The Dodgers were two games over .500 and in first place in the NL West until two bad losses to the Pirates sent them back to .500. What happened?

First, let’s get a couple of things clear. We are only 26 games into the season. And as I said at the start of the season, barring a 35-5 or a 5-35 start, you don’t really get a solid sense of how good or bad a team is until the end of May. And the Dodgers were without Max Muncy, Will Smith and J.D. Martinez for the Pirates series. And the people who write me after every loss (they are strangely silent after wins) tell me this team has no chance, well, what color is the sky in your world? Plenty of teams have gotten off to average starts and turned it around. Will this team? Don’t know. Neither do you.

But right now, the team is exceedingly mediocre.

Let’s take a look at Thursday’s lineup against Pittsburgh, with their batting averages:

Mookie Betts, .233
Freddie Freeman, .287
Jason Heyward, .191
James Outman, .287
David Peralta, .183
Chris Taylor, .161
Michael Busch, .100 (to be fair, he was just called up Tuesday)
Trayce Thompson, .171
Austin Barnes, .079

Six guys in the lineup are hitting below .200. The highest-paid player in the lineup hitting .233. A rookie is your best hitter. They missed Smith (.333), Muncy (.254, 11 homers) and Martinez (.250, 15 extra-base hits).

As a team, the Dodgers are hitting .223 this season, which ranks 27th among the 30 teams. What team is last? The Padres at .216.

Let’s take a look at the 10 worst hitting teams in Dodgers history since 1901:

1908 Dodgers: .213
2023 Dodgers: .223
1909 Dodgers: .229
1910 Dodgers: .229
1968 Dodgers: .230
1907 Dodgers: .232
1904 Dodgers: .232
1967 Dodgers: .236
1906 Dodgers: .236
1911 Dodgers: .237

In other words, seven teams from the dead ball era, two teams from the pitchers era of the late 1960s and this year’s team, playing during a season in which rules were changed to increase offense. Of course, comparing a team that has played 26 games to teams that played 150-plus may not be fair, but we’re doing it anyway.

On the flip side, the Dodgers are second in homers and are averaging 5.08 runs per game, which is eighth. So, if their average improves, they should be an offensive juggernaut.

The other problem is the pitching. Julio Urías has had two bad outings in a row. Noah Syndergaard’s pitches are very hittable. The only dependable starters are Clayton Kershaw and Dustin May. Having Tony Gonsolin back should help.

But it’s the bullpen that has been the real problem. The bullpen has a 5.18 ERA. The worst in the majors looks like this:

Oakland, 6.81
Kansas City, 6.10
Chicago White Sox, 6.09
Dodgers, 5.18
San Francisco, 5.17

The good news is the bullpen is among the best at preventing inherited runners from scoring. They are fifth at 26.9%, allowing 15 of 52 inherited runners to score.

But let’s talk now about what may be the biggest problem of all:

Steal this base

The Dodgers have been atrocious at preventing stolen bases this season. Opponents have stolen 38 bases, most in the majors. The Dodgers have thrown out only six base stealers. Only the Padres and Mets have a worse opponent’s caught-stealing percentage. And it’s not all on the catcher. Syndergaard is so deliberate to the plate that most toddlers could steal on him. The Pirates stole 12 bases in three games against the Dodgers. Basically, any time a Pirate singled, it was an automatic double. This needs to be addressed, quickly.

And apparently no one told the Dodgers that it is easier to steal this season. They have nine stolen bases, 28th in baseball. The only teams with fewer steals are Colorado and Minnesota.

Fundamentals win championships, and the Dodgers have been weak in fundamentals. Things could change starting this weekend against St. Louis. Almost every team goes through a rough patch during the season. It’s possible the Dodgers are getting their rough patch out of the way early. Right now they look like an 80-win team. In two weeks, that could change. We’ll just have to wait and see.

How does this compare?

The Dodgers have made the postseason every season from 2013. Here’s the record of those teams after 26 games and their final record.

2013: 13-13 (92-70)
2014: 14-12 (94-68)
2015: 17-9 (92-70)
2016: 13-13 (91-71)
2017: 14-12 (104-58)
2018: 12-14 (92-71)
2019: 15-11 (106-56)
2020: 18-8 (43-17)
2021: 16-10 (106-56)
2022: 19-7 (111-51)

Manny Mota, legend

Manny Mota will become the sixth person in the “Legends of Dodger Baseball” group when he is inducted before Saturday’s game. The pregame ceremony will be hosted by his son, Jose Mota, and will include Jaime Jarrín, Orel Hershiser, Steve Garvey, Peter O’Malley, Adrián Beltré and Alfonso Rodríguez Zorrilla, the Consul General of the Dominican Republic on the West Coast of the United States.

“This is a great honor and a great privilege, and I’m very grateful to the Dodgers for selecting me as a Legend of Dodger Baseball,” Mota said in a news release. “I don’t consider myself a legend, just another person who always tried to contribute to the Dodgers and give my best. I am humbled and really appreciate what the Dodgers are doing for me. I consider Dodger Stadium my home away from home, and I consider myself to be an adopted son of the Dodger organization.”

