With the NLDS tied at one game apiece, the Dodgers are headed back to Atlanta needing their bats to wake up fast. Game 1 gave them a jolt - five runs and three home runs - but Game 2 swung the other way in a hurry. Los Angeles went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, stranded seven men, and the only two runs in the 3-2 loss came on solo homers.
That sets up a tough assignment against Chris Sale, who shut the Dodgers out in a complete game the last time he faced them in August. One run against the Braves left-hander is a chore. If the offense looks anything like it did against Atlanta’s bullpen, the Dodgers could be staring at another shutout and a 2-1 series hole.
There are a few ways to shake things up, and one of the clearest is Kike Hernandez. If the Dodgers want energy and a different look, Hernandez fits the bill.
He has a long track record of showing up in October, and his defensive flexibility gives the club options at second base, third base, or even in the outfield. He did struggle to find steady at-bats after coming back from his oblique injury, and the production never really followed when he was in the lineup.
Still, against a pitcher like Sale, the Dodgers may decide the October version of Hernandez is worth betting on.
Another possible move is sitting Tommy Edman. Edman gave the Dodgers a lift when he returned during the regular season and even picked up some leadoff opportunities while Shohei Ohtani was out.
But the late-season slide has been real. He is 0-for-5 with a walk in the NLDS and hit just .160 over his final 15 regular-season games.
His defense and versatility still matter, but in a single game, swapping him for someone like Kike Hernandez or Miguel Rojas could give the lineup a better chance to break through. Against Sale in his career, Edman is 2-for-11 with a walk.
The Dodgers could also get Josue De Paula involved sooner. De Paula is known for getting on base, and even if the matchup doesn’t lean his way, he could still help by working Sale deeper into counts and driving up the pitch total.
He already appeared as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning of Game 2, when he was the final batter and popped up. The Dodgers may need that kind of approach again if they want to throw everything they have at Sale.
In Other News...
Dodgers Let NLDS Control Slip Away After Another Offensive Letdown
Blake Snells afternoon never found a rhythm, and the Dodgers could not do enough offensively to take advantage of the opening it created. Los Angeles dropped a 3-2 decision to the Braves in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, a result that evened the series at one game apiece and left the Dodgers searching for the timely hit that has been missing too often in October.
Snell issued a season-high five walks, and the game turned on a chaotic stretch that included a wild pitch from Braves reliever Kris Bubic before Atlanta grabbed the go-ahead run. Freddie Freeman also came through for the Braves with a home run, his first since Sept. 2, adding another swing that helped flip the momentum and leave the Dodgers with a split instead of control. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Face A Lineup Decision That Could Test Braves In Game 3
After getting bottled up by the Braves in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, the Dodgers are staring at a familiar October problem: how to jolt an offense that went quiet when it needed to answer back. Atlanta leaned on multiple pitchers to keep Los Angeles in check, and now Dave Roberts is weighing a lineup tweak for Game 3 as the series shifts into a more urgent phase for a team trying to avoid elimination.
The concern centers on center fielder Andy Pages, whose postseason struggles have become hard to ignore, and that has opened the door for Enrique Hernandez to potentially step in and give the lineup a different look. Hernandez has earned a reputation as a reliable October bat, which is part of what makes this decision so interesting for the Dodgers, who need more than just better at-bats now - they need a spark that can change the feel of the series. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Suddenly Face A Real Andy Pages Lineup Dilemma
Andy Pages arrived at October with the kind of profile the Dodgers hoped would translate, but through two postseason games he has not found much traction. He has gone hitless in eight plate appearances, drawing one walk and striking out four times, and the swing-and-miss issues have stood out even more because they are so far above his regular-season norms. For a Dodgers lineup built to keep pressure on opposing pitching, that kind of drop-off from a regular contributor quickly becomes hard to ignore.
Dave Roberts has already made one adjustment by limiting Pages ability to challenge calls, a small but telling sign that the club is trying to manage both the player and the moment. If the struggles continue, the Dodgers do not appear short on alternatives, which only adds to the tension around Pages spot. In October, even a young hitter with legitimate upside can find himself one rough stretch away from a lineup debate. [Read more 🡒]