Dave Roberts Gets Brutally Honest About Will Klein’s Struggles

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts addressed the persistent struggles of releiver Will Klein, who has seen a drop-off in his pitching.

Klein pitched four scoreless innings in the 18-inning Game 3 marathon against the Toronto Blue Jays last year, keeping the team in the game and throwing a career-high 72 pitches.

His performance, especially considering how relatively unknown he was, earned respect and adoration from fans and the team, putting his name on the map.

The righty had a sensational start to the season, with a 2.77 ERA in March and April and a 0.82 ERA in May.

Jul 26, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Will Klein (61) reacts after giving up a three run home run to New York Mets second baseman Marcus Semien (not pictured) during the seventh inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

However, since then, things have not been great. In June, he had a 4.32 ERA in 8.1 innings and followed it up with a 7.71 ERA in 9.1 innings in July.

Klein’s latest rough outing came on Friday, when he came in during the second inning with a man on second and allowed the runner to score.

Additionally, in the third inning, he gave up two hits and hit a batter, leading Roberts to pull him.

While Roberts did not have a specific cause for Klein’s woes, he pointed to the command that has really fallen apart.

The team is seemingly digging into it, given how stark a contrast there is between both halves of his season thus far.

“We’re still trying to dig into it,” Roberts said. “I thought there were some good fastball throws in there tonight, but the secondary stuff, that’s kind of what’s getting him.

“The sweeper is not a strike; is not getting chase from it. The curveball has a different shape to it than it did last year. So I don’t know if it’s an arm thing, a mechanics thing, but that’s something we’re trying to dig in on.”

Jul 31, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Will Klein (61) throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox during the second inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Klein will be given a long leash due to his hot start and World Series moment, but with a three-peat on the line and a fully healthy staff, he will need to earn his spot on the 2026 postseason roster.