Are Dodgers Showing Signs of a World Series Hangover ?

Published on by Jose G. Quevedo
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Many fans ask themselves if the proverbial World Series hangover is even real. Before the Dodgers won it all in 2020, the two previous World Champions Boston Red Sox and Washington Nationals both failed to make the post season the following year.

Currently, the Dodgers are 16-10 and half a game back out of first place to the San Francisco Giants. Not many expected much from the Giants this year, but they’ve had quite the start to the season.

The Dodgers in their last ten games have posted a record of 3-7, and it seems like they’ve had quite the struggles at the plate, alongside some early-season worries in the bullpen.

While it may appear the Dodgers are unable to bring home runners in scoring position nearly every time, they currently sit eighth in the majors in overall team batting average. Their current batting average sits at .239 with a .OBP of 346. Their OPS sits at .751 and their SLG at .751.

Thursday night, the Dodgers outhit the Brewers 9-4, but Los Angeles was 1-for-5 with RISP and overall left nine runners on base, which was key for the Brewers in their 2-1 victory.

As far as pitching goes, the Dodgers find themselves in the Top 3, sitting third with an overall ERA of 2.97. In fact, the first three teams are all from the NL West, as the Padres are first, followed by the Giants.

The Los Angeles bullpen ERA sits at 3.87, which isn’t horrible, but it’s not the best measuring stick of relief performance, either. We’ve talked previously about the inability of the Dodgers to throw out basestealers, which leads to many unnecessary runs.

So the question is whether the Dodgers have a World Series hangover or what even makes up the definition of the fabled term. There are many factors that can come to play. The batting average and team ERA aren’t horrible, but they’ve just haven’t been able to win games the last couple weeks. Clutch performance seems to be minimal, as many of the team’s victories are results of blowouts.

We also have to take in consideration the injury bug that has bitten the Dodgers. Currently, the Dodgers have bullpen arms Brusdar Graterol, Joe Kelly, Tony Gonsolin, Corey Knebel and David Price on the injured list as well as former NL MVP Cody Bellinger and utility player Zach McKinstry.

The Dodgers have had quite the influx of players come in and out with all the movement on the injury list. Several players have gotten a chance to showcase their abilities by making their Dodger debuts, such as Sheldon Neuse, Luke Raley and DJ Peters.

But to answer the question if the Dodgers have a World Series hangover, I would say not yet. Thankfully, if they’re going to have a bad spell, which any team does in the majors at some point in the year, it would be better to happen this early in the season rather than September or October.

There’s still 136 games that are left in the season, which is enough for the Dodgers to be right where they want to be. Part of the reason I believe fans are worried is due to the short season we had last year and the sense of urgency throughout the entire campaign.

The Dodgers will look to tie up the series against the Brewers on Friday, as right hander Freddy Peralta will go for the Brewers. Peralta is 2-0 and has posted a 2.45 ERA so far this year. The Dodgers starter is still TBA, but manager Dave Roberts alluded it will be a bullpen game after Trevor Bauer gave the Dodgers a complete game Thursday.

The first pitch is scheduled for 5:10 p.m Pacfifc.

28 thoughts on “Are Dodgers Showing Signs of a World Series Hangover ?”

    1. There has to be a good reason for that Tmax, though I have no clue what it is.

      The offense is currently offensive but I suspect they’ll come around. No sense of urgency here, we are mid Lap 1 in a 4 Lap race.

      There sure seems to be a plethora of IL injuries in all of professional sports these days. Maybe it’s always been like this, maybe it’s just more noticeable, bodies following in a world that’s lost its mind.. At any rate, I hope we are 100% from September on. If we are, we will be favored to kick ass on all comers. As bad as we’ve looked, we are still the team to beat.

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      1. Roberts is not my favorite manager. I think he is a poor strategist. He just happens to be a Nice Guy. And lets the Dodger Upper Management Team run the Team. He is the Cruise Director.
        That said perhaps they are going to use Uceta for several innings and then send him back down. I am glad to see they are beginning to use their young pitching talent, White, Uceta. It’s good for the future to see these guys come in and see how they perform and get to measure themselves and what they need to do to excel in the MLB.

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  2. Max Muncy has a ridiculously high OBP but isn’t getting any hits. It’s almost all from walks.
    So………………………..this is my lineup for tonight:
    Muncy 1B
    Mookie RF
    Taylor CF
    Turner 3B
    Seager SS
    Smith C
    Lux 2B
    Beaty LF
    Pitcher

    We need to run more, bunt more, take extra bases, etc. even if we run into outs by doing it. Time to try forcing the opposition into errors. We are playing very lackluster baseball so Roberts needs to force the guys out of that mentality.

