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Dodgers: 3 players you can’t blame for LA’s cold streak

By Adam Weinrib

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - APRIL 20: Kenley Jansen #74 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after forcing the final out of the game to defeat the Seattle Mariners 1-0 at T-Mobile Park on April 20, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - APRIL 20: Kenley Jansen #74 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after forcing the final out of the game to defeat the Seattle Mariners 1-0 at T-Mobile Park on April 20, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 12: Matt Beaty #45 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a two RBI double to right field against the Seattle Mariners during the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium on May 12, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. Justin Turner #10 and Max Muncy #13 scored on the play. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images) /

2. Matt Beaty

Thank…goodness for Matt Beaty in the absence of Zach McKinstry and Cody Bellinger.

Fresh off likely feeling squeezed out by the versatile emergence of McKinstry and the rising tide that dragged DJ Peters to the 26-man roster, Beaty has responded with the best stretch of his career in 2021. In 25 games this year, the unheralded 28-year-old is triple-slashing .318/.444/.432 for an OPS+ of 149. He’s lacking in the power department, but coming through when called upon.

And, with a team-wide slump still ongoing, that call was a bit louder this year than it typically would have been.

In home games at Dodger Stadium, Beaty is hitting literally .462 with a .667 OBP — and we thought pitchers this year were supposed to have rendered hitters obsolete? Did we read that right? In the month of May, with tensions rising and with Dodgers batters grinding their wood to sawdust at the plate, Beaty has escalated his production, rapping out a .400 average with a 1.064 OPS.

April? Just .211 with very little pop.

Count Beaty among the success stories of this young season. He could’ve given up and sulked when it didn’t seem like there’d be a role for him on the “record-setting Dodgers”. He faced a career crossroads and stayed patient, honing his craft and heating up to buoy the lineup right when his cohorts went cold.

That’s called being a teammate right there.

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