Full Breakdown
Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts Criticizes Team Play After Brewers Defeat and Defends Use of Struggling Closer
8/17/2026, 10:11:27 PM
Recent Brewers Loss Underscores Dodgers' Struggles
Los Angeles fell 6–2 to Milwaukee on Sunday, dropping a crucial tiebreaker in the race for home-field advantage. The defeat marked the third loss in four games of the series, leaving the Brewers three games ahead in the National League chase and holding the head-to-head edge for postseason seeding. Dodgers offense managed only three runs on 11 hits and three walks, while two errors by second baseman Tommy Edman produced three of the six runs.
Season Trends Since July 1
Since the start of July, the defending World Series champions have gone 18-21, and in their last 16 contests they are 5-11, a stretch that includes sweeps by Boston and Chicago and series losses to Arizona and Milwaukee.
Roberts' Comments on Offense and Defense
Roberts said the team has not “played clean baseball” for an extended period, linking offensive lapses to defensive effort. He emphasized the need for “urgency of every single pitch” and lamented that players are “chasing” pitches instead of executing a consistent plan.
- “I say this because it's just been four or five, six weeks of below-average production in our offense. It's just the truth, and I think we have just haven't played clean baseball for quite some time, and that speaks to the defense,” — Dave Roberts, Los Angeles Dodgers manager
Diaz Usage and Managerial Rationale
Amid fan backlash over closer Edwin Diaz’s recent blown saves, Roberts defended keeping the pitcher in high-leverage situations. He noted that “every year, when somebody’s struggling, [people are] always like, ‘You gotta take them out. You gotta move the role,’” and explained that limited bullpen availability, workload concerns and recent injuries constrain his options.
- “A lot of people don’t have the information on availability, workload and redlining guys and trying to keep guys healthy,” — Dave Roberts, Los Angeles Dodgers manager
Outlook for Playoff Position
Despite the setback, the Dodgers retain a seven-game lead over the San Diego Padres in the NL West and remain in contention with the Brewers and Atlanta Braves for the two spots that avoid the wild-card round. Roberts expressed hope that the recent loss will not “come back to bite” the team as the regular season concludes.
