Latest news with #All-Stars
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman have struggled at the plate lately for the Dodgers
The Dodgers' Freddie Freeman hits an RBI single in the sixth inning of Thursday's game against the Colorado Rockies. It was Freeman's first hit of the series against the Rockies. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press) As the Dodgers completed a sweep of the Colorado Rockies on Thursday, it was two of their cornerstone hitters who helped lead the way. In what was then a tie game in the top of the sixth inning, Mookie Betts led off with a double in the gap, Freddie Freeman brought him home with a line drive to right, and the Dodgers took a lead they wouldn't relinquish, completing a three-game sweep that kept them tied for the best record in baseball. Advertisement For much of the last four years, that would've been an unremarkable sequence. Shohei Ohtani might be the most potent hitter in the Dodgers' lineup, but Betts and Freeman have long been the bedrock of their offense; All-Stars in each season they've played in Los Angeles, and MVP candidates more often than not. On Thursday, however, their sixth-inning heroics had a different feel. Because, for the last three weeks, both superstars have been mired in startlingly stark slumps. Read more: Clayton Kershaw moves three strikeouts away from 3,000 as Dodgers finish sweep of Rockies Over Betts' last 17 games, the former MVP is batting .191 with only one home run and eight RBIs — dropping his season-long production to just a shade above league average (he has a 106 OPS+, an all-encompassing stat in which 100 is considered league average). Advertisement Freeman's last 20 games have been even worse, highlighted by a .160 average that marks the lowest of any single-season, 20-game stretch in his entire career — diminishing the stellar numbers he had this year beforehand. Such coinciding struggles haven't triggered any 'long-term concerns,' manager Dave Roberts said this week. Thursday's game provided some long-awaited production, a sigh of relief for two veteran sluggers who don't often need one. But still, the numbers are the numbers. A trip to even hitter-friendly Coors Field failed to fully bring them back to life. And until they rebound, external questions about their bats will linger, while their personal search for answers will carry on. 'I've been frustrated for about six weeks now,' Freeman said recently. Advertisement "If I knew [what was wrong],' Betts echoed this week, 'I promise you I wouldn't keep doing it.' The Dodgers' Mookie Betts remains adamant that playing shortstop is not the reason his numbers are down at the plate this season. (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times) It wasn't long ago that both Betts and Freeman were on polar opposite trajectories, surging through most of May and early June on offensive heaters that evaporated their slow (and physically hampered) starts to the campaign. On April 28, Betts was hitting only .230 with an OPS nearly below .700, clearly affected by a stomach virus that drained him over the two weeks leading up to opening day. Then, in a 32-game stretch from April 29-June 7, his typical levels of production suddenly reappeared. He hit .312 with four doubles, four home runs and an .835 OPS. And he did it all while showing defensive mastery of shortstop, quieting a growing narrative that the toll of his new position was curbing his capabilities at the plate. Advertisement 'It's not about shortstop,' Betts said last month. 'Because remember, last year, I was playing pretty well [offensively while] playing at shortstop. I had no idea what I was doing. Now, I'm way more confident in how I show up and prepare each and every day. The shortstop argument can't be it." Given his recent skid, however, such speculation is back. 'I'm gonna hold to no,' Roberts said when asked about the dynamic again this week. 'I think it's a fair debate. But all I can go with is what Mookie is saying, as far as the separation of the hitting to the defense, the comfort level with the defense … So I don't think there's a correlation.' Instead, Roberts pointed to a lack of power as a bigger factor. Betts' .392 slugging percentage thus far is 50 points worse than his previous career-low (which came in his rookie 2014 season). He ranks below league-average in underlying metrics such as exit velocity, hard-hit percentage and bat speed most of all (slipping to the 11th percentile among MLB hitters in that category). Advertisement 'I think it's the lack of hitting the ball on the barrel,' Roberts said. 'He's a guy that knows how to find the barrel. But there's times that he's chasing a little bit more than he usually does. And then there's a lot more pop-ups than typical. So to get power, you gotta find the barrel. That's what we're trying to do.' Freeman has endured even more whiplash amid his rollercoaster season. At the end of May, he was leading the National League with a .374 batting average. He was seemingly compensating for whatever lingering pain remained in the right ankle he had surgically repaired in the offseason, then re-aggravated with a slip in the shower at the end of March. Even at age 35, he appeared primed for a potential career season, well on track for an elusive first batting title. 'He's just been relentless,' Roberts said last month. Advertisement Now, however, one of the game's best hit collectors can't seem to buy a knock most days. His batting average has fallen all the way to .309 entering Friday. Before his Thursday afternoon single, he was 0-for-11 in the Rockies series and one-for-his-last-22 overall. 'I have seen some signs where he's hit some balls hard and hasn't gotten anything to show for it,' Roberts said, searching for positives amid Freeman's highly uncharacteristic slump. 