Can Dodgers recover from 10 games under .500?

After a Yasiel Puig injection briefly energized the Dodgers, the team has fallen back into its season-long malaise. The Dodgers look to snap a two-game losing streak on Saturday afternoon as they battle the Pirates in the middle game of a three-game series. But because of five losses in their last six games, the Dodgers have reached a rarely seen low point.

For just the 14th time in 56 seasons since moving to Los Angeles, the Dodgers are 10 games under .500.

All but one of the previous 13 teams finished under .500 and under 80 wins. The 2011 Dodgers were 10 games under .500 on Aug. 23, but a 25-10 finish to the season brought them over .500.

Since moving to Los Angeles in 1958, the only two teams with a worse record through 66 games than this year's 28-38 squad were the 1967 and 1992 teams, both of which began 27-39.

For a team with playoff aspirations, it's going to be hard for the Dodgers to simply get back to .500.

But at least for Saturday the Dodgers should be favored to get a win, with Clayton Kershaw on the mound against Brandon Cumpton, making his major league debut. Tim Williams at Pirates Prospects has more information on Cumpton.

Notes

• Kershaw has a 3.33 ERA over his last four starts with 24 strikeouts in 27 innings, but no win to show for it.
• Yasiel Puig is 19-for-39, hitting .487/.512/.846 through 11 games, but the Dodgers haven't taken advantage. The team averaged 3.55 runs per game prior to Puig, and has averaged 3.36 runs per game with him.
• Saturday is Puig's first game batting second.
• Ramon Hernandez in an interview with Octavio Hernandez Pernia of Linderendeportes said he was happy to leave the Dodgers, mostly because he didn't play much before getting designated for assignment on Friday. (Hat tip to Roberto Baly at Vin Scully is My Homeboy for the link.)
• To make room for Cumpton on the roster, the Pirates designated left-handed pitcher Mike Zagurski for assignment.
• Brandon Inge is playing his sixth career game in right field on Saturday for the Pirates, and his fourth start. All four starts have come this season with Pittsburgh.

Game info

Time: 1:05 p.m.

TV: KCAL

MLB Gameday