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The Los Angeles Dodgers slept through their wakeup call. Freddie Freeman issued a reality check to the team after the surging San Diego Padres pulled into a tie for first place in the NL West. On Wednesday the Los Angeles Angels completed a sweep of the Freeway Series, dropping the Dodgers a game back in the division.
It’s the first time the team has been out of first place since late April, per The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya. In fact, the Dodgers haven’t been out of first this late into a season since 2021, when they finished the year a game behind the San Francisco Giants.
The unexpected turn of events even caught manager Dave Roberts off guard. “We're where we're at. We put ourselves in this spot. But no, I wouldn't have expected us to be in second place right now,” Roberts said after Wednesday’s loss, via Ardaya.
Dodgers lose division lead after Angels sweep
The Dodgers held a commanding division lead on July 1, up eight games on the Padres. LA led by 5.5 games heading into the All-Star break. And the team maintained a three-game advantage at the trade deadline.
But the Dodgers have gone just 15-21 since July 1. They’re 10-14 since the All-Star break. And, after losing its fourth straight game, the team is 5-7 since the trade deadline.
The Dodgers’ slump comes at the worst possible time as the Padres are heating up. San Diego has won 24 of 37 games since July 1. And after bolstering the roster at the deadline, the Padres are 9-3. They’ve won seven of their last eight games to take the division lead.
Injuries continue to play a role in the Dodgers’ struggles. The pitching staff has been decimated and now Max Muncy is dealing with an ailment. But LA’s drop in the standings is nonetheless troubling.
There is reason for optimism. Three Dodgers relievers are nearing a return. And Shohei Ohtani pitched a season-high 4 1/3 innings on Wednesday, allowing four runs on five hits with no walks and seven strikeouts.
Ohtani also made history as the first starting pitcher in 125 years to hit a leadoff triple. But the Angels edged out the Dodgers thanks to a two-run single by Logan O’Hoppe in the eighth inning. LA is now 68-52 on the season and one game behind the first-place Padres in the NL West.
