/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/3257930/118352820.jpg)
Since the All-Star break, the Dodger offense has struggled even more than usual. They have scored 13 runs in six games: seven runs in two Clayton Kershaw wins, and six runs in the other four games, all losses. As a team, they are hitting .183/.243/.272 since the break, and if you add in the improbable sweep of the Padres just before the break, the Dodgers are hitting .172/.249/.267 in their last nine games, scoring 19 runs during that span.
The Dodgers have just three hitters at a .700 OPS or above over the last nine games:
Dodgers Offense, Last 9 Games | |||
Player | PA | BA/OBP/SLG | OPS |
Navarro | 19 | .353/.389/.588 | .977 |
Gwynn | 29 | .320/.414/.360 | .774 |
Rivera | 20 | .250/.250/.450 | .700 |
Ethier | 34 | .138/.265/.379 | .644 |
Kemp | 36 | .176/.222/.353 | .575 |
Miles | 22 | .200/.273/.250 | .523 |
Loney | 27 | .125/.222/.167 | .389 |
Uribe | 32 | .161/.188/.194 | .381 |
Carroll | 18 | .071/.235/.143 | .378 |
Furcal | 34 | .103/.212/.103 | .316 |
Barajas | 10 | .000/.100/.000 | .100 |
Velez | 1 | .000/.000/.000 | .000 |
Oeltjen | 4 | .000/.000/.000 | .000 |
Yet, with a win tonight over the Nationals, the Dodgers would have five straight wins at Dodger Stadium. Hiroki Kuroda toes the rubber tonight in his penultimate start before next Sunday's trade deadline. Lack of offense is nothing new for Kuroda, as the right-hander has a 2.59 ERA since the beginning of June, yet is 1-6 in those eight starts thanks to the Dodgers scoring just 17 total runs.
Lineups
Tonight is Juan Rivera's sixth start in seven games since joining the Dodgers, including his third at first base. Rivera's previous two starts at first base were against right-handed pitchers.
Nationals | Dodgers | |||
CF | Bernadina | LF | Gwynn | |
2B | Espinosa | SS | Furcal | |
3B | Zimmerman | RF | Ethier | |
1B | Morse | CF | Kemp | |
RF | Werth | 1B | Rivera | |
LF | Nix | 3B | Uribe | |
C | Ramos | C | Barajas | |
SS | Desmond | 2B | Carroll | |
P | Lannan | P | Kuroda |
Game Time: 7:10 p.m.
TV: Prime Ticket