Kershaw can't turn around Dodgers' slide

The Dodgers got the best of the Giants last weekend, sweeping the three-game set at Oracle Park. Los Angeles couldn’t build off that this weekend at Dodger Stadium, losing three of four to San Francisco, including a 5-4 loss on Sunday.

Los Angeles won eight of its last nine games heading into the series against San Francisco. But after stumbling this weekend, the Dodgers are now in third place in the National League West, behind the Padres and Giants. There’s plenty of season left, but it’s shaping up to be a three-team race in the division.

“For whatever reason they couldn’t put it together the last couple of years, but they’ve had good players,” said Dodgers first baseman Max Muncy, when asked about the Giants. “They’re playing well right now, they’re pitching well, they’re matching up well, they have good bullpen pieces. They’re going to hit mistakes and that’s what they did, and they made pitches.”

Let’s take a look at three takeaways from the Dodgers’ weekend series against the Giants.

1. Rare starting pitching struggles

The Dodgers’ starting pitching staff has been one of the best in the Majors through two months, but the weekend series against the Giants wasn’t very friendly to three of the team’s top four starters.

Walker Buehler was able to battle despite not having his best stuff in Friday’s loss, allowing two runs (one earned) over six innings. However, Buehler only recorded three strikeouts and didn’t get a single swing-and-miss on his dominant four-seam fastball.

In Saturday’s 11-6 loss, Julio Urías had one of the worst starts of his career, allowing a career-high seven runs (six earned). The 11 hits against him were also the most the left-hander has allowed in his career. Then on Sunday, Clayton Kershaw didn’t have his best stuff and was bit by the long ball in the early innings.

Kershaw allowed a two-run homer to Mauricio Dubón in a three-run first inning. Austin Slater tacked on another run, launching a solo homer of his own in the third. Giants starter Kevin Gausman helped his own cause with an RBI single. The five runs are tied for the most Kershaw has allowed in a start against the Giants.

“It wasn’t great,” Kershaw said. “Obviously, when you start the game like that in the first inning and you give up three runs, it’s tough to come back. I put the team in a tough spot today in the first and wasn’t able to make up for it.”

The Dodgers’ starters came into the series with a 1.48 ERA in their previous nine games, helping the team go 8-1 during that span. But that success didn’t carry over into the weekend series.

2. Betts’ struggles

Mookie Betts is confident that he’ll turn things around this season, but there’s some level of concern surrounding the star outfielder’s production and his overall health.

Betts has dealt with nagging back and shoulder issues this season and was scratched from Sunday’s game with an allergic reaction. While Sunday’s allergic reaction is an isolated incident, the back and shoulder could be an issue, even if Betts and the Dodgers continue to say that it’s a non-issue.

His production on the field is the best argument that maybe something is wrong with Betts. He’s hitting just .230 in May and is missing pitches he usually drives for power. He isn’t causing havoc on the basepaths, which is a huge part of his game.

The Dodgers are also confident that Betts will turn it around, but nothing is coming easy right now for the former MVP.

“He’s very frustrated,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “A guy like Mookie, who is one of the leaders on this ballclub, he feels like he’s letting the team down.”

3. Getting healthier

While the results weren’t good, the Dodgers did get some positive news on the injury front this weekend.

The Dodgers got Cody Bellinger and Zach McKinstry back from their respective injuries on Saturday. Bellinger had a tough time at the plate in his return, going 0-for-7 with two walks and four strikeouts in two games. McKinstry hasn’t fared much better, going 0-for-6 with three strikeouts.

Bellinger and McKinstry will continue to work through some rust, but the Dodgers are thrilled to have them both back in the lineup. AJ Pollock, Tony Gonsolin and Jimmy Nelson are all going through rehabs and could also be joining the team within the next week to 10 days.

The Dodgers look to get healthier, as they continue to battle it out against the Padres and Giants.

“These are three good ballclubs playing good baseball,” Roberts said. “We’re going to have our hands full all year long.”