The Los Angeles Dodgers are seeing the division slip away and Sunday’s loss to the Toronto Blue Jays might have been a watershed moment.
The Dodgers failed to capitalize on several opportunities to win the game, including two bases-loaded walks in the final two innings. And they entered Monday just two games ahead of the rival San Diego Padres in the National League West division.
The loss was so frustrating that it drove some rare criticism from manager Dave Roberts pointed at two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, who is typically spared from any negativity by the manager. Roberts was clear that Ohtani was to blame for trying to steal a base with two outs in the sixth inning and Freddie Freeman at the plate.
“That was his decision,” Roberts said after Ohtani was caught in the attempt, per Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times. “Not a good baseball play.”
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – JUNE 27: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers walks through the dugout during a game against the Kansas City Royals in the fourth inning at Kauffman Stadium on June… Zurga/Getty
Then the manager sent another message on Ohtani’s strikeout from a bases-loaded situation in the ninth inning. He criticized Ohtani’s decision to chase a ball out of the strike zone.
“The last thing I was thinking was he was going (to do was) to strike out,” Roberts said, according to Baxter. “We’ve got to come up with one right there. … Chasing the ball down below is something we can’t have happen.”
Roberts is widely praised for his ability to manage several high-profile stars and strike the balance between urgency and patience in public comments. But his open criticism of Ohtani, one of the most popular and talented baseball players in history, marked a rare candidness from the manager.
That latest Dodgers’ loss was clearly a frustrating one for Roberts and it could mark a turning point for the team.
