Five-game skid exposes Dodgers’ lineup flaws

MILWAUKEE — Shohei Ohtani set a new franchise record by hitting the most home runs before the All-Star break with No. 31 of the season. The previous record was set by Cody Bellinger in 2019, with a total of 30 home runs. However, the Dodgers' offense struggled and was effectively shut down after just the third pitch of the game, falling 3-1 to the Brewers on Tuesday at American Family Field.

Though Ohtani contributed the lone Dodger run, Milwaukee's rookie Jacob Misiorowski shut down the rest of the lineup, punching out 12 over six dominant innings. In his fifth career start, Misiorowski demonstrated the potential of the player he could become with his command and pitch velocity. He reached speeds of up to 101 mph multiple times, striking out eight batters in the first three innings and 10 through four innings.

Clayton Kershaw took the mound on Tuesday and provided the Dodgers with a fighting chance, but the team struggled with consistent offensive support and solid defense, which ultimately cost them the game against the Brewers. Kershaw pitched six innings, allowing six hits and two runs while striking out three batters, bringing his career total to 3,003 strikeouts on just 85 pitches. 

Kershaw (4-1, 3.38 ERA) had a challenging fourth inning when William Contreras reached first base on an infield hit, followed by a single from Jackson Chourio. Andrew Vaughn and Isaac Collins each hit back-to-back RBI singles, giving the Brewers a commanding 2-1 lead. Later, in the eighth inning, Sal Frelick added an insurance run with a solo home run off right-hander Kirby Yates.

The Dodgers have now lost five consecutive games, being outscored 41-8 during this streak. Despite this slump leading up to the All-Star break, the Dodgers still maintain control of the division, holding a five-game lead over the San Francisco Giants.  

The Dodgers aren’t exactly a team in crisis. With a lineup boasting three MVPs — Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Ohtani — they still strike fear in every pitching staff across the league. But in a season where injuries, and inconsistency, the Dodgers need to find their sharpest version before October.

And that means making a simple but powerful change: move Betts back to the leadoff spot and slide Ohtani into the No. 2 hole.

It’s not about ego. It’s about math, momentum, and maximizing firepower.

Betts isn’t just a good leadoff hitter — he might be the best of his generation. He’s a table-setter with power, a disciplined bat, and elite baserunning instincts.

So why has he spent much of 2024 and this season hitting second? Partly to accommodate Ohtani. But in doing so, the Dodgers have handcuffed one of their greatest offensive assets: Betts’ ability to get on base and create chaos from the first pitch.

Ohtani is a superstar — we all know that. He can do anything at the plate. But if there’s one thing he does exceptionally well, it’s hitting with traffic on the bases. Pitcher will be forced to challenge him less aggressively when there’s speed ahead of him, especially someone like Betts. Giving Ohtani more RBI chances by slotting him second, directly after Betts, would only amplify his already jaw-dropping production.

And let's not forget: Ohtani has led off before, but Ohtani hunts early counts, doesn’t walk as often as Betts. Batting second would put him in a better position to do damage without needing to "set the table."

Betts has a career batting average of .296 when batting first (leadoff) in the lineup. He has 1,291 hits in 1,070 games when hitting first. Betts has also hit 228 home runs and driven in 657 runs in the leadoff spot.

Dave Roberts needs to establish the threat of stealing bases early on, with Betts leading off. Ohtani has not been running much this season due to a shoulder injury he sustained while stealing second base in the World Series. Ohtani has recorded only 12 stolen bases this season, a significant drop from his career-high of 59 last season.

This isn’t about a demotion for Ohtani — it’s about using both stars where they shine the brightest. With Ohtani batting second, he can maximize his ability to score and drive in runs. Ohtani currently has 57 RBI.

Ohtani has a career batting average of .287 when batting second in the lineup. He has accumulated 332 hits, including 95 home runs, 67 doubles, and 16 triples in this batting position, with 1,158 at-bats across 309 games. His on-base percentage (OBP) while batting second is .389, and his slugging percentage (SLG) is .618. His on-base plus slugging (OPS) in this role is 1.008. 

Last season, Ohtani batted .280 while hitting second in the Dodgers' lineup, which was only during the first half of the season before Betts fractured his hand just prior to the All-Star break. Currently, Ohtani's overall batting average stands at .281 while batting leadoff. This average is similar for Ohtani regardless of whether he bats first or second, but the real benefit is for Betts. 

In 2023, Betts had a batting average of .307 while playing as the leadoff hitter. He participated in 143 games in this position, recording a remarkable .997 OPS and hitting 39 home runs. Betts also set a franchise record for the most home runs by a leadoff hitter. Additionally, he established an MLB record for the most RBIs (107) from the leadoff position. 

This season, Betts has hit into 12 double plays in 85 games, which matches his total from 2023, the last season before Ohtani joined the Dodgers. Last season, Betts hit into 21 double plays during the regular season and 10 in the postseason. Moving Betts out of the second spot in the lineup should allow Ohtani to drive in more runs, as pitchers are likely to pitch more carefully around Ohtani when there are runners on base. 

Betts gets on. Ohtani drives him in. It’s baseball’s most basic formula — and it could be the one that gives the Dodgers their best shot at another ring.

Roberts has shown he’s not afraid to mix things up. It’s time to do it again. Betts first. Ohtani second.