What better remedy for the struggling Dodgers offense than a three-game series against the woeful 2022 Cincinnati Reds, the owner of the worst win-loss record (now 23-46) in the National League. At the start of the season, the Dodgers swept their four-game home series against the Reds by a combined score of 26 to 7. Now, they were traveling to the Reds home park – The Great American Ball Park – even better for the Dodgers where the Reds pitching staff ERA is 5.75, and opposing teams hit more home runs than any other park in MLB.

Just what the doctor ordered!

The Dodgers offense had struggled to score runs over their previous eleven games (winning five, losing six), accounting for an average of 3.27 runs per game. The MLB average offense is four runs per game, the Dodgers norm is more than five runs per game. Of the 36 total runs scored by the Dodgers over that period, nine were unearned, and 18 were scored in two games – 11 against the Chicago White Sox on June 9, and seven on June 18 against the Cleveland Guardians.

The Dodgers were badly in need of a strong, dominating performance to rid themselves of their offensive doldrums.

Right team, right time, right place!

The Dodgers easily swept the three-game series, outscoring the Reds 26 to 11. The offense was overwhelming:

• 42 base hits
• 7 doubles
• 1 triple
• 7 home runs

Of course, the offense was led by the usual stars: Trea Turner (seven hits), Freddie Freeman (seven hits, two home runs), and Will Smith (six hits, two home runs), but Max Muncy, Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner, and recently re-acquired Trayce Thompson also had a big series.

Was this Reds series a reawakening of the Dodgers powerful lineup, or was it a function of facing a poor pitching staff in a very hitter-friendly ballpark?

We should soon know, as the Dodgers next play the Atlanta Braves before moving on to the Colorado Rockies – another questionable pitching staff in another hitter-friendly ballpark.

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