Dodgers suddenly have most unexpected issue

Major League Baseball‘s most expensive collection of offensive firepower can cover plenty of mistakes. But even Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and company can’t keep digging out of seven-run holes. That should terrify the Dodgers more than another September loss.

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Jul 6, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Eric Lauer (33) pitches against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Los Angeles lost 13-8 to St. Louis Tuesday, its fifth loss in seven games, after allowing five home runs. Starter Eric Lauer surrendered seven earned runs in only three innings, and three of the five hits allowed by Dodgers relievers also left the ballpark.

Look at what St. Louis did when Ramón Urías and Thomas Saggese went back-to-back

This Dodgers lineup actually scored eight runs. Mookie Betts drove in four. Will Smith returned after nearly three months away and drove in two more. The offense fought.

None of it mattered because the pitching staff had already turned the game into batting practice.

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Mar 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) looks on while walking to the dugout after the sixth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Los Angeles can still roll out Yoshinobu Yamamoto and newly acquired Tarik Skubal. That gives them two starters capable of completely controlling postseason games.

But playoff series expose whatever comes after your studs.

What happens when somebody has to make the fourth start? What happens when a starter exits in the fourth inning? What happens when the bullpen has to get 14 outs against Philadelphia, Milwaukee or Atlanta?

That’s where my confidence drops. Falls off the table, actually.

Entering Wednesday, the Dodgers are 82-56. They remain loaded. Nobody should pretend they’re suddenly a bad baseball team because St. Louis punched them in the mouth one night.

But championship favorites are judged differently. They’re judged against the other monsters lurking in October.

And right now, Los Angeles has enough offense to win another World Series. I’m considerably less convinced it has enough pitching to survive the trip there.