Dave Roberts isn’t hiding what he wants from the Dodgers this October: he wants the bats to set the tone.
Los Angeles won back-to-back World Series titles last year, but the path wasn’t exactly powered by a fully awakened lineup. Outside of a two-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds in the 2025 National League Wild Card Series, when the Dodgers piled up 18 runs, the offense mostly went quiet once the postseason got deeper.
Over the final three rounds, L.A. hit just .213. In the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, that number slipped to .203, and the pitching staff ended up carrying much of the load.
That’s not the version Roberts wants to see repeated.
“I don’t like that,” Roberts said. “And I think if you look at the performance, that’s the way people see it and understandably so. But for me, I want our offense to drive this postseason.
“Certainly hitting is harder in the postseason. We all understand that. … Winning is great, but you don’t ever want to feel we won in spite of X or Y and in this particular case it’s our offense.”
For that to happen, the Dodgers have to shake off a stretch that has been ugly by any standard. Since July 1, they’ve scored an MLB-worst 209 runs in 51 games. August was especially rough, with the club averaging only 3.85 runs per game and posting a team on-base plus slugging of .689.
Almost everyone in the lineup has been stuck in some kind of slump over the last two months. Freddie Freeman has been one of the few bright spots, still hitting at a strong clip even as his power numbers have dipped.
The encouraging part for the Dodgers is that this isn’t unfamiliar territory. They were one of the worst offensive teams last July before turning things around and finishing the regular season strong.
Roberts also had August on his mind after the Dodgers closed the month 13-14. The club went 2-4 on its most recent road trip, getting swept by the Atlanta Braves before taking a series from the Detroit Tigers, and Roberts made it clear he was ready to move on.
“Is it September yet?” Roberts said on SportsNet LA. “Yeah, August was very forgettable.”
In Other News...
Dodgers Roster Shakeup Just Squeezed Out One Veteran Role Player
The Dodgers got a wave of reinforcements back on the active roster, activating catchers Will Smith and Dalton Rushing along with left-hander Justin Wrobleski from the injured list. To clear space, the club also recalled infielder Alex Freeland from Triple-A, while outfielder Alek Thomas was optioned back to Triple-A and top prospect James Tibbs III stayed put for now.
The biggest roster casualty in the shuffle was Ben Rortvedt, who was designated for assignment to make room. For a Dodgers team constantly balancing health, depth and development, the move underscores how crowded the catching picture has become, and how quickly a veteran role player can be the odd man out when the injured list starts to empty. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Chose Caution With A September Call-Up Fans Wanted More From
The Dodgers had a fresh roster spot to work with and plenty of outside noise about which young bat should get the nod, but they went with infielder Alex Freeland instead of making the splashier move some fans were hoping for. Dave Roberts had hinted at adding a left-handed bat, and the conversation quickly turned toward top prospects such as James Tibbs III and Josue De Paula, both of whom would have brought more intrigue to the call-up picture.
Instead, Los Angeles stayed on the conservative path, a choice that fits the clubs usual September balancing act between present needs and long-term caution. Freelands recent Triple-A work has been more modest, while Tibbs has been turning in better results, but the Dodgers seem in no rush to force the issue, and the move could also keep more outfield options open for Tommy Edman as the roster shuffle continues. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Catching Shakeup Begins As Will Smith Finally Returns
Will Smith is back on the active roster, and the Dodgers did more than simply plug him back into the lineup. Los Angeles activated Smith along with Dalton Rushing and Justin Wrobleski, while also recalling infielder Alex Freeland from Triple-A Oklahoma City and optioning center fielder Alek Thomas as the club shuffled its roster heading into the next stretch of the season.
The bigger catching move came with Ben Rortvedt being designated for assignment to make room for Smith after his stay on the 60-day injured list because of neck inflammation. For the Dodgers, Smiths return restores a familiar presence behind the plate, but the roster squeeze around him hints that the catching situation may still be in flux as the club sorts out how to balance health, depth, and day-to-day playing time. [Read more 🡒]