Dodgers: Four Players Who Could End the Skid

The Dodgers have lost 7 straight games, and their lead in the West has dwindled to just 10 games. There are a few slumping players in the lineup that could boost them back to their winning ways.

Los Angeles is currently in a skid like they have never seen. Well…..that might be an exaggeration. They certainly haven’t seen these many losses this season. And for a city that has grown accustomed to their team winning practically every night, this stretch has been tough. The Dodgers have not only watched their lead in the West dwindle from over 20 games up to just 10, but the whole team just looks defeated. That being said, there are still just over three weeks left in the regular season.

There are several players on the team that have been integral to the winning ways this season. And those players are not doing particularly well, in this losing streak that has seen the boys in blue drop 12 of their last 13 games. These players, in particular, need to right the ship, playing their absolute best to get their team back to its winning ways:

Yasmani Grandal- Statistically, Grandal is having one of the best offensive seasons of his career. On the year, he is hitting .252 with 19 home runs and 51 runs batted in. In this current losing streak, he is hitting under .160, and only has one hit in September. The team will need his defense as well as his bat leading into October, and he will be vital to the pitching staff. The upside is that Austin Barnes is always an option to replace him, and he has been consistent all year long.

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Justin Turner- Turner’s year has been incredible, to say the least. As of Friday, his batting average sits at .327, even though it has fallen dramatically over the past month. In this current losing streak, he is hitting just over .280 and his power has all but disappeared. With just one homer in the past 21 games, Turner looks extremely frustrated at the plate lately. And it has shown, as he was ejected for arguing balls and strikes Wednesday night. Turner is essential to the team’s success, so he will need to get back on track to get the team going again.

Yu Darvish- When the Dodgers acquired Darvish at the deadline, I’m sure they were hoping for much more than what they’ve gotten from him. Thus far he owns an ERA of 4.50 and is 2-3 over five starts. Darvish will be huge in October because Kershaw obviously can’t pitch every game. Darvish has proved in the past that he has all of the tools to be an ace, and he will need to return to that form in the next month. With 22 games remaining, he might get 4 more starts on the season. That should be more than enough to find his form.

Clayton Kershaw: As the heart and soul of the franchise, the team truly relies on Kershaw every 5th day to go out and perform. Although he was great in his return from the disabled list, Kershaw’s second outing was a terrible letdown. And it could not have come at a worse time, in the midst of a late-season collapse. Kershaw has combined to throw for 9 2/3 innings and given up 4 earned runs. With a 2.15 earned run average on the season, Kershaw’s trademark consistency will be key down the stretch.

Next: An Open Letter to the Dodgers

The Dodgers are getting in their own way from clinching their fifth consecutive division title. They are by far the most talented team in the National League and the fact that the division lead has been cut in have is frustrating for the Dodgers and their fans. Hopefully, these players can relax and get back to their winning ways.