The Los Angeles Dodgers fell short once again, losing 6–4 to the Los Angeles Angels and completing a frustrating sweep at the hands of their Southern California rivals. It marked the first time since 2019 that the Angels managed to sweep the Dodgers in a series, and it couldn’t have come at a worse time for Dave Roberts’ club. Riding high through the first quarter of the season with dominant performances from their superstar-laden roster, the Dodgers have suddenly run into a stretch of inconsistency and vulnerability. The loss dropped them to 29–18 on the season, a mark still good enough for first place in the National League West, but far from reflective of the championship expectations placed upon this team.
The series finale at Angel Stadium played out like so many of the Dodgers’ recent games—close, competitive, but ultimately defined by missed opportunities and critical breakdowns. The Dodgers jumped out to a 2–0 lead in the third inning, courtesy of back-to-back doubles from Gavin Lux and Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani’s double was especially noteworthy, not just for putting his team on the board against his former club, but also because it momentarily silenced the chorus of boos he has heard all weekend. Angels fans have not forgotten his offseason decision to sign with the Dodgers, and they made their displeasure known with every plate appearance.
Despite the early advantage, the Dodgers’ lead was short-lived. In the bottom of the fourth, the Angels strung together a rally sparked by Luis Rengifo and Nolan Schanuel, two players who have consistently frustrated Dodgers pitching throughout the series. Schanuel’s two-run single tied the game, and Taylor Ward followed with a towering home run off James Paxton, flipping the momentum and energizing the home crowd. Paxton, who had entered the game with a 2.58 ERA, simply didn’t have his best command, and it showed. The veteran lefty lasted just 4.1 innings, surrendering five earned runs on seven hits and a pair of walks.
The Dodgers bullpen held the line reasonably well after Paxton’s exit, with Michael Grove and Ryan Yarbrough combining to allow just one additional run over the final 3.2 innings. But by then, the damage was done. The Dodgers attempted to mount a comeback in the seventh when Mookie Betts delivered a two-run single that cut the deficit to 6–4. However, the rally fizzled when Freddie Freeman struck out looking with runners on the corners. The Dodgers wouldn’t threaten again, going down quietly in the final two innings against Angels closer Carlos Estévez, who earned his 12th save of the season.
It was a game emblematic of the Dodgers’ broader struggles in May. While still among the elite in the National League, the team has shown cracks that go beyond a single three-game sweep. The lineup, potent on paper, has been inconsistent. Ohtani and Freeman continue to produce at All-Star levels, and Will Smith remains a reliable bat in the heart of the order, but the supporting cast has not delivered with enough consistency. Max Muncy, currently sidelined with an oblique injury, has been missed more than anticipated, particularly when it comes to driving in runs and setting the tone in the middle of the lineup. Jason Heyward’s return from the injured list has helped defensively, but his bat has yet to catch up. And the struggles of rookies like Andy Pages have reminded fans that depth, while plentiful in name, can still be unproven in results.
Pitching, once the unquestioned backbone of the team, has been plagued by injuries. The Dodgers currently have a staggering 12 pitchers on the injured list, including Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Bobby Miller, and Dustin May. For a team that entered the season with one of the most feared rotations in baseball, the attrition has been significant. Roberts has had to rely heavily on arms like Gavin Stone and Landon Knack, both of whom have shown promise but remain young and prone to inconsistency. The bullpen, too, has been a rollercoaster. While Evan Phillips has remained dominant in the closer role, others like Brusdar Graterol and Joe Kelly have seen mixed results or spent time on the IL themselves. It’s forced the Dodgers to lean on middle relievers in high-leverage spots more than they would like, and it has come back to bite them on more than one occasion.
This weekend’s sweep at the hands of the Angels served as a harsh reminder that no team, not even one as star-studded as the Dodgers, is immune to the grind of a 162-game season. The Angels entered the series under .500, with a roster depleted by injuries and underperformance. They were supposed to be little more than a speed bump for a Dodgers team looking to bolster its win total and gear up for a critical upcoming stretch against divisional opponents. Instead, the Angels outplayed them in all three phases of the game—hitting, pitching, and defense. The Angels capitalized on Dodgers mistakes, executed with runners in scoring position, and perhaps most importantly, played with the hunger and urgency that the Dodgers seemed to lack.
