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Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. Maybe the Dodgers can lure Nuke LaLoosh out of retirement.

The Dodgers are struggling in June, going 7-6 this month after going 20-11 in March/April and 18-10 in May. Why? Let’s take a look.

Runs per game
March/April: 5.39
May: 5.25
June: 5.54

Batting average
March/April: .273
May: .252
June: .261

OB%
March/April: .350
May: .339
June: .354

SLG%
March/April: .452
May: .441
June: .413

Power is down a bit, but all the other numbers are normal, so offense does not appear to be a big problem. They are hitting about the same in all the clutch stats, so that’s not a big problem. Let’s look at the pitching:

ERA
April: 3.19
May: 2.95
June: 4.73

ERA by starters
April: 2.83
May: 3.31
June: 3.28

ERA by relievers
April: 3.88
May: 2.35
June: 7.51

Ah, we begin to see the problem: The bullpen, which has been outstanding all season until this month.

Let’s look at ERA by each pitcher in June:

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 1.10 (16.1 IP)
Shohei Ohtani, 2.13 (12.2)
Edgardo Henriquez, 3.38 (5.1)
Justin Wrobleski, 3.38 (10.2)
Eric Lauer, 3.48 (10.1)
Tanner Scott, 4.15 (4.1)
Will Klein, 4.50 (4)
Emmet Sheehan, 4.97 (12.2)
Alex Vesia, 5.40 (3.1)
Roki Sasaki, 5.56 (11.1)
Blake Treinen, 6.23 (4.1)
Jonathan Hernández, 8.10 (6.2)
Jack Dreyer, 9.00 (7)
Kyle Hurt, 21.60 (3.1)

That’s a lot of bad pitching in the bullpen this month. Of course, this is the same bullpen that set a team record for most consecutive scoreless innings. And, just like batters go into slumps, so do pitchers.

“Out of the bullpen specifically, I think maybe some strike throwing, a few more walks that we’re not used to over the last six weeks or so, because they’ve been really, really good,” bench coach Danny Lehmann told reporters after the Dodgers lost to the Chicago White Sox on Sunday. “We’ve gotten bit by the long ball, obviously in Pittsburgh, and here tonight. But overall, it’s more the strike throwing and just getting ahead of guys and doing what they’re supposed to do.”

Are fresh arms on the way?

Well, Brock Stewart is on a rehab assignment in Ontario, but he has been injured so often since the Dodgers traded for him, you can’t expect anything from him. You can just hope. Evan Phillips is on assignment in Oklahoma City, and is on track to return in early July.

“It’s really good to see,” Dave Roberts told reporters recently. “Evan’s a guy that’s very focused and determined, and he’s going to do everything he’s supposed to do to get back. And to potentially have him back is a big weapon that we’ve missed for quite some time, and I miss seeing him around. … I depended on him a lot when he was active, so to get him back is going to be a big boost to everyone.”

There are the usual suspects in the minors, such as Paul Gervase, whom they can turn to, but other than that, it’s just wait and see and hope Stewart and Phillips can come back healthy (especially Phillips, who was a key man in the bullpen for four seasons).

Congratulations!

Roberts missed Sunday’s game for a very good reason: His daughter, Emme, graduated from Stanford.

“I’m really proud,” Roberts told David Vassegh on AM 570 last week. “It is weird, though, because you never want to miss a game. But I think that this is a good reason.

“I think the one thing for me, is the world has evolved, and many can argue not in a good way. In some ways good, some ways bad. But I do think in a lot of ways from the workplace sense of things, it’s more open to people spending time with their families. Knowing that those moments are important, they’re fleeting. The job is going to get done with or without you.

“So I encourage my coaches to enjoy graduations and things like that. One of our coaches had to leave for a surgery for their daughter. I certainly welcome that, because there’s nothing more important than family. And also, I think when you get to do moments with your family and other things that are really important, I think you do your job better, and you feel better for the people you work with and for.”

