In the Dodgers’ worst stretch of the season, at least one Los Angeles star insists there is no reason to panic as the team heads home to face the Kansas City Royals on Monday.
The last time the Dodgers were home, they were swept by the Boston Red Sox in a three-game series. They went to Chicago and met the same fate against the Cubs before their losing streak hit a season-high seven games at Arizona on Friday.
Los Angeles ended its skid Saturday in a tight 2-1 victory before falling 4-2 to the Diamondbacks to close out a 1-5 trip Sunday. The Dodgers are 11-17 since July 5.
“It’s baseball (with) ups and downs,” said Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, a 10-time All-Star. “We’re going to go through it. No one’s worried in here. … As an offense, we got to do better. So, hopefully, that starts (Monday).”
The Los Angeles bullpen did retire all 14 batters it faced Sunday, but the offense was limited to six hits that included Andy Pages’ RBI double in the third inning and Kyle Tucker’s RBI triple in the sixth.
The Dodgers are set to send left-hander Tarik Skubal (7-6, 2.81 ERA) to the mound for his first start in Los Angeles since the two-time American League Cy Young Award winner was acquired from the Detroit Tigers on Aug. 2.
In his Dodgers debut Tuesday, Skubal allowed two runs on four hits in six innings against the host Cubs. He added six strikeouts with two walks over 85 pitches. Despite the strong effort, the Dodgers fell 5-1 as their losing streak reached five games.
“I’m going to show up and kind of be a chameleon in a sense and fit right in with these guys and just gel with them,” Skubal said, according to the Orange County Register. “They’ve got the winning recipe.”
The Royals will make their fourth visit ever for a series at Dodger Stadium, where they have won just twice in nine games. They last visited in 2024 when they lost two of three.
Kansas City is set to send left-hander Noah Cameron (6-8, 4.37) to the mound while on his best run of the season.
Cameron has a 0.39 ERA over his last three appearances (two starts) and picked up the win over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday when he gave up one run and matched a season high with nine strikeouts over eight innings.
Cameron threw more sliders than usual against the Twins and closed strong by retiring the last 14 batters he faced — the final five on strikeouts.
“Trying to be as convicted and confident in (the slider) as I can,” Cameron told reporters last week. “Trying to throw it for strikes early and trying to throw it in the dirt late. When that pitch is on, it opens up everything else.”
Since that victory, the Royals have lost three of four, falling 10-2 at home to the Cubs on Sunday. Starling Marte delivered the only Kansas City runs on a two-run homer.
Since returning from the injured list Tuesday (back tightness), Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. is 8-for-22 (.364) with three RBIs and six runs scored.
According to multiple reports, the Royals signed right-hander reliever Craig Kimbrel to a major league deal, and the 38-year-old could be available as soon as Monday. Kimbrel, a former Dodger among 11 previous teams in 17 seasons, was designated for assignment by the Tampa Bay Rays last week and elected free agency after clearing waivers.
–Field Level Media