'That's discouraging for him. But I just know he's gonna find his way out of it.' To this point, though, he hasn't, with his usual routine of slump-busting drills — from a net exercise designed to promote an inside-out bat path, to mental cues intended to help him stay back in his swing — having yet to get his mechanics re-aligned. 'I've gone through every cue 16 times over again in the last six weeks,' he said. 'So just waiting for it to click.' Advertisement Though Freeman, who also battled a minor quadriceps injury in recent weeks, still looks hobbled while running the bases and playing defense at times, he insisted the problems aren't injury-related. 'The only pain is the swing,' he said. And despite his best efforts to conceal such frustrations during games, Roberts has noticed the toll his slump has started to take. 'I think he just wants consistency from his swing,' Roberts said. 'Wants to feel right consistently.' Somewhat amazingly, the Dodgers haven't missed a beat even with their superstar pairing clearly out of tune. The team is 13-4 in its last 17 games. The offense has scored six runs per game in that span, half-a-run better than its already MLB-leading season average. Other middle-of-the-order bats — from current NL batting leader Will Smith, to June player of the month candidate Max Muncy and rising second-year star Andy Pages — have helped pick up the slack. Advertisement Read more: Max Muncy gets help from the rain, then hits a grand slam to lead Dodgers past hapless Rockies Ohtani, meanwhile, leads the National League with 28 home runs even while returning to two-way duties. But in the long run, much of the Dodgers' success still figures to run through Betts and Freeman. They are still the two most veteran, experienced producers in a lineup full of All-Star caliber talent. At the very least, Roberts insisted, Thursday offered 'something to build on.' But with the way the last month has gone for each, there remains a lot of work left to do. Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
20 hours ago
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Why Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman have struggled at the plate lately for the Dodgers
DENVER — As the Dodgers completed a sweep of the Colorado Rockies on Thursday, it was two of their cornerstone hitters who helped lead the way. In what was then a tie game in the top of the sixth inning, Mookie Betts led off with a double in the gap, Freddie Freeman brought him home with a line drive to right, and the Dodgers took a lead they wouldn't relinquish, completing a three-game sweep that kept them tied for the best record in baseball. For much of the last four years, that would've been an unremarkable sequence. Shohei Ohtani might be the most potent hitter in the Dodgers' lineup, but Betts and Freeman have long been the bedrock of their offense; All-Stars in each season they've played in Los Angeles, and MVP candidates more often than not. On Thursday, however, their sixth-inning heroics had a different feel. Because, for the last three weeks, both superstars have been mired in startlingly stark slumps. Over Betts' last 17 games, the former MVP is batting .191 with only one home run and eight RBIs — dropping his season-long production to just a shade above league average (he has a 106 OPS+, an all-encompassing stat in which 100 is considered league average). Freeman's last 20 games have been even worse, highlighted by a .160 average that marks the lowest of any single-season, 20-game stretch in his entire career — diminishing the stellar numbers he had this year beforehand. Such coinciding struggles haven't triggered any 'long-term concerns,' manager Dave Roberts said this week. Thursday's game provided some long-awaited production, a sigh of relief for two veteran sluggers who don't often need one. But still, the numbers are the numbers. A trip to even hitter-friendly Coors Field failed to fully bring them back to life. And until they rebound, external questions about their bats will linger, while their personal search for answers will carry on. 'I've been frustrated for about six weeks now,' Freeman said recently. 'If I knew [what was wrong],' Betts echoed this week, 'I promise you I wouldn't keep doing it.' It wasn't long ago that both Betts and Freeman were on polar opposite trajectories, surging through most of May and early June on offensive heaters that evaporated their slow (and physically hampered) starts to the campaign. On April 28, Betts was hitting only .230 with an OPS nearly below .700, clearly affected by a stomach virus that drained him over the two weeks leading up to opening day. Then, in a 32-game stretch from April 29-June 7, his typical levels of production suddenly reappeared. He hit .312 with four doubles, four home runs and an .835 OPS. And he did it all while showing defensive mastery of shortstop, quieting a growing narrative that the toll of his new position was curbing his capabilities at the plate. 'It's not about shortstop,' Betts said last month. 'Because remember, last year, I was playing pretty well [offensively while] playing at shortstop. I had no idea what I was doing. Now, I'm way more confident in how I show up and prepare each and every day. The shortstop argument can't be it.' Given his recent skid, however, such speculation is back. 'I'm gonna hold to no,' Roberts said when asked about the dynamic again this week. 