the de facto No. 1 role in the rotation since being acquired at the trade deadline, had his worst start in Dodgers colors, giving up four runs in an 83-pitch outing that ended after the third.
Learn more: Dodgers’ Tyler Glasnow ‘very unlikely’ to return this season after loss
The Dodgers’ defense wasn’t much help, with miscues and missed opportunities in the field facilitating a three-run rally for the Braves (81-67) in the second and a six-run explosion in the sixth.
And, continuing their recent regression at the plate, the team offered little resistance, managing just seven hits in what was their seventh game 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 front-line hurlers currently available to the club (alongside Yoshinobu Yamamotowho recently returned from a shoulder injury).
Struggling with his command early, Flaherty allowed one run on 27 pitches in the first inning. He had to work around a two-out double on 18 pitches in the second. Then he got little help in a grueling 38-pitch third inning.
Jorge Soler started the frame with a double to right, hitting a deep fly ball Mookie Betts couldn’t catch while running. After a walk at Marcel OzunaFlaherty drew a potential double play ball that Miguel Rojas was kicked to shortstop and only managed to turn around for one out. Then, after another walk to Kelenic in a jar, Orlando Arcia found space in right-center field for a three-run double with the bases loaded.
After tying the score the previous half-inning with Betts’ RBI single, the Dodgers (87-61) suddenly found themselves down 4-1.
They would never get closer again.
Flaherty finished the third inning – not without allowing another walk, his fourth of the night, a season high – but couldn’t go any further, stumbling through his first start of fewer than five innings all season.
Learn more: Former Dodger Jason Heyward already proving himself with the Astros
He is 5-2 with a 3.25 ERA in eight starts with the Dodgers.
Offensively, LA did not benefit from a roster change, with Freddie Freeman He goes down to the cleaning station for the first time in his Dodgers career.
The new number 3 hitter, Teoscar Hernandezended the first inning with a bad baserunning decision, getting thrown out at third while trying to turn a two-out double into a triple.
After that, the Dodgers offered few threats. Kike Hernandez The Dodgers scored their only run in the third inning after hitting a one-out double. From there, however, the Dodgers did not have another inning in which more than four batters stepped to the plate.
Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Airs at the start of each series.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
