Dodgers Look to Break Slump as They Host the Twins in Critical Series
Hey everyone, let’s talk about what’s going on with the Los Angeles Dodgers right now. The boys in blue are hitting a tough patch, and they’re bringing a three-game losing streak into their series opener against the Minnesota Twins. If you’ve been following the Dodgers lately, you know things haven’t exactly been smooth sailing since the start of July. After looking dominant early in the month, they've now lost 10 of their last 12 games. The offense is struggling, the pitching is inconsistent, and injuries are piling up. It's a rough time in LA.
The Dodgers come into this matchup with a 58-42 record, which still puts them at the top of the NL West, but this recent slide has raised some eyebrows. Since the Fourth of July, they've been near the bottom of the league in key offensive metrics — batting average, on-base percentage, and OPS. They’re hitting just .203 during that span, and their 25.3% strikeout rate is one of the worst in baseball. Pitching isn’t helping either — the bullpen has been particularly shaky with a 5.93 ERA since July 4.
On the flip side, the Twins have been up and down too. They're sitting at 48-51 and just lost a series to the Rockies, the worst team in baseball. Their playoff hopes are slim — Baseball Reference gives them only a 4.1% chance to make it — but they still have some dangerous pieces. Byron Buxton is crushing it with 22 homers, and Royce Lewis is coming off a big two-homer game, which might be the spark he needed.
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Tonight’s game should be interesting, especially because Shohei Ohtani is starting for the Dodgers. He’s only pitched a handful of innings this season, but he’s looked sharp, giving up just one run across his last few outings. And of course, he’s still doing Shohei things at the plate — he’s homered four times in his last ten games.
But don’t sleep on Minnesota. They’re sending out David Festa, who’s been inconsistent, but capable. Plus, the Twins know the Dodgers are wounded right now — both on the field and in the clubhouse. Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy, Kike Hernandez, and several arms like Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki are on the IL. The Dodgers bullpen is missing key pieces, and that’s led to late-game collapses and trade rumors swirling hard.
Speaking of trades, there’s talk that the Dodgers have their eyes on Twins relievers Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax. Both are elite arms, and with LA's bullpen struggles, it makes sense. But prying them away from Minnesota won’t come cheap — they're under team control through 2027.
It’s a huge week for both teams — for the Dodgers, it’s about stopping the bleeding and getting back on track, and for the Twins, it’s about proving they’re not done yet. Add in Mookie Betts trying to shake off his own season-long slump and you’ve got all the ingredients for a compelling series.
Game one starts tonight at 10:10 p.m. Eastern. Ohtani’s on the mound, the Dodgers are desperate, and the Twins are hungry. Let’s see who wants it more.
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