How many more seasons can this continue? Dodgers manager Dave Roberts’ inane approach to his pitching staff continues to cost the team wins. He repeatedly replaces a starter who’s in a groove with a reliever who shouldn’t be pitching in MLB. L.A. lost two games in Detroit last weekend solely due to his pitching gaffes. This same scenario has repeated itself too many times to count throughout his tenure, most often in the postseason.
A clear line can be drawn between the Dodgers’ postseason disappointments and Roberts’ mismanagement of his pitching staff in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023. The team has the best regular-season record in baseball during Roberts’ time as manager, but only one championship to show for it. Roberts continues to be the problem and has to go.
Brian Gura
Redondo Beach
The Dodgers entered the All-Star break having played one game below .500 for the last two months, yet have a seven-game lead in the NL West Division. That is no cause for celebration, merely a reflection of how weak the division rivals are. And who is most responsible for this dismal state of affairs, even after factoring in the highest number of players on the injured list? Andrew Friedman, of course, for poor roster construction. He is rightly celebrated for landing Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernández. But his love affair with pitchers who can’t pitch a full season without injuries can no longer be ignored. Most of the highly regarded pitching prospects have not panned out. He let two All-Star shortstops walk, while forcing a Gold Glove outfielder to move into the infield after he turned 30. Even if he makes a blockbuster trade (and I don’t know why another general manager would rescue him), he must be accountable for his numerous miscalculations.
William Johnson
Rochester, N.Y.
Really excited to watch all three games against the Red Sox. TBD is my favorite pitcher, and he’s starting all three games.
Elliot Powers
San Diego