The Dodgers suffered their second consecutive walk-off loss in an absolutely brutal collapse in the ninth inning to lose 4-3.
Yohan Ramirez came on for the 8th and 9th innings, and while the 8th went well, the Tigers capitalized in the 9th. Two errors by Ramirez on back-to-back bunts allowed the Tigers to score two and walk off the Dodgers in horrible fashion for the second consecutive game.
The offense was average at best on Sunday, only tallying seven hits and three runs. The top of the lineup produced with Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith tallying two-hit games, but outside of that it was a disaster.
Every hitter 7-9 was hitless, including the pinch hitters, so the Dodgers have to address that by the trade deadline.
The Dodgers are now 56-41 and in first place in the National League West.
Here are the takeaways:
Brent Honeywell Dominates
Brent Honeywell cruised to three scoreless innings to start the game in his first outing with the Dodgers. Honeywell was a top prospect with the Rays before injuries got the best of him and he bounced around the league. Now, the Dodgers have taken a chance on hin and the first outing went extremely well.
Brent Honeywell was claimed yesterday, arrived in Detroit at midnight, gets the start and retired nine of the 10 batters he faced to start this bullpen game. About all you can ask for and more.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) July 14, 2024
Honeywell only gave up one hit and looked dominant in his three innings to open the game, giving way to the bullpen. Hopefully Honeywell can regain the stuff that made him one of the best prospects in baseball years ago with Tampa Ba.
Yohan Ramirez Struggles
Ramirez gave up three hits and two runs in one complete inning on Sunday afternoon. The back breaker was the two errors that contributed to the walk-off win for the Tigers, and although he has been one of the most used arms in the bullpen, it might be time to let go.
Ramirez has been way too inconsistent to deserve a spot on the MLB roster for the Dodgers, and while his viral moment with Dave Roberts is sentimental, it does not contribute to wins.
The @Tigers walk it off on back-to-back days! pic.twitter.com/38VIA7d7gL
— MLB (@MLB) July 14, 2024
He absolutely cost the team a victory on Sunday, and while fans love the connection between him and Dave Roberts, he is not a major league player for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ramirez now boasts an 0-5 record with a 4.68 ERA on the season.
All-Star Break Is Needed
The Dodgers are amidst one of their worst stretches since 2017. If we remember, the 2017 Dodgers were absolutely atrocious in September of that year, before going on to make the World Series and lose in seven games to the Houston Astros.
Now, the team is under .500 since May 21st and searching for a ton of answers. As frustrated as Dodger fans have been, I am going to offer some words of encouragement.
Dave Roberts on today's loss in Detroit. pic.twitter.com/u1XHyTCYPX
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) July 14, 2024
They are not healthy, and will be healthy by the middle of September, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto starting to throw, Mookie Betts on the mend, and Clayton Kershaw close to a return.
While things may seem like they are the worst they can be, if this team gets healthy by the playoffs and they put their prospects on the table to make some moves at the trade deadline, I still have a ton of faith in their abilities to compete in the National League.
The Dodgers will send six players to the All-Star game on Tuesday, with Teoscar Hernandez competing in the Home Run Derby Monday.