![\"Michael](\"https:\/\/www.dailynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GettyImages-22157807-16x9-1.jpg?w=620\")
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The Los Angeles Dodgers have had many moments this season where the outfield has lacked appropriate production both offensively and defensively.<\/p>\n
Specifically, Michael Conforto\u2019s .103 batting average during his first 119 games as a Dodger, along with an Outs Above Average ranking in just the seventh percentile across MLB have greatly hampered the left field position.<\/p>\n
Manager Dave Roberts spoke about how he isn\u2019t afraid to shake things up in the lineup, regardless of who is underperforming.<\/p>\n
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Roberts also spoke on the outfielder opposite from Conforto, Teoscar Hern\u00e1ndez, and his recent struggles that led to his benching on Sunday. Hern\u00e1ndez struggles similarly on defense, with his Outs Above Average grading in only the second percentile, and batting .211 through the month of August.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s an everyday guy, but I do think that where we\u2019re at, you\u2019ve got to perform, too, to warrant being out there every single day, regardless, right?\u201d Roberts said.<\/p>\n
When asked if this extends to everybody, the skipper wasted no words in his response.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, it does,\u201d said Roberts.<\/p>\n
Now, threatening to bench key players is one thing, but publicly holding the defending champions of the baseball world accountable ahead of the final month of the regular season is not the same as that. Roberts clarified that the liability being carried by the entire team should be viewed as a positive.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that\u2019s a good thing,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cNo one is going to be exempt. No one. I just think that we\u2019ve got to play the best players and that\u2019s just the way it should be, right?\u201d<\/p>\n
The sentiment stays the same, but it appears that his MVPs are going to be safe, barring any major changes.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously Shohei (Ohtani) is going to be playing. Mookie (Betts) is going to be playing,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cBut the point being is, we\u2019ve got to ramp it up and we\u2019ve got to be better. If some other guys deserve more opportunities, then they\u2019re going to get them. That\u2019s just the way it should be.\u201d<\/p>\n
Conforto has struggled for quite some time, but his .167 batting average across his last 25 games sounds like it might be leading to the final straw in Roberts\u2019 eyes.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Michael Conforto may lose playing time amid his season-long struggles at the plate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":86936,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-86935","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n