'I think it's a fair debate. But all I can go with is what Mookie is saying, as far as the separation of the hitting to the defense, the comfort level with the defense … So I don't think there's a correlation.' Instead, Roberts pointed to a lack of power as a bigger factor. Betts' .392 slugging percentage thus far is 50 points worse than his previous career-low (which came in his rookie 2014 season). He ranks below league-average in underlying metrics such as exit velocity, hard-hit percentage and bat speed most of all (slipping to the 11th percentile among MLB hitters in that category). 'I think it's the lack of hitting the ball on the barrel,' Roberts said. 'He's a guy that knows how to find the barrel. But there's times that he's chasing a little bit more than he usually does. And then there's a lot more pop-ups than typical. So to get power, you gotta find the barrel. That's what we're trying to do.' Freeman has endured even more whiplash amid his rollercoaster season. At the end of May, he was leading the National League with a .374 batting average. He was seemingly compensating for whatever lingering pain remained in the right ankle he had surgically repaired in the offseason, then re-aggravated with a slip in the shower at the end of March. Even at age 35, he appeared primed for a potential career season, well on track for an elusive first batting title. 'He's just been relentless,' Roberts said last month. Now, however, one of the game's best hit collectors can't seem to buy a knock most days. His batting average has fallen all the way to .309 entering Friday. Before his Thursday afternoon single, he was 0-for-11 in the Rockies series and one-for-his-last-22 overall. 'I have seen some signs where he's hit some balls hard and hasn't gotten anything to show for it,' Roberts said, searching for positives amid Freeman's highly uncharacteristic slump. 'That's discouraging for him. But I just know he's gonna find his way out of it.' To this point, though, he hasn't, with his usual routine of slump-busting drills — from a net exercise designed to promote an inside-out bat path, to mental cues intended to help him stay back in his swing — having yet to get his mechanics re-aligned. 'I've gone through every cue 16 times over again in the last six weeks,' he said. 'So just waiting for it to click.' Though Freeman, who also battled a minor quadriceps injury in recent weeks, still looks hobbled while running the bases and playing defense at times, he insisted the problems aren't injury-related. 'The only pain is the swing,' he said. And despite his best efforts to conceal such frustrations during games, Roberts has noticed the toll his slump has started to take. 'I think he just wants consistency from his swing,' Roberts said. 'Wants to feel right consistently.' Somewhat amazingly, the Dodgers haven't missed a beat even with their superstar pairing clearly out of tune. The team is 13-4 in its last 17 games. The offense has scored six runs per game in that span, half-a-run better than its already MLB-leading season average. Other middle-of-the-order bats — from current NL batting leader Will Smith, to June player of the month candidate Max Muncy and rising second-year star Andy Pages — have helped pick up the slack. Ohtani, meanwhile, leads the National League with 28 home runs even while returning to two-way duties. But in the long run, much of the Dodgers' success still figures to run through Betts and Freeman. They are still the two most veteran, experienced producers in a lineup full of All-Star caliber talent. At the very least, Roberts insisted, Thursday offered 'something to build on.' But with the way the last month has gone for each, there remains a lot of work left to do.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton's exit highlights Jayson Tatum similarity beyond injury
The post Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton's exit highlights Jayson Tatum similarity beyond injury appeared first on ClutchPoints. Will the NBA be making changes to their scheduling in the aftermath of three Achilles injuries in this year's playoffs alone? Damian Lillard went down in Round 1, Jayson Tatum followed suit in Round 2, and then Tyrese Haliburton, who's been so magically clutch for the Indiana Pacers in this year's playoffs, seems to have suffered the same fate as his other two peers in their 103-91 Game 7 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals. Advertisement The long grind coupled with the short periods of rest come playoff time seems to have caught up to some of the biggest stars in the NBA. But beyond the similarities among those three on the injury front, it sure does raise an eyebrow or two that all of the All-Stars who suffered an Achilles injury in the playoffs was wearing the jersey number zero, as pointed out by StatMuse on X (formerly Twitter). Of course, there is no greater meaning behind this. It is simply a coincidence, although it does seem odd that all of them wear the same jersey number and they all suffered the same fate. But going back to the NBA's scheduling problem, is an 82-game regular-season grind simply too much to handle in today's style of play? There is so much effort being expended on every possession; teams are looking to cover as much ground as possible defensively due to how skilled players are these days from all areas of the court. And the Pacers are one such team; not only do they play a defensive style that relies so much on putting pressure on the other team, they also play at a breakneck pace on offense. One's legs can only handle so much strain, even if one is a professional athlete who receives the best training possible. Pacers' Game 7 injury woes highlight importance of load management Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images The Thunder were so dominant in the regular season that they could afford to rest the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, limiting their minutes often considering how many blowout wins they had on the year. Meanwhile, the Pacers had to overcome a slow start to the season; Haliburton, in particular, had to snap himself out of an early-season funk to finish the year with a flourish. Advertisement Calf injuries are no joke, and Haliburton's injury was eerily reminiscent of the one Kevin Durant suffered as well back in 2019. For the Pacers, the hope now for next season is that they at least remain semi-competitive in preparation for Haliburton's eventual return from injury. Related: Obi Toppin assigns blame for Pacers' crushing Game 7 loss to Thunder Related: Bill Simmons disses Thunder with reaction to Tyrese Haliburton injury
