The Los Angeles Dodgers are 38-21 on the season following their 9-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday. Due to the San Diego Padres losing their second straight game, Los Angeles now leads the National League West Division by a comfortable 5.5 games.
Indeed, the defending World Series Champions have, once again, established themselves as the standard in Major League Baseball. They have obviously received great production from numerous position players and pitchers as they have worked hard all year to get to this point.
However, there are multiple Dodgers players that have not lived up to expectations.
Los Angeles Dodgers free agent addition: Kyle Tucker
As has become one of their signatures, Los Angeles paid a massive amount of money to sign one of the biggest names in free agency this past off-season. They inked right fielder Kyle Tucker to a four-year $240 million, a deal that had fans of many other fan bases upset.
Tucker, though, has not lived up to the contract. At least, not yet. As of this writing, he is hitting just .242/.338/.391 with four home runs and 27 RBI.
Last season, he had hit .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs and 73 RBI for the Chicago Cubs.
Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts
There may not be a superstar in Major League Baseball who is struggling more than Los Angeles shortstop Mookie Betts. In his first six seasons with the Dodgers, Betts hit .278/.363/.505 and averaged 33 home runs and 97 RBI per 162 games.
This season, though, he is having an absolute abysmal time at the plate. Currently, Betts is hitting .194/.259/.408 with six home runs and 16 RBI (in 24 games played).
Needless to say, Los Angeles is hoping he can turn it around at the plate because that kind of slash line is not acceptable over the course of a full season.
Starting pitcher Roki Sasaki
As a whole, the Dodgers boast one of the best pitching staffs in all Major League Baseball. Up to this part of the season, though, Roki Sasaki has been their weakest link.
A second-year pitcher out of Japan, Los Angeles had hoped that Sasaki would take some steps forward in 2026. Unfortunately, he has not done so yet.
Through his first 10 starts, Sasaki is 3-3 with a 4.59 ERA. While fellow Dodgers starter Emmet Sheehan has a higher ERA (4.79), Sasaski has allowed more home runs (10 compared to nine), walked more batters (19 compared to 14), and has struck out few batters (50 compared to 59).
Still just 24 years old, Sasaki has a great more to learn and has more to develop, but being on such a high-profile team has put his struggles under the microscope.
