The Los Angeles Dodgers are feeling the weight of their recent World Series win. As the 2025 MLB season unfolds, some of our beloved players are struggling to hit their stride.
After a blazing start with an impressive 8-0 record, the team has stumbled lately. The Dodgers have now lost four of their last five games. It includes a couple of surprising losses to the struggling Washington Nationals.
While Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Tommy Edman have the defensive end under control, the batters had a real meltdown performance.
Some Dodgers are really struggling at the plate early this season:
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) April 9, 2025
Max Muncy: .190 AVG/.530 OPS
Andy Pages: .162 AVG/.581 OPS
Chris Taylor: .143 AVG/.286 OPS
Miguel Rojas: .125 AVG/.285 OPS
Austin Barnes: 0-for-10
The Dodgers have lost four of their last five games.
Here are the five Dodgers on the brink of DFA’d or Designated for Assignment after a rough start to the 2025 MLB season:
1. Max Muncy
The two-time All-Star and World Series champ isn’t having the easiest start this season. He’s batting just .190 with an OPS of .530 and is racking up 18 strikeouts so far. We know he’s capable of more, and fans are rooting for him to break out of this slump.
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Looking back on it now, the shift used to be so crazy.
— Jacob Brownson (@brownsonjacob2) April 9, 2025
You have Max Muncy lining out to 3rd baseman Manny Machado in right field. pic.twitter.com/4OQz7tqycn
However, Muncy recently had a standout game, going 3-for-4 against the Phillies. It came as an improvement from his previous record of 1-for-21 with 11 strikeouts against Aaron Nola.
2. Andy Pages
The outfielder has struggled at the plate. Pages is stranded with a batting average of .162 and an OPS of .581. His defensive fundamentals have also come under scrutiny from fans, adding to his struggles.
Dave Roberts speaks about Andy Pages post-game:
— Hyeseong Kim Muse 김혜성 (@HyeseongKimMuse) April 9, 2025
“There’s some more conviction in the at-bat. And he made a really nice play out there in right field… He’ll be in there tomorrow.” pic.twitter.com/2PwxUBSeFz
And with his performance in the mix, the Dodgers are evaluating their roster decisions, particularly regarding center field. They are looking to integrate Hyeseong Kim, their $12.5 million offseason signing from the Korean Baseball Organization.
Despite a lukewarm performance in spring training, where he batted just .207, Kim has found his stride in Triple-A. Given Kim’s solid performance and the struggles of Pages, the Dodgers might be on the verge of making a shocking decision to move on from Pages in favor of Kim.
3. Chris Taylor
The former All-Star, Chris Taylor, is going through a tough patch right now as a utility player for the LA Dodgers. At 35, he’s struggling significantly at the plate, with a batting average of just .143 and an OPS of .286.
Old stuff that still bugs me…Twins traded Brent Rooker & Taylor Rogers the day before the 2022 season for Emilio Pagan & Chris Paddack. A just terrible trade that continues to burn this team. Rogers has pitched 194 games for a 3.61 ERA & 10.7 K/9 since this trade. Disaster… pic.twitter.com/uW0lbwaIiY
— Jeff (@MNTwinsZealot) April 8, 2025
These numbers just aren’t cutting it in the big leagues. It’s hard to watch a player who once flourished after landing from the Mariners back in 2016 now grapple with repeated strikeouts and leaving runners stranded.
As the team faces its third straight loss and is looking for a spark, the spotlight is increasingly on Taylor, especially with Hyeseong Kim waiting in the wings to potentially take his spot.
4. Miguel Rojas
Miguel Rojas encountered significant struggles defensively early in the season, which was evident during the Dodgers’ recent loss to the Nationals. In the game, Rojas committed a costly error at second base, booting a routine grounder that allowed an unearned run to score.
He has a dismal .125 batting average and an OPS of .285.
Miguel Rojas this year:
— Bruce Kuntz (@Bnicklaus7) June 15, 2024
.274 AVG
.325 OBP
.443 SLG
.336 wOBA
121 wRC+
What a season at the plate so far for Miggy Ro! pic.twitter.com/piw1idJr3s
Additionally, Rojas’ offensive contributions have been hampered by the struggles he faces on the defensive side. During the game against the Nationals, he was also robbed of a hit when shortstop Paul DeJong made a diving stop.
5. Austin Barnes
The Los Angeles Dodgers confirmed their commitment to veteran catcher Austin Barnes by exercising his $3.5 million team option. They ensured he would play his 10th season with the team.
Despite some criticisms regarding his offensive production, Barnes has been a key component of the Dodgers’ success, excelling in intangibles and defensive skills behind the plate.
Only Austin Barnes stands in the way of Manuel Margot and scoring runs pic.twitter.com/JeUKnMX0ss
— Lindsay Adams 👽 (@LAtweets22) March 29, 2025
Stepping in as a backup catcher, Barnes has yet to get on the board this season, going 0-for-10 in three games. Last season, he posted a solid .264 average, so there’s definitely hope that he’ll turn things around soon.
With so much talent on the roster, the Dodgers have the potential to overcome these early struggles. The team knows that every opponent will bring their A-game, so fans are eagerly waiting to see these stars shake off their rough starts.