For Ohtani, the series was especially emotional. Facing his former team for the first time since signing a record-breaking $700 million contract with the Dodgers this offseason, he found himself at the center of attention. Every at-bat was a spectacle. Every swing, every glance toward the mound, every moment of contact was met with a mixture of boos, cheers, and flashes from thousands of camera phones. Ohtani handled it with characteristic poise, collecting four hits in the series and flashing the kind of talent that made him the most coveted free agent in baseball history. Still, even Ohtani couldn’t carry the Dodgers on his own, and his solo efforts were not enough to swing the series back in their favor.
The question now is how the Dodgers respond. With a 29–18 record, they remain in good shape in the standings, but the sweep raises serious concerns about the sustainability of their success. Depth is being tested. Morale is being challenged. And the schedule is not getting any easier. The next few weeks include matchups with the Giants, Rockies, and Diamondbacks—teams they are expected to beat—but after this sweep, nothing can be taken for granted. Roberts and his staff must find a way to reestablish the rhythm that carried them through the first month of the season. That may mean making tough decisions about the rotation, rethinking lineup construction, or dipping into the minor leagues to find a spark.
Another looming question is when the cavalry will arrive. Kershaw and Buehler are both progressing in their rehab assignments, but there’s still no definitive timetable for their returns. Miller and May remain out indefinitely, and reliever Ryan Brasier just began throwing again. Until those arms return, the onus will fall on the likes of Paxton, Tyler Glasnow, and Stone to hold down the rotation. Glasnow has been brilliant, boasting a sub-3.00 ERA and racking up strikeouts at an elite rate, but he can’t pitch every day. The Dodgers need more consistency from the rest of their rotation, and they need it fast.
Offensively, Roberts hinted after the game that changes may be coming. Pages and Miguel Vargas have struggled to produce with runners in scoring position, and Chris Taylor’s prolonged slump is starting to test the patience of fans and management alike. One potential move could be the promotion of Michael Busch from Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he has continued to mash after a brief stint with the big-league club earlier this season. Busch’s versatility and left-handed power could provide a jolt, especially if Muncy remains sidelined longer than expected.
In the clubhouse, there was a palpable sense of frustration following the series finale. Freeman, who is normally reserved in his postgame comments, acknowledged that the team needs to play with more edge. Betts, ever the leader, called for urgency and accountability. “We know we’re better than this,” Betts said. “But knowing isn’t enough. We’ve got to show it.”
That kind of leadership will be critical as the Dodgers navigate this stretch of adversity. They’ve been here before—veteran players like Betts, Freeman, and Kershaw have seen the highs and lows of a long season—and they know that even championship teams hit rough patches. What matters is how they respond. In 2023, the Dodgers overcame a similarly rocky start to go on a torrid summer run that positioned them for a strong playoff push. The blueprint is there, but it won’t materialize without urgency, execution, and health.
It’s worth noting that the National League as a whole has been competitive this season, with multiple teams jockeying for playoff positioning. The Braves, Phillies, Brewers, and Padres all loom as legitimate threats, and the margin for error is thin. The Dodgers can’t afford to let series like this slip away if they hope to secure home-field advantage in October or avoid a wildcard dogfight. Every win counts, and every loss serves as both a warning and an opportunity to course correct.
For now, the sting of being swept by the Angels will linger. The Dodgers entered the series with momentum and optimism. They exit with questions and concerns. The season is far from over—there are still 115 games left to play—but this weekend served as a wake-up call. The Dodgers are still among the most talented teams in baseball, but talent alone isn’t enough. Execution, depth, and resilience will determine whether this team lives up to its lofty expectations or becomes yet another example of a superteam that fell short.
As they return home to regroup and refocus, the Dodgers know what’s at stake. The path forward won’t be easy, but it remains in their hands. For a team with this much star power, this much experience, and this much on the line, anything less than a strong response in the coming weeks would be unacceptable. The season rolls on, but the time to tighten the screws is now.