These names seem familiar

How notable players who were with the Dodgers the last couple of seasons are doing with their new teams (through Sunday). Click on the player’s name to be taken to their full stats page:

Anthony Banda, Twins: 2-0, 4.54 ERA, 1 save, 30 IP, 25 hits, 14 walks, 27 K’s, 98 ERA+

Cody Bellinger, Yankees: .265/.361/.462, 299 PA’s, 14 doubles, 3 triples, 10 homers, 45 RBIs, 128 OPS+

Walker Buehler, Padres: 4-3, 4.14 ERA, 67.1 IP, 68 hits, 22 walks, 58 K’s, 99 ERA+

Mike Busch, Cubs: .253/.377/.412, 313 PA’s, 13 doubles, 2 triples, 8 homers, 42 RBIs, 128 OPS+

Michael Conforto, Cubs: .227/.327/.443, 113 PA’s, 9 doubles, 4 homers, 13 RBIs, 120 OPS+

Justin Dean, Cubs: in the minors

Caleb Ferguson, Reds: 0-0, 2.08 ERA, 8.2 IP, 7 hits, 3 walks, 9 K’s, 219 ERA+

Jack Flaherty, Tigers: 1-8, 5.35 ERA, 65.2 IP, 69 hits, 34 walks, 78 K’s, 81 ERA+, on the IL

Kenley Jansen, Tigers: 1-3, 4.50 ERA, 7 saves, 16 IP, 9 hits, 9 walks, 21 K’s, 98 ERA+

Craig Kimbrel, Rays: 0-2, 5.82 ERA, 17 IP, 19 hits, 8 walks, 18 K’s, 74 ERA+

Gavin Lux, Rays: on the IL

Dustin May, Cardinals: 4-6, 4.21 ERA, 72.2 IP, 71 hits, 20 walks, 66 K’s, 95 ERA+

Zach McKinstry, Tigers: .178/.271/.259, 157 PA’s, 3 doubles, 1 triple, 2 homers, 10 RBIs, 48 OPS+

James Outman, Tigers : .164/.243/.299, 74 PA’s, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 1 homer, 4 RBIs, 49 OPS+

Joc Pederson, Rangers: .239/.344/.438, 210 PA’s, 7 doubles, 2 triple, 8 homers, 23 RBIs, 128 OPS+

Luke Raley, Mariners: .241/.303/.503, 210 PA’s, 6 doubles, 1 triple, 14 homers, 35 RBIs, 126 OPS+

Ben Rortvedt, Mets: in the minors

Corey Seager, Rangers: .186/.284/.373, 204 PA’s, 6 doubles, 9 homers, 24 RBIs, 91 OPS+

Justin Turner, Tijuana (Mexican League): .287/.405/.497, 173 PA’s, 12 doubles, 6 homers, 23 RBIs

Trea Turner, Phillies: .219/.269/.330, 309 PA’s, 11 doubles, 7 homers, 21 RBIs, 63 OPS+

Miguel Vargas, White Sox: .247/.370/.490, 304 PA’s, 11 doubles, 1 triple, 16 homers, 44 RBIs, 138 OPS+

Kirby Yates, Angels: 0-2, 4.38 ERA, 12.1 IP, 9 hits, 5 walks, 16 K’s, 99 ERA+

Up next

Monday: Tampa Bay (Nick Martinez, 2-5, 4.63 ERA) at Dodgers (*Eric Lauer, 2-5, 5.47 ERA [1-0, 2.76 ERA with Dodgers]), 7 p.m., ESPN, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Tuesday: Tampa Bay (Drew Rasmussen, 6-2, 2.71 ERA) at Dodgers (*Justin Wrobleski, 3-2, 4.50 ERA), 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Wednesday: Tampa Bay (*Shane McClanahan, 6-2, 2.43 ERA) at Dodgers (Shohei Ohtani, 6-2, 1.06 ERA), 12:40 p.m., SportsNet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

All times Pacific

*-left-handed

In case you missed it

The hardest days are when calls don’t go through: Andy Pages opens up about family in Cuba

Shaikin: Would Dave Roberts snub Yoshinobu Yamamoto to start Shohei Ohtani in All-Star Game?

And finally

Vin Scully tells us about the history of home plate. Watch and listen here.

