The Los Angeles Dodgers lost 4-1 to the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium. The lineup managed just five hits on the night. Shohei Ohtani went hitless. The top five hitters in the order combined to go 1-for-18.
The loss gave Cleveland the three game series and dropped the Dodgers to 4-2. Opposing pitching staffs have kept the Dodgers quiet through the opening week of the season.
After the game, Dave Roberts addressed Ohtani’s slow start at the plate.
Roberts Gets Honest on Ohtani
Roberts was direct when asked about Ohtani’s offensive struggles through six games.
“I don’t think that I’m seeing him miss a lot of good pitches to hit,” Roberts said. “I think for me I would just preach patience and trust that the guys behind him will figure some things out.”
Roberts explained that opposing teams have been pitching Ohtani carefully and not giving him much to drive. He noted that Ohtani has been selective at the plate and taking walks when they are offered rather than chasing. The hard contact has not been there yet, but Roberts attributed that to the quality of pitching Ohtani has faced rather than anything mechanical.
Ohtani is hitting .167 through six games but has drawn seven walks, tied for third-most in the majors. Ohtani acknowledged earlier in the week that he has not been making the kind of impact he expects on hittable pitches. The frustration is there. But Roberts sees a hitter who is being disciplined rather than one who is lost.
GettyLos Angeles, CA – March 31: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) puts on arm protection pads to get ready for an at-bat during the third inning of a MLB game against the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Ronaldo Bolaños/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Wednesday in Los Angeles
Yoshinobu Yamamoto gave the Dodgers a quality outing on the mound. He worked six innings and allowed two earned runs on four hits with two strikeouts and a walk across 90 pitches.
Jose Ramirez broke the game open with a two-run homer off Tanner Scott in the eighth inning to give Cleveland a 4-0 lead.
The offense could not hold up its end. Andy Pages had three of the team’s five hits. Freddie Freeman hit a solo homer in the ninth but it was too late to change the outcome.
GettyLos Angeles, CA – April 01: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) throws a pitch during the first inning of a MLB game against the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
A Quiet Start for the Lineup
The early-season numbers across the top of the order tell the story. None of the Dodgers’ biggest names have found a consistent rhythm at the plate through six games. Roberts acknowledged that the amount of swing-and-miss from his lineup has been a concern.
Freeman offered perspective after Wednesday’s loss, expressing confidence that the lineup’s production is coming regardless of the early numbers. The talent is there. The results have not caught up yet.
“It’s a long season, it’s just the first week, we’ll be fine,” Freeman said.
GettyLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 01: Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers makes the double play against the Cleveland Guardians in the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium on April 01, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Final Word for the Dodgers
Roberts is not panicking about Ohtani. The walks show discipline. The approach is sound. The pitches to drive have not arrived yet.
Six games into a 162-game season, the Dodgers’ lineup is too loaded to stay this quiet for long. Roberts knows it. Ohtani knows it.
The damage will come. It always does with this roster.
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