The excitement was palpable on a cool Friday night at Dodger Stadium. Fans had marked this day, hoping for a blockbuster pitching battle between two of baseball’s most discussed arms. But as the innings progressed, it was the Pirates’ phenom, Paul Skenes, who stole the show. Leaving Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and their ace looking for solutions.

The towering right-hander from Pittsburgh, Skenes, displayed a masterclass in pitching. He kept the Dodgers’ offense off balance with a combination of high-velocity fastballs and sneaky off-speed deliveries, which helped the Pirates to a 3-0 win. Pittsburgh’s first shutout victory in Los Angeles in 15 years was this performance. Did you know that victory was Pittsburgh’s first shutout in Los Angeles in 15 years?

Was Dave Roberts happy? No, he clearly pointed out that Yoshinobu Yamamoto didn’t meet the mark. He said, “Gave up a couple two-out base hits for some runs, which is uncharacteristic. But I think tonight overall he just typically has great command, and tonight he just wasn’t as pinpoint.” 

When asked about Skenes, Dave Roberts only has praise for the young phenomenon. He said, “That he is one of the best in the game when needed a strike out, he did that in that one inning. He finds a way to limit damage, kept us off balance with his off-speed stuff—the sweeper, the spinker, obviously the fastballs. It’s 97-98 (MPH), crowded our left-handers when he needed to get us all the velocity, and just tonight, we just really could not master much.” 

The Dodgers’ Yamamoto, who had gone 18 innings scoreless, struggled from the start. He gave up three runs (one earned) and four walks in five innings, his most in MLB. He looked out of sync, unlike his usual right-hand delivery. The normally keen right-hander was out of sync, unlike his previous performances.

Skenes, however, was in command. He shut down a talented Dodgers lineup, including Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman, with nine strikeouts in the seventh inning. His ability to mix pitches and spots had batters guessing all night.

For the Pirates, the victory was a statement. It’s not like every day you break the 15-year record and register a win against the world champs! However, for the Dodgers? Dave Roberts has to find some solutions for the team’s lost form.

Without a doubt, it was a tough night for the Boys in Blue. Even though Skenes should be praised and Yamamoto will definitely try to get back on track, this loss feels like more than just a glitch.

What’s going on with the star-studded Dodgers?

When something is unusually wrong with a team, the fingers get pointed to the backbone of it.

Shohei Ohtani’s recent dip has raised concerns among Dodgers fans, but it’s actually a team-wide issue. Ohtani has dropped to .224 in the past 14 games, amounting to a .261 season average. Manager Dave Roberts calls Ohtani “a little overaggressive,” meaning he’s overcommitted at the plate. In the last 21 at-bats, Ohtani has three hits. His season-long slash is 261/.358/.489 with an.848 OPS.

Ohtani getting out of form is not only a major issue. Even veteran players like Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman are slumping, batting .250. The bullpen has struggled in crucial moments, and the team has made fundamental mistakes, such as missed cutoffs and sloppy base running. ​

It’s normal for a player like Ohtani to gain attention during challenging times. But what about the others? Even Yamamoto is not performing as expected. Baseball is a team sport, and the Dodgers encounter many hurdles. Given Ohtani’s history, a rebound seems likely. The team needs overall improvements to win again.

Moreover, Mookie Betts’ transition to shortstop, along with the limited range of outfielders Teoscar Hernández and Michael Conforto, are liabilities. Will Smith’s framing and blocking have diminished, but his throwing is still good. Utility player Tommy Edman provides defensive versatility, but cannot fix all problems.

The absence of first baseman Freddie Freeman compounds these concerns. Freeman’s absence forced lineup changes, including the addition of Kiké Hernández, a player with below-average offensive skills. The batting order has changed, reducing the team’s offense. The Dodgers return home to play on Friday with Freeman scheduled to return.

There are still many games to play; the season is a marathon, not a sprint. They have to deal with their current problems and ensure everything returns to its normal level.