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Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made it clear on Tuesday that patience with underperforming hitters has run out. Per Dodger Blue, Roberts said the team is “past the point” of letting guys play through slumps, a pointed escalation from his earlier comments about needing more urgency. After dropping eight of nine games and three consecutive series — their worst stretch of the season — Roberts is signaling that roster and lineup adjustments aren’t just possible, they’re coming.

This is a notable shift in tone from a manager who has historically given his veterans a long leash. Roberts moved Freddie Freeman to the No. 2 spot in the lineup earlier this week as part of that urgency push, but this latest message goes further. It’s not just about batting order anymore — it’s about who plays and how often. Freeman, of course, is also dealing with total body soreness after his dugout fall during the Royals sweep finale, so there are multiple factors at play with the first baseman right now.

Max Muncy recently attributed his offensive struggles to illness, which offers some explanation but doesn’t change the results on the field. Muncy has been a cornerstone of this lineup for years, the kind of player who can carry an offense when he’s locked in. But when he’s not producing, the Dodgers feel it immediately in the middle of the order. Roberts’ comments suggest that even established guys like Muncy won’t be immune from reduced roles if the slump continues.

The broader roster context matters here. The Dodgers have slid to the point where they’re playing themselves out of Wild Card Series positioning, which is a jarring place to be for a team with this payroll and these expectations. Roberts acknowledged that reality directly. When a manager publicly says he’s done waiting, that’s not just talk for the media — that’s a message to the clubhouse.

I think this is Roberts drawing a hard line, and frankly it’s overdue. The Dodgers have the depth to make meaningful changes — whether that means more at-bats for younger players, more aggressive platoon splits, or even looking at the 40-man roster for fresh options. We’ve seen Roberts be patient to a fault in past seasons, so hearing him talk like this is genuinely different. The question now is whether he follows through. Words are one thing. Actually benching a veteran who isn’t hitting — that’s where it gets real. Given how badly August has gone, I expect we’ll see action soon, not just talk.

Source(s): Staff (Dodger Blue) | First reported: August 13, 2026 6:41 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers