Dave Roberts challenges Dodgers batters for World

TORONTO — It was a miserably cold, wet and grey afternoon outdoors Rogers Centre on Thursday.

Inside the stadium, however, the Dodgers discovered some rays of emotional sunshine.

No, this will not be where the crew wished to be, dealing with a 3-2 deficit in the World Series getting into Game 6 on Friday night time against the Toronto Blue Jays.

And no, there was not a lot to really feel good about after a disastrous 48 hours in Games 4 and 5 of this Fall Classic, in which the Dodgers relinquished control of the collection and allowed their title-defense marketing campaign to be put on life help.

But during an off-day workout, the membership tried to rebound from that disappointment and reframe the downtrodden mindset that permeated the clubhouse after Game 5.

Every participant confirmed up to the ballpark, even though attendance was elective after a long night time of journey.

“That was pretty exciting for me, and just speaks to where these guys are at,” supervisor Dave Roberts said. “They realize that the job’s not done.”

Roberts introduced some levity to the start of the workout, too, difficult speedster Hyeseong Kim to a race around the bases — only to stumble face-first on the flip around second while making an attempt to protect his comically large head start.

“Cut the cameras,” Roberts yelled to media members, as he playfully grabbed at his hamstring and wiped dust off his sweatshirt.

Then, the Dodgers received to work on their main process: Trying to sync up an offense that had regarded misplaced the last two video games, and has scuffled through a lot of October.

“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about this … and I could dive into my thoughts,” Roberts said of the crew’s offensive struggles, which he famous may embody another lineup alteration for Game 6.

“But I think at the end of the day,” Roberts continued, “they just have to compete and fight in the batter’s box. It’s one-on-one, the hitter versus the pitcher, and that’s it. Really. I mean, I think that that sort of mindset is all I’ll be looking for. And I expect good things to happen from that.”

In the losses at Chavez Ravine, the majors’ second-highest scoring offense struggled to hone that ethos. The Dodgers scored only three runs, racked up a woeful 10 hits and regarded more just like the model of themselves that stumbled through a lot of the second half of the season before getting into the playoffs on a late-season surge.

Their largest stars stopped hitting. Their teamwide strategy went by the wayside. And in the aftermath of Game 5, they nearly appeared to be looking out for their identification as a crew at the plate — making an attempt to couple their naturally gifted slugging capability, with the need to work more aggressive at-bats and earn hittable pitches first.

“We’re just not having good at-bats,” third baseman Max Muncy