Dodgers: Patience or Panic with Four Struggling Dodgers

The Dodgers are red hot right now and show no signs of slowing down. The team looks more like a cohesive unit this season after falling just short of their first World Series appearance since 1988 last year. However, there are a few key players that are struggling to contribute.

We cannot use the “it’s still early” argument when trying to judge the Dodgers‘ player performances anymore. However, there are exceptions, such as injuries, which can limit a player’s playing time, even this far into the season.

Because of this, some players may still be trying to find their groove. I will take a look at a couple of these players and decide whether to be patient with them or if it is time to panic.

Rich Hill

Last year the Dodgers finally dipped into their deep well of prospects and traded for Josh Reddick and Rich Hill. The key player in this acquisition was Hill who was having a stellar season at the time, and the Dodgers thought he would fit nicely behind Kershaw as a solid number two.

Hill came through in the playoffs and was rewarded by the Dodgers with a three-year $48 million deal. However, this season he looks more of the pitcher that was toiling in Independent Ball than the one who finished out the 2016 season.

The southpaw’s 2017 season got off to a rocky start with him dealing with the ever occurring problem of blisters on his hands. When he finally returned to the mound, the results were not good.

So far this season Hill is 3-3 with an ERA of 5.14 in only 35 innings of work. The scary aspect of his statistics is the fact that he has walked 23 batters in that short amount of time. Also, the 35 innings of work are over eight starts! This means every time he takes the mound he only lasts on average a little more than four innings a start.

One big issue with Rich Hill is his body language. Many pitchers get emotional on the mound, but he often lets his emotions get the better of him. Whether it be serving up a walk or not getting a borderline pitch from the umpire, Hill often takes himself out of games. It is time for Dodgers fans to start envisioning a postseason rotation without his contribution.

Verdict: Panic

Joc Pederson

Many Dodgers fans are delusional on the type of player Joc Pederson can be and set expectations that are far too lofty. Make no mistake, I believe he will be a solid outfielder for years to come, but you have to taper your expectations.

I believe Pederson will never become a player that hits for average and that is okay. He is very valuable to the team as plus defender who can get on base and hit for power.

So far this season, Joc is batting .211 with four home runs and 14 RBI through 39 games for the Dodgers. These numbers are not good, particularly the batting average, but when you look at the totality of the circumstances, there is still a lot that can happen.

Pederson has made two trips to the DL this year, most recently due to a concussion when he collided with Yasiel Puig in the outfield. These trips to the DL have not allowed the 25-year-old to get into a groove at the plate.

Now that he is back healthy, I fully expect him to start hitting his stride once again, barring any additional injuries. So far the results since his return have been promising. He is batting .278 with two home runs and three RBI while walking three times and only striking out once. Look for Pederson to finally begin to come around for the Dodgers soon with consistent play.

Verdict: Patience

Kenta Maeda

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Kenta Maeda had a solid start to his major league career last season, but the length of the regular season schedule got to him down the stretch. He faded fast and was not able to come through for the Dodgers in the postseason.

The biggest need for Maeda this offseason was to build stamina to withstand the long grueling season in the MLB. Coming over from Japan, Maeda was accustomed to the more extended rest in between starts. So far this season, it has been the Kenta down the stretch that has appeared for the Dodgers.

The righty is 4-3 with a 4.95 ERA this season and has been demoted to the bullpen as of late. This demotion was the right decision because he was not able to go deep into games and had already served up ten home runs in only about 50 innings of work.

Next: Constructing a Future's Lineup

Maeda has not entered into a game since June 9th because Manager Dave Roberts does not seem to trust him in certain situations. Given his potential and lack of opportunities at the major league level, I believe that the Dodgers begin to entertain the idea of sending him down to AAA in an attempt to regain his form.

Verdict: Panic