Mota has been with the Dodgers for more than 50 years, and last played in 1982. He has been a coach and advisor for the team ever since. But it’s his work helping the underprivileged in the Dominican Republic that has really stood the test of time. The Manny Mota International Foundation has raised money to build a medical clinic, baseball fields and a school in his home country.

Mota joins Garvey, Kirk Gibson, Don Newcombe, Fernando Valenzuela and Maury Wills in the elite group.

Mission statement

A new baseball season brings an influx of new subscribers to this newsletter, so a reminder of what we try to accomplish is offered here. Veteran subscribers can skip to the next section. The approach of this newsletter is that we are sitting and watching a game together, discussing the team. It’s not my job to be a cheerleader, or to criticize without reason. Sometimes, like today, we’ll take an analytical approach with a bunch of numbers, sometimes we’ll just use some “random thoughts” stream of consciousness. The Dodgers have been really good since the newsletter started before the 2015 season, so there hasn’t been a lot to criticize (until the postseason). So far, this season has been different. We also talk about Dodgers history throughout the season.

Injury report

Paternity leave

Brusdar Graterol and Max Muncy: They are both expected back for the series against St. Louis. However, reliever Caleb Ferguson could go on paternity leave any day now.

7-day IL

C Will Smith (concussion). He took two hard foul tips off the mask during a game against the Giants. His headaches have gone away and he’s close to returning.

10-day IL

SS Miguel Rojas (strained left hamstring). He was put on the IL last week and could return this weekend.

15-day IL

RHP Michael Grove (groin). He left a start last week with the injury and could be back as soon as he’s eligible, if there’s still a spot for him in the rotation.

RHP Jimmy Nelson (right elbow inflammation). Is currently on a rehab assignment with Oklahoma City, but could spend extended time in the minors since he hasn’t pitched since July 30, 2021.

60-day IL

RHP Walker Buehler (Tommy John surgery). It’s possible he returns at the end of this season but 2024 is more likely.

RHP J.P. Feyereisen (right shoulder surgery). Signed in the offseason, he had surgery in December and the earliest he will play is August.

RHP Daniel Hudson (right knee). Hudson has soreness in his right knee but could be back in June.

SS Gavin Lux (right knee). Lux is out for the season after undergoing ACL surgery in March.

RHP Ryan Pepiot (left oblique strain). Pepiot is not close to returning, as he hasn’t even started to throw yet.

RHP Alex Reyes (right shoulder). Signed before the season, Reyes won’t join the team until after the All-Star break.

RHP Blake Treinen (right shoulder). Treinen had surgery in the offseason and if he returns this year, it probably won’t be until September.

What Vin Scully meant to me

Last season, after Vin Scully died, I asked readers to send in what he meant to them. I ran them the rest of the season and wanted to circle back and run the rest, which will take a few weeks at least. If you wish to contribute (if you sent it to me last season, I still have it, so no need to send again), please email it to [email protected] and put Vin Scully in the subject line.

From Joe Clarke of Spartanburg, S.C.: I grew up in a home that did not have a television. Even if we had had one, MLB games were rarely televised. I became an ardent Dodgers fan in 1955. My only source for Dodgers games was my radio. I still have that radio. My parents made me go into another room to listen to my Dodgers and Vin Scully. I cherish those memories and that is why I kept the radio.

From Al Scheid of Pacific Palisades: For many years, Vin lived three doors from me in Pacific Palisades, but we never met. Then, over 20 years ago I walked into my barber’s shop one day and Vinny was in the chair. Bob, the barber, introduced us. I sat in the extra chair, and Vin and I began to chat.

From then on, Bob scheduled us back to back as often as possible -– about six to seven times per year, in and out of the Dodgers season. When I had the first haircut, I always hung around for a few minutes and when Vin was first, I arrived a few minutes early. He was often kind enough to stick around a few minutes to conclude whatever subject we were discussing.

I recall our first meeting, when I called him Mr. Scully and he replied, “Please call me Vin, Al.” That was Vin, a charmer in all ways.

I miss Bob, the barber and Vin, who was the nicest men I’ve ever met and, at 90, I’ve met a few.

From Van Ericksen: Vin and my dad were the same age roughly, both grew up in New York City, and both were lefties. Dad loved everything about Vin; his game calling, speech patterns, clothing. … I did as well. We were blessed to have the great fortune of being brought up in Southern California with two of the greats of their craft: Jim Murray and Vin Scully.

Up next

Friday: St. Lous (Jack Flaherty, 2-2, 3.29 ERA) at Dodgers (Dustin May, 2-1, 3.07 ERA), 7 p.m., Apple TV+, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Saturday: St. Louis (*Jordan Montgomery, 2-3, 3.81 ERA) at Dodgers (*Clayton Kershaw, 4-1, 2.32 ERA), 6 p.m., SportsNet LA, FS1, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Sunday: St. Louis (Jake Woodford, 1-2, 5.47 ERA) at Dodgers (Noah Syndergaard, 0-3, 6.58 ERA), 1 p.m., SportsNet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

*-left-handed

In case you missed it

Why are so many Dodgers having babies? ‘I think everyone had a great All-Star break’

Dodgers prospect Michael Busch approaching first MLB stint with nothing to prove

And finally

Tommy Lasorda on Alex Rodriguez‘s suspension. Watch and listen here.