Dave Roberts decries Dodgers' inability to play 'clean baseball' after latest costly loss to Brewers

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts criticized his team's lack of clean baseball following their 6-2 defeat to the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, which deprived them of a crucial tiebreaker in the fight for home-field advantage. Roberts attributed their struggles to a six-week period of below-average offensive production and claimed the team had not played clean baseball for an extended period, affecting both defense and offense.

The Dodgers have lost three of their last four games to the Brewers, who currently lead the National League in record with the head-to-head advantage. Over the past 16 games, Los Angeles has been 5-11, including three consecutive losses to the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs, as well as to the Arizona Diamondbacks and Brewers. Manager Roberts emphasized the importance of consistency in at-bats, noting that his players were chasing off and away, failing to execute a consistent plan of attack.

Even star player Shohei Ohtani struggled, grounding into a double play with runners on base. Defensive errors, like those by second baseman Tommy Edman, further compounded the Dodgers' problems. Roberts expressed confidence in his team's ability to rebound but stressed that it would require hard work and dedication to overcome this extended period of poor performance.

The Dodgers still hold a seven-game lead over the San Diego Padres in the NL West and are competing with the Brewers and Atlanta Braves for two wild-card spots. Manager Roberts hopes the recent results do not have any playoff implications.