Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on August 17, 2026, that the team's offensive struggles stem from poor plate discipline across the entire lineup rather than isolated clutch-situation problems. "Everyone is swinging more, everyone is chasing more, everyone is walking less than the back of their baseball cart," Roberts said.
Roberts explained that the issue is not about failing in big moments but about the collective quality of at-bats. "It's not clutch situations. It's about just collectively having good quality at-bats," he said. He added that the team's statistics reflect the problem, noting the chase rate and swing percentage are up while the walk percentage is down, a trend inconsistent with the club's usual offensive identity.
Roberts confirmed the struggle is not confined to a handful of hitters. "The entire lineup is going through it," he stated, describing it as a shared issue from the top of the order to the bottom. He referenced comments he had made a day earlier about the lack of sustained offensive consistency, noting, "like I said yesterday, it's been quite some time since we've been consistent."
Looking at solutions, Roberts said hitters need a clear, consistent approach against opposing starters and must commit to that plan. "It's about having a clear plan and approach for that starter, that pitcher, and sticking to it," he explained. He added that hitters need to accept outcomes rather than press in the batter's box, saying they must "be willing to live with the results as opposed to kind of chasing your tail in the box."
Roberts also acknowledged the ballpark environment can play a role, noting that Coors Field can tempt visiting hitters to overswing in hopes of capitalizing on its hitter-friendly dimensions. Still, he pointed out the Dodgers have hit well there previously, noting, "we've had a lot of guys that have played here and we've actually swung the bats well here."
Roberts closed by setting the bar for the roster going forward, stating that the standard for this group should exceed recent output. "The standards for this talent that we have is higher and it should be," he said.