"Three Dodgers' key players require improvement at the batting box."
The 2025 MLB season has seen a mixed bag of results for the Los Angeles Dodgers, with star player Mookie Betts struggling at the plate and Shohei Ohtani continuing his offensive dominance.
Despite Betts' struggles, he has a sound approach, ranking in the top 20% of big-leaguers in chase rate, whiff rate, and strikeouts percentage. However, his offensive performance has taken a significant hit, with his batting average dropping from .304 to .222 in the last 87 games. His slugging percentage has also decreased, from .554 to .327, in the same period. Betts' bat speed is in the 11th percentile of MLB hitters, down almost two mph from his 39-homer season in 2023.
The slump has been attributed primarily to the worst contact quality of Betts' career and persistent poor results at the plate. Mental fatigue and confidence issues, prolonged hitless periods, and a potential slump extending beyond physical performance have also been factors. Betts himself has expressed frustration, stating he has tried "everything possible" without success and resigned that "it's up to God at this point," further indicating a mental and confidence struggle.
The slump has impacted the Dodgers' offense notably. The team ranked near the bottom in major offensive categories in July 2025, such as batting average (28th), on-base percentage (27th), slugging percentage (25th), and runs scored (28th), highlighting overall offensive struggles where Betts' underperformance was a significant factor. Despite this, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has kept Betts in the top of the batting order, which some analysts consider questionable given his form.
Recent signs of improvement have appeared, including Betts hitting a key three-run homer off Max Scherzer to break his slump and providing timely hits over a few games in August, though a full recovery remains uncertain for the season.
On the other hand, Ohtani has been a consistent force at the plate. Despite the drop in offensive production, Ohtani is still hitting home runs at a league-leading pace, tied with Kyle Schwarber for the NL lead with 38 on the year. His OPS has decreased from 1.034 to .886 since resuming pitching, but he still leads the Dodgers with a .295 batting average. Ohtani's strikeout rate has increased from 24% to 31% since resuming pitching, and his average has decreased from .297 to .230, but he remains a threat at the plate.
The Dodgers' offense has been a double-edged sword this season. Despite the struggles, they are second in the National League in scoring and third in team batting average. They have the second-lowest team batting average and the fourth-lowest OPS during the same period, but this can be attributed to Betts' slump and Ohtani's increased focus on pitching.
In summary, Mookie Betts' slump has been a significant factor in the Dodgers' offensive struggles this season, while Shohei Ohtani continues to be a force at the plate. The team's commitment to supporting Betts is evident, with a former Dodgers All-Star flying to Tampa to help him overcome this career-worst slump. The Dodgers will hope for a full recovery from Betts and continued offensive dominance from Ohtani as they push towards the playoffs.
[1] ESPN
[2] MLB.com
[3] The Athletic
[4] FanGraphs
[5] Sports Illustrated
[1] Despite Betts' struggle, concerns around his health and form continue to dominate discussions on sports talk shows and baseball forums. [2] On the flipped side, experts highlight Ohtani's consistency in health and his impact on the Dodgers' overall offensive performance in MLB events.
