August 5th, 2024 at 8:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka When the NL West first-place Los Angeles Dodgers left town on July 29 for their (thankfully) just-concluded eight-game/three-city road trip that took them through Houston, San Diego, and Oakland, they did so with a relatively comfortable 6.5-game lead over the NL West second-place San Diego Padres, a 7.0-game lead over the third-place Arizona Diamondbacks, a 10.5-game lead over the fourth-place San Francisco Giants, and a 25.0-game lead over the last-place Colorado Rockies.
That lead is now 4.5, 5.0, 9.5, and 24.5 games respectively, after losing two of three to the Astros at Minute Maid Park, both games to the Padres at Petco Park, and one of three to the A’s at the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum.
Prior to Sunday’s series – and road-trip – finale against the A’s, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts finally owned up to what Dodger fans have been screaming about for the past two weeks:
“For me, regardless of who we have, you know, active, we gotta… we gotta play better baseball, and the opponents are, you know, gonna be difficult,” Roberts finally admitted on Sunday.
(SportsNet LA)
Those “opponents” for the upcoming six-game homestand (which begins on Monday) are the NL East first-place Philadelphia Phillies (three games), and the NL Central third-place Pittsburgh Pirates (three games).
“…difficult,” indeed.
Granted, playing without superstar future Hall of Famers Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman has had a profound impact on Roberts’ (current) 65-47 Dodgers, but it takes nine guys to win a game, a series, a Division Series, a League Championship Series, and a World Series, not just two guys, and to be brutally honest, the rest of Roberts (almost) everyday starting line-up has been mediocre, at best.
Ironically, the guy who played the best during that ugly just-concluded 3-5 road trip was super-utility infielder/outfielder (and occasional right-handed reliever) Kiké Hernández, who went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs in Sunday’s road-trip finale in Oakland.
(SportsNet LA)
Yes, Dave, your team play needs to “play better baseball.”
NOW.
Play Ball!
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Posted in 
Big issue
Who stays and who goes on the roster as guys return: Outman for Freddy.
Betts who goes? pages, heyward, Biggios, Kiki, ??? I’m hearing Rosario is staying
Also have Miggy Rojas who will return.
Plus Edman. Muncie
So Freeman, Betts, Rojas, Edman, CT3 and Muncie. That’s 6 that must go. Of course rosters will increase Sept 1.
But out of Outman, Biggios, Kurkmeier, Pages,Kiki, Ahmed, Heyward. 7 guys 6 would have to go.
I think the first two to go will be Outman and Pages. They have options. They didn’t trade for Rosario, Kiermaier, and Ahmed to give up on them after only a few games.
I think you are right. I’m hoping Mookie plays RF leaving the two defensive specialists at SS and Lux at 2b.
They really need to stop playing Pages in CF. I am very anxious to see Edman. He could be a big help especially in CF.
I agree.. Pages is probably below average in CF.
BTW Biggio was dfa
I agree, Pages in CF is not working. He is good going to his left, right, and coming in on balls, but anything over his head is more likely than not to be extra bases for the hitter. I think Edman will be the centerfielder with Pages sharing RF with Hayward. Mookie goes back to shortstop as the Dodgers can live with his meh defense, but great bat.
My guess for Dodgers NLDS (best of 5) roster (assuming Dodgers win NL West and all available rostered players are healthy: 4 starting pitchers Glasnow, Flaherty, Yamamoto, Buehler; 9 relievers Banda, Graterol, Hudson, Kelly, Kopech, Philipps, Stone, Treinen, Vesia; 13 position players Barnes, Betts, Edman, Freeman, Heyward, K. Hernandez, T. Hernandez, Lux, Muncy, Ohtani, Pages, Smith, Taylor
Travel squad: utility Rojas, catcher Feduccia, outfielder Outman, pitchers Kershaw and Miller
It wouldn’t be a shock to see Dodgers top prospect Dalton Rushing included on travel squad for the experience
The only question is Buehler vs Stone. Will Stone rally back?
Rojas? Could replace someone!!!
Good question. I think Buehler’s experience and Stone’s innings pitched make the difference. In my guess, I put Stone in the bullpen as the long man — on call should Buehler falter. Putting Rojas on the travel squad was a tough call. Final decision came down to Taylor’s ability to play outfield and infield. With Muncy at third, Betts at SS, Lux at 2b and K. Hernandez ability to play all of those spots, I went with Taylor for his OF defense and occasional big hit.
Big start tonite for one of our all-time favorites Clayton Kershaw.
Dodgers offense and defense must step up and help him