The Dodgers aren't in panic mode, but their struggles with their pitching staff are starting to look less like an early-season hiccup and more like a postseason hinderance.
Los Angeles will enter the All-Star break in pole position in the National League West. That's helpful in their postseason pursuit. However, a start by career reliever Brent Honeywell on Sunday helped underscore just how dire things are for the World Series hopefuls.
Dodger Insider, a team-run blog, pointed out after Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Tigers that Honeywell was the 14th different starting pitcher used by LA this season -- third-most in the Majors. He was the 31st pitcher used by LA overall -- second-most in the Majors.
This just isn't tenable for a team that fancies itself a World Series contender. Undeniably if the Dodgers aren't able to stabilize their starting rotation or their bullpen it'll be a problem in October. Inability to get opposing teams out has doomed many World Series runs. There's a silver lining in the Dodgers' specific problem though.
LA's issues have largely been injury-related and not performance-related. There have been some poor performances, to be sure, but a fully healthy version of the Dodgers pitching staff is not stretched nearly as thin nor performing as shakily as the group currently is.
It may take another couple of months, but signs point toward better health ahead. Clayton Kershaw is nearly back, Yoshinobu Yamamoto is slated to return before the postseason, and Walker Buehler is working through some mechanical issues while working back form a hip injury.
Perhaps things never stabilize and another exceedingly talented Dodgers club falls short. With the trade deadline ahead though and a glut of talent awaiting return from the IL, LA is in a position to be much more stable in the second half than they were in the first.