Newsweek
a day ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Max Muncy Reveals Dodgers' 'Up Front' Move After Nolan Arenado Trade Calls
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The Los Angeles Dodgers earned a sweep of the Colorado Rockies on Thursday, reaching the halfway point of the season with a significant lead in the National League West division. Content as the team can be with its performance so far, that lead was to be expected after two blockbuster offseasons in a row that included the additions of Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and other All-Stars. It's been made clear that the Dodgers will pursue virtually any win-now talent if an opportunity becomes available. And that pursuit drove some trade speculation around veteran Max Muncy earlier this season, as fans called for the team to replace him with 10-time Gold Glove Award winner Nolan Arenado. "As he slumped through the first six weeks of the season — batting .190 with a .599 OPS and just one home run in his first 150 plate appearances — Muncy became a favorite target of fan ire and speculation that the Dodgers would be looking to replace him at some point," Bill Plunkett wrote for The Orange County Register. "Nolan Arenado's name became a frequent companion to Muncy's — despite the fact that Arenado was enduring his own struggles (which continue)." MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 05: Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on against the Miami Marlins in the seventh inning at loanDepot park on May 05, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by... MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 05: Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on against the Miami Marlins in the seventh inning at loanDepot park on May 05, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by) More Briggs/Getty Since then, Muncy has turned things around at the plate. In the past 36 games leading up to Thursday's win, the third baseman hit .321 with 10 homers and 39 RBI. His decision to start wearing prescription goggles might have driven the turnaround, but he also credited the Dodgers' front office for reassuring him during his harsh start to the season. "When you have as close a relationship as I do with the front office, they're up front with you and they've been up front in the past," Muncy revealed, per Plunkett. "When all that (Arenado trade) stuff came out, they called me immediately and they told me where they were at with it. I'm not going to say what they said. But if you know where the team is at with these decisions, that kind of gives you a little confidence about where you stand." The calls for a blockbuster trade replacement for Muncy have died down in recent weeks as his numbers return to their career norms. And it seems that if the Dodgers stuck with him during his slump, the team will continue to do so as he returns to form. More MLB: Bad News For Mets as $5 Million Righty Suffers Potentially Catastrophic Injury
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Kevin Gausman dominates as Blue Jays shut out Guardians
Nathan Lukes and Alejandro Kirk each hit two-run singles and Kevin Gausman pitched eight dominant innings as the visiting Toronto Blue Jays beat the Cleveland Guardians 6-0 on Thursday afternoon. HT Image Gausman (6-6) only allowed a double to Steven Kwan, a single to Kyle Manzardo and a walk to Lane Thomas in his 104-pitch gem. The right-hander struck out six and improved to 4-1 with a 1.20 ERA in five career starts in Cleveland. Lukes' single to right off Tanner Bibee (4-8) plated Jonatan Clase and Tyler Heineman in the third. Myles Straw also came home on a bad throw by Guardians first baseman Manzardo, who committed three errors in the inning. Kirk's pinch-hit single in the eighth against Kolby Allard scored Addison Barger and Ernie Clement to make it 5-0. A throwing error on the play, this time by left fielder Kwan, allowed Clase to scamper home with the Blue Jays' final run. Blue Jays reliever Chad Green walked one in the ninth in completing the combined two-hitter, giving Toronto its second win in the finale of the three- game series. The Blue Jays are 26-17 since May 8 and have the fifth-best overall record in the American League. Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Cleveland third baseman Jose Ramirez exited the game after being hit by pitches on their right arms, but X-rays for both All-Stars were negative. Bibee struck Guerrero in the third and Gausman hit Ramirez in the fourth, prompting both teams to be warned by home plate umpire Tom Hanahan. There were no further incidents. The Guardians made four errors and went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position, slipping to 5-7 in their last 12 games. Bibee worked six innings and struck out seven, extending his winless streak to six starts. The right-hander gave up three hits, no walks, three runs (two earned) and doesn't have a win in Cleveland since April 22 against the New York Yankees. --Field Level Media
