Somehow, the loaded Los Angeles Dodgers are scuffling. The two-time defending World Series champions have shocked baseball by losing eight of their last nine games entering Monday night’s matchup with the Royals, and they’re 9–12 in the second half. A look inside the numbers shows this isn’t just a random midseason losing streak. The Dodgers have some serious problems right now.
Now, let’s be real: no one is particularly worried about the Dodgers. Yet, at least. They’re still overwhelming favorites to win the World Series, and their addition of ace Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline only enhanced those chances. But beneath the surface, L.A. has shown some cracks since the All-Star break, and if the playoffs started today, the champs wouldn’t even get a bye in the first round. It’s also worth noting this is the first time the Dodgers have endured a streak of losing eight of nine games since their infamous September collapse in 2017 when they dropped 11 in a row (yet still won 104 games in the regular season and came within one game of winning the World Series).
