Rays series a microcosm of Dodgers’ season

ST. PETERSBURG — To say the Dodgers are sputtering and not hitting on all cylinders is an understatement at best.

As the season enters its second month, I wouldn’t say they’re one of MLB’s biggest disappointments, but they certainly aren’t playing like a team with a $233.9 million payroll is supposed to.

The Dodgers just completed a two-game Interleague set against the Rays at Tropicana Field, and in many respects, it was a microcosm of L.A.’s season to date.

Tuesday night, former Tampa Bay lefty Scott Kazmir fanned nine Rays, the bats of Howie Kendrick and Trayce Thompson came to life and the Dodgers won, 10-5. Kendrick, who’d been in a 3-for-30 slump, had four hits in five at-bats and raised his average 54 points.

The night after, the Rays blasted four homers and held off a late L.A. threat for an 8-5 victory. Dodgers starter Alex Wood, who has posted a 1-3 record with a 5.18 ERA, gave up three homers for the first time in his career. He’s allowed at least five runs in four of his six starts.

The Dodgers scored their five runs on a single, a wild pitch, a sacrifice fly and two bases-loaded walks. They went 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

That loss, with the day off Thursday, left the Dodgers a half-game behind San Francisco in the weak National League West. The Giants (15-14) are the only team in the division with a record above .500.

With MLB’s largest payroll for the third consecutive year, the Dodgers were preseason favorites to repeat as division champions for the fourth consecutive season. Now 14-14, they seem to take two steps forward and one backward. They’ve been unable to sustain …

continue reading in source mlb.mlb.com