Dave Roberts: More Consistency Needed From Dodgers Starting Pitchers

The Los Angeles Dodgers entered the 2024 season with one of the most talented starting rotations on paper, but the group has been plagued by injuries and inconsistencies in the early going.

Dodgers starting pitching enter Thursday’s off day ranked 13th with a 1.4 WAR (FanGraphs) and the staff is averaging just over four innings per game, which has placed a bigger burden on the bullpen.

“I’d say kind of overall, probably not,” manager Dave Roberts answered when asked if the team has received enough consistency from the Dodgers starting rotation. “I mean, I think that being mindful of early on the season, building them up, managing the workload is one part of it.

“But also you got to still be efficient to give me the opportunity to run you out there through the sixth or the seventh inning. They’re going to be better, and I think we’re doing a very good job of managing the health, the workload. But yeah, I mean, it’s a two-way street too.”

Through 21 games, Dodgers starters have pitched into the sixth inning just eight times, with Tyler Glasnow accounting for three of those. The right-hander has been the ace of the staff so far, but just endured the worst outing of his season against the Washington Nationals.

“I think just not a lot of execution,” Glasnow explained of his struggles. “I don’t think any of my pitches were really working, not hitting my spots and just falling behind early. If I’m only throwing one pitch for a strike, they’re able to sit on something, stay on the heater and I think it’s just easier to sell out to one pitch.”

Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been effective in most of his starts but is still adjusting to Major League Baseball. James Paxton, Gavin Stone and Bobby Miller have each had varying degrees of success. For Miller, he’s currently on the 15-day injured list because of right shoulder inflammation.

That has left the Dodgers with just four healthy starting pitchers at the moment, but Walker Buehler is nearing the end of a rehab assignment. Meanwhile, Kyle Hurt and Landon Knack were called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City to start games this week.

Dave Roberts remains confident in Dodgers bullpen

With the Dodgers bullpen having to pick up the load more times than not this season, the group has been prone to some rough performances. Roberts reiterated his confidence that the team’s relief unit will be a strength rather than a weakness despite some recent struggles.