The Dodgers were soaring, dominating as MLB’s top team for an impressive eight-game stretch. But on their eastern road trip, reality hit hard.

Traveling to face the Phillies and Nationals, they stumbled, dropping four out of six games, and slid to third in the NL West. It’s still early days in the season, but both the Phillies and Nationals managed to shine a light on some significant weaknesses in what previously appeared to be a juggernaut team.

Stars like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Teoscar Hernández, and Tommy Edman are delivering on expectations—or even exceeding them in Edman’s case—but the cracks are beginning to show. Some parts of this roster need a serious overhaul.

3 Dodgers Players on Shaky Ground

Andy Pages:

Pages found himself benched on April 7 after a defensive slip-up that everyone was still talking about. Unfortunately, his offensive game wasn’t giving him any breathing room either, hitting just .118 with a .415 OPS—definitely not the numbers you want to see.

Though he managed to belt two homers in consecutive games after rejoining the lineup, it might not be enough to solidify his spot. It seems like his time is ticking, especially with Hyeseong Kim making noise down in Triple-A.

Kim’s been lighting it up and getting reps in the outfield in Oklahoma City, hinting that a swap could be on the horizon.

Chris Taylor:

Chris Taylor’s ongoing saga with the Dodgers is perplexing. With a four-year, $60 million contract inked at the end of 2021, he’s turned into a cautionary tale about long-term deals.

Reduced to a bench role last season, this year hasn’t seen much change. In his five outings (starting in just two), he’s managed only one hit, hasn’t drawn a walk, and has punched out three times.

With $13 million owed to him this year and a $12 million option pending in 2026, cutting bait sooner rather than later might be wise. The Dodgers could use a more dynamic utility option way before his deal crosses the finish line.

Miguel Rojas:

2024 was a career year offensively for Rojas, but those days seem a distant memory as he starts 2025 in a slump. Though known for his nimble defense in the middle infield behind the likes of Muncy, Betts, and Edman, defensive prowess can’t mask his offensive struggles.

Three hits in 25 plate appearances, along with a single walk and three strikeouts, aren’t improving the Dodgers’ outlook from the bench. Sure, he’s on a modest $4 million following the winter decision to keep him, making his struggles easier to swallow than Taylor’s.

There’s a glaring issue here: the Dodgers’ backup plan on the bench looks fragile. If any of their key starters hit the injured list for an extended spell, the depth chart doesn’t instill much confidence.

As the season progresses, these teetering pieces in L.A.’s roster puzzle might prompt some tough decisions to keep their championship dreams on track.