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  3. I agree as Muncy is getting on base why not use that to generate runs. The situation for a pitcher changes with Muncy on first and Mookie and Seager to follow. Lux’s strikeouts are a concern plus he and Rios’s inability to move men on the bases with their consistent strikeouts.

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    1. I don’t need you to agree with me Tmax, I need Doc to agree with me 🙂 ………………………and he doesn’t. Max batting cleanup again tonight. No Mookie.

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      4. Leave my grammar out of this. She was a delightful woman.

        Three intransitive verbs walk into a bar. They sit. They drink. They depart.

        What’s wrong with that sentence?

        Nothing. Intransitive verbs are action verbs are action verbs that do not need to be followed by a direct object.

        Where’s my pipe?……

        Ok, I’m good….

        A comma splice walks into a bar, it has a drink and then leaves.

        What’s wrong with that sentence?

        A comma splice is when the comma doesn’t connect the two parts of the sentences. Corrected it should read “A comma walks into the bar, has a drink and then leaves.”

        How’s that?

        Liked by 1 person

      5. Thanks for the lesson. Please bill me. Do you accept bitcoin?
        Speaking of commas, I must admit, I tend to use far too many of them in my writing, .

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      6. You’re welcome Jefe, but I can’t accept payment as I have no idea what any of that means. I cut and pasted all of it.

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      7. OK, then I’ll send you a brand new pair of scissors and bottle of Elmer’s glue.
        (I hope the other readers here are enjoying our scintillating baseball conversation).

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  5. Story just breaking out of Boston that Kelly had shoulder surgery in November. No clue why this is coming out of Boston and why the team kept quiet about it for 6 months, but it does explain a few things.

    And in my mind, instead of being totally useless, I now have some hope for him out of the bullpen this year. Apparently they found a cyst pressing against a nerve. That could definitely affect your velo and command.

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    1. I had no idea. Yeah, maybe, like that pesky bulldog, he’s been fixed.

      They say a dog is man’s best friend. I don’t believe that’s true. How many of your friends have you neutered?

      I just want to say here, as an old coach, it’s been fun watching great defenses play baseball lately.

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      1. “I just want to say here, as an old coach, it’s been fun watching great defenses play baseball lately.”

        Too bad none of them have been wearing Dodger uniforms.

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  6. First, I wonder why Angel Hernandez called time out on that overthrow? Second, how can you get an out when there is time out? And last, why is Angel Hernandez still umpiring at this level?

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  7. You know who else is strong? That squirrel. He’s also, like the current Dodger lineup, mostly blind. Put a Dodger uniform on him and give him a bat.

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  8. Speechless huh?

    What can be said? Sfigato Blue juju! Lasorda might have muttered something along that line.

    We ain’t hitting. And Rios and Lux combined make George Costanza look like the better option. I think I keep Lux around. Rios needs to go. The rest of the guys? Barrel strikes. Think line drives to the gaps. The fences will get closer in June.

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  9. Rios’s average is .091 his OBP .231SLG .159. At this point in time, he is overmatched and chasing. He desperately needs a reset. Lux’s average .179 OBP is .213 yikes. Heck take both of them down to the alternate site and get them to breathe into a paper bag then go back to basics. Something like “see the ball hit the ball”.
    Busch is supposedly a contact guy bring him up. Need guys that can at least make consistent contact. If Busch can’t field put him at first and move Muncy temporarily to 2nd to see what Busch has.
    Muncy is not exactly killing the ball either although with his walks he has a high OBP at .432. I agree with Jeff that Muncy should lead off as he is getting on base but isn’t hitting the ball.
    What a mess. It’s sad that we all hope the rookie McKinstry can rehab off the IL to add a spark. So far Lux is a huge disappointment.
    Uceta was obviously nervous. White looked good.

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    1. I still have faith in Lux but I’m fine with your idea to send the both down for a few weeks. As I posted earlier, Muncy’s numbers look similar to last year. It feels like he’s looking for a walk. Can’t say I blame him because he isn’t barreling much.

      Uceta has a good change but I didn’t see a lot of heat in front of it. He looks like a guy that will need movement and command, which I’m fine with if he’s got both. Keep hitters guessing and off balance and you’ll get outs.

      I’ve heard it said that road trips can help pull a team together. This team needs to get it together so take advantage of this trip guys.

      Pollock sure nailed one yesterday. Was hoping it would ignite the rest of the lineup. Nope.

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