UPDATE: The Los Angeles Dodgers snapped their offensive slump with a decisive 5-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on July 17, 2023, at Dodger Stadium. Key contributions from Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith revived the team’s struggling lineup, which had been a cause for concern throughout the month.
Despite managing only four hits against Twins starter David Festa, the Dodgers made their swings count, hitting three home runs. Ohtani launched a two-run blast in the first inning, while Smith powered two solo homers, one in the fourth and another in the sixth, marking a significant turnaround for the team.
Entering the game with the third-lowest batting average in the majors, the Dodgers had been grappling with an alarming offensive drought. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman noted, “We’ve had more than half of our lineup really scuffle” over the past six weeks.
On Monday night, however, the Dodgers finally found their rhythm, hitting four home runs—an output they had not achieved since early July. Ohtani’s towering shot was his 35th home run of the season, a welcome sight as he continues to thrive in his dual role.
Festa, struggling with a 5.25 ERA, was unable to contain the Dodgers’ power. Smith’s first homer came after he fought off a changeup and capitalized on a fastball down the middle, bringing the score to 3-1. His second blast in the sixth marked his 14th home run of the season, enhancing his National League-leading batting average to .327.
The game further solidified Smith’s hot streak, as he has been hitting at an impressive rate of 15-for-40 with a 1.163 OPS since July began. Adding to the momentum, Andy Pages contributed an insurance run with his own home run in the seventh inning.
Ohtani, despite yielding a leadoff homer to Byron Buxton, kept the Twins at bay, striking out three batters and finishing with a stellar 1.50 ERA over three innings pitched. Following Ohtani, Dustin May delivered a strong performance from the bullpen, allowing no runs over 4 2/3 innings.
The night ended on a tense note when closer Tanner Scott exited in the ninth after experiencing discomfort in his throwing arm. This could raise concerns for a Dodgers bullpen already in search of reinforcements ahead of next week’s trade deadline.
Despite the late-game scare, the Dodgers secured a vital win, with James Outman making a crucial catch to prevent a potential game-tying homer from Carlos Correa.
As the Dodgers look to build on this momentum, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if this power surge can sustain them through the remainder of the season.
