Dodgers have a new look, but can’t shake bad habits

Say hello to the new Dodgers.

Same as the old Dodgers.

The Dodgers revealed their new look team and while there were signs of improvement, a lot of the troubles that have plagued this team surfaced against the cheating, stinking Houston Astros and the Not L.A. Angels. 

The Dodgers went 3-2 last week and actually lost ground to the surprising first-place San Francisco Giants. The Dodgers are four games out of first place and still chasing the Giants for the best record in baseball.

The Dodgers upgraded their roster at the trade deadline, adding pitcher Max Scherzer and infielder Trea Turner in particular. It took a few days to see what Scherzer and Turner will add to the mix, and if their first few games are any indication, it will be an exciting finish to the 2021 season. The Dodgers have 50 games left to catch the Giants, and if Scherzer and Turner play like they did last week, it will be more than enough to close the gap on the Giants.

However, the Dodgers have three glaring holes that didn’t seem to go away with the addition of new players.

First, the Dodgers have a nasty habit of struggling at the plate in clutch situations. That was embarrassingly clear in the first game against the Astros on Tuesday night. The Dodgers were shut out and wasted another brilliant start from Walker Buehler. They lost 3-0 to the visiting Astros, who were booed mercilessly and deservedly for all nine innings.

Scherzer made his first start for the Dodgers on Wednesday night and was gifted a 7-0 lead after three innings. He struck out 10, gave up two runs on five hits and won his ninth game of the season. More starts like that and the Giants lead will shrink quickly. 

However, Kenley Jansen did his best to try and ruin Scherzer’s debut.

Jansen, who has struggled to close out games in recent weeks, a recurring problem that arises during the most crucial games it seems, gave up a two-run home run in the ninth inning and turned a comfortable four-run lead into a stress-filled two-run victory, 7-5.

The Dodgers started the weekend series against the Angels with an extra-inning game on Friday night. And in predictable Dodgers style, they lost, 4-3 in 10 innings. The Dodgers dropped to 1-11 in extra-innings games in 2021. 

All of the Dodgers weaknesses were revealed in the five games they played last week. They are not a clutch-hitting team. They have an unreliable closer. And they consistently lose extra-inning games. If the Dodgers can avoid those situations in the playoffs, they will be fine.

But coming up clutch hits, having a shutdown bullpen and winning close games are what take teams to World Series championships. The Dodgers are lacking in all three of these areas.

However, Turner made his first start for the Dodgers in the game on Saturday against the Angels. He went 1-for-3, drew a walk and scored a run in a 5-3 win.

More importantly, the Dodgers bullpen pitched four nearly perfect innings to secure the win. They pitched four shutout innings, gave up only two hits and Jansen earned the save with a nine-pitch ninth inning.

Turner continued to produce for his new team in the game against the Angels on Sunday. He went 1-for-4, drew another walk and scored two runs in a convincing 8-2 win to close out the week.

The Dodgers seem headed in the right direction. But the view from second place is really old, especially in August. It would be nice to be out front for the last two months of the season.

Dodgers starting pitching power rankings:

1. Walker Buehler
2. Max Scherzer
3. Julio Urias
4. David Price

The Dodgers (67-45) head out on the road this week. They play the suddenly surging Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday and end the road trip with a Sunday night game against the struggling New York Mets.