Dave Roberts has a excessive bar for his $400 million baseball staff.
Positive, the Dodgers entered Friday winners of 13 of their 17, tied for the most effective total report in baseball and main the Nationwide League West by six video games.
Positive, they have already got one assured All-Star in Shohei Ohtani, and 7 different finalists who superior to the second stage of fan voting that may start subsequent week.
However, within the eyes of their supervisor, I nonetheless simply dont imagine have been taking part in our greatest baseball, Roberts stated Friday afternoon. I dont assume weve performed full baseball for a stretch.
Learn extra: Why Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman have struggled on the plate recently for the Dodgers
On Friday evening, the Dodgers nonetheless werent at their greatest. Dustin Might managed simply 4 innings in a four-run begin. The lineup produced solely 4 complete hits. Teoscar Hernández made a defensive blunder within the outfield. And the bullpen danced out and in of hassle down the stretch.
However proper now, amid this comfortable portion of the groups schedule, flawed performances have typically nonetheless been sufficient.
And in Fridays 5-4 win over the badly slumping Kansas Metropolis Royals, that when once more proved to be the case.
For all of the Dodgers shortcomings, they did simply sufficient to compensate in a collection opener at Kauffman Stadium.
Might gave up a run within the first after letting three straight batters attain with two outs, however not earlier than Ohtani opened the scoring with a leadoff blast.
Hernández let a hard-hit however catchable line drive recover from his head in proper discipline within the third, fueling a three-run Royals rally that was punctuated by Bobby Witt Jr.s two-run blast. However that was sandwiched by a two-run homer from Max Muncy within the second, and a game-tying triple from Ohtani within the fifth.
Mookie Betts finally put the Dodgers in entrance one at bat after Ohtanis triple, singling him residence to offer the Dodgers a 5-4 lead.
And although Mays excessive pitch depend compelled him to exit early in opposition to the Royals (38-44), a worn-down Dodgers bullpen patched collectively 5 scoreless frames, escaping their greatest jam within the ninth when nearer Tanner Scott induced a game-ending double play with the bases loaded.
It wasnt fairly, however it was nonetheless sufficient to maneuver the Dodgers into sole possession of the most effective report within the majors at 52-31.
That prolonged stretch of dominance remains to be eluding them. However for now, theyre discovering methods to win anyway.
Join extra Dodgers information with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered in the beginning of every collection.
This story initially appeared in Los Angeles Occasions.