Dodgers' offensive struggles continue in walk-off loss to Tigers

DETROIT — The Dodgers keep finding ways to make every game feel like it has to be won by the slimmest of margins.

On Saturday afternoon at Comerica Park, they finally ran out of room.

Kevin McGonigle delivered the game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth inning against Jack Dreyer, sending the Tigers to a 2-1 walk-off victory and dropping the Dodgers to 81-55 on the season.

For the Dodgers, it was another game in which the pitching was good enough to win.

The offense wasn't.

The Dodgers collected only six hits, went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and managed just one run. The Dodgers have now scored only three runs in 18 innings against Detroit and just 11 runs through the first five games of this road trip, going 1-4.

At some point, the lack of offensive production stops being a slump and becomes a problem that needs to be addressed.

The Dodgers have played 24 one-run games since July 1 and are exactly .500 in those games at 12-12. Constantly asking the pitching staff to keep games within a run creates very little margin for error, and Saturday was another example.

Blake Snell did everything he could to give the Dodgers a chance.

The left-hander allowed one run over five innings, striking out 10 while throwing 99 pitches, 57 for strikes. His final line: three hits, three walks, one earned run and 10 strikeouts.

Snell had to work through a 27-pitch third inning but managed to limit the damage to one run.

Since returning from the injured list on Aug. 11, Snell has allowed one run or fewer in all four of his starts.

His four-start stretch:

• 6 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 10 K

• 6 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 5 K

• 6 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 6 K

• 5 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 10 K

The Dodgers gave him one run of support.

That's it.

The offense finally broke through in the sixth inning when Alek Thomas led off with a double. Thomas advanced to third when Shohei Ohtani grounded out, setting up Freddie Freeman.

Freeman came through with a solid RBI single to right field, bringing Thomas home and tying the game at 1-1.

But what followed was perhaps the most repeated sequence of the Dodgers' offensive struggles.

A bottom-of-the-order hitter in Thomas delivered the leadoff double. Freeman produced the big hit. Then, with one out and the bases loaded, Tommy Edman grounded into a double play.

A chance for a crooked number became one run.

And that was all the Dodgers would get.

The offense continues to create reasons for optimism. There is too much talent throughout the lineup for this group to remain this quiet forever. But as the calendar approaches September, the Dodgers need that talent to start producing consistently.

Because the offense might ultimately determine whether this team gets the chance to three-peat.

The pitching staff has been remarkable throughout the season. The problem is that the offense has too often failed to capitalize on the opportunities the pitching creates.

Ohtani has not looked like the same offensive force he was earlier in the season. Mookie Betts continues to search for consistency. Kyle Tucker, after signing a four-year, $240 million deal, has hit just .230 with 11 home runs. Betts is batting .240 with 16 home runs, while Teoscar Hernández is at .245 with 11 home runs.

Those numbers aren't necessarily representative of what these players are capable of. But the Dodgers don't have the luxury of waiting indefinitely for everyone to find their best form.

And the issue isn't limited to offense.

Hernández's defense has cost the Dodgers multiple games this season, making the outfield a potential area for improvement on both sides of the ball. If the Dodgers are evaluating how to improve this roster, defensive reliability should matter just as much as offensive production.

There are questions that need answers.

The lack of focus and concentration cannot simply depend on the opponent or the time of day.

Snell acknowledged after the game that pitching in a day game made it more difficult for him to focus and adjust. But at this point in his career, day games are hardly unfamiliar territory. The Dodgers need their veterans locked in regardless of the circumstances.

And now there is another question surrounding Ohtani, this time on the mound.

Dave Roberts confirmed that Ohtani will not pitch Sunday as originally scheduled. He also won't pitch Tuesday.

Instead, the Dodgers will return to Los Angeles this week and evaluate how Ohtani is feeling before determining his next steps as a pitcher. That makes the Dodgers' pitching plans slightly less certain while also underscoring the importance of getting Ohtani right for the stretch run.

Tyler Glasnow will start Sunday as the Dodgers attempt to salvage the series.

But the bigger concern extends beyond Sunday's pitching matchup.

The Dodgers are approaching the final month of the regular season with a roster capable of winning another championship. Their pitching has repeatedly shown it can carry them through difficult stretches.

The offense has to meet it halfway.

Saturday was another one-run game.

Another strong pitching performance. Another missed opportunity. Another loss.

And another reminder that if the Dodgers want to finish what they started and become the first team in decades to three-peat, their offense cannot continue to be the reason they are playing every game on the edge.