Until next time …

Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Italy and Portugal have been tipped to follow Greece in scrapping the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) border checks at airports, which have caused chaos for some British holidaymakers

Travel experts believe Italy and Portugal could be the next two countries to ditch EU border checks at airports.

Many British holidaymakers are suffering delays at airports on continental Europe because of the rollout of new border rules. The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) involves people from external countries such as the UK having their fingerprints registered and photograph taken to enter the Schengen Area.

More than 100 easyJet passengers stuck in delays at passport desks at Milan Linate airport missed a flight to Manchester last month. Greece has already ditched the new rules for UK holidaymakers until September after they led to huge queues.

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Airports in Portugal are reportedly already waving passengers through if queues get too big. Italy is expected to follow Greece and allow people to enter on a passport stamp as the May half-term looms. Places like Spain, France and Croatia could do the same.

Seamus McCauley, of travel company Holiday Extras, told the Mail: “The rollout has been an utter fiasco. British tourists are worth €3.5billion a year to the Greek economy and it has rightly decided it will not jeopardise that because EES is not working properly.”

He said it “seems certain” Italy and Portugal will do the same as Greece. He added: “After that the whole system could collapse like a house of cards, with Spain, France and Croatia coming to the same conclusion because nobody wants to see their tourist trade go to another country simply to comply with the EU.

“Greece broke ranks and Portugal keeps suspending the rules. Others are almost certain to follow. Something has to give.”

It comes as Ryanair says passengers who need to use its airport check-in or bag-drop services will be required to finish the process 20 minutes earlier.

The airline announced it will close the services an hour before the scheduled departure of a flight – compared to 40 minutes at the moment – to give passengers more time to get through security and passport checks.

This will reduce the “very small number of passengers” who miss their flight while stuck in queues, the carrier added. Ryanair’s website says passengers who fail to check in on time “may be denied boarding without refund”.

The new policy will be in place from November 10.

EUROPE’S biggest airline is calling for new European travel rules to be suspended.

Ryanair has written to the 29 countries where Europe‘s new Entry/Exit System (EES) is being enforced, to suspend the system until September following lengthy airport delays.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.

The budget airline’s COO Neal McMahon said: “Governments across Europe are attempting to roll out a half-baked IT system in the middle of the busiest travel season of the year, and passengers are paying the price, being forced to endure hours-long passport control queues and in some cases, missing flights.

“The solution is simple and already provided for under EU law (EU Reg. 2025/1534) – Governments should suspend EES until September when the peak summer travel season has subsided, just as Greece has done.

“This would allow passengers – many of whom are travelling with young families – a smoother airport experience for their summer holidays.”

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It comes as the airline has called on the French government to suspend the rollout of EES to ensure passengers do not suffer long queues at airports during the summer period.

According to the airline, despite French authorities knowing that EES was going to be introduced on April 10 this year for the past three years, they have “failed to ensure adequate staffing, system readiness or kiosks are in place”.

This has meant that there are long queues at passport control and in some cases, passengers are even missing their flights.

For example at Beauvais, Marseille and Nantes airports, queues are taking around one to two hours for passengers to get through.

Other European countries are also suffering, with Sun Travel Reporter Alice Penwill recently getting stuck at Lanzarote Airport in Spain for three hours.

Other reports have seen two-hour queues at Lisbon Airport in Portugal and in Malta, one flight was forced to wait on the tarmac for 40 minutes before passengers could get off, as passport control queues in the airport were so long.

Greece, on the other hand, has suspended EES until September, to manage peak summer travel.

Back on April 18, a statement from the Greek Embassy announced that Brits are “exempt” from biometrics at all “Greek border crossing points”.

Eleni Skarveli, the director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation in the UK, added: “The exemption of British passport holders from biometric registration at Greek border crossing points, effective from 10 April 2026, is expected to significantly reduce waiting times and ease congestion at airports.

“UK travellers will no longer need to undergo additional EES biometric procedures, ensuring a smoother and more efficient arrival experience in Greece.

“The Greek National Tourism Organisation remains committed to ensuring a seamless and welcoming journey for all visitors from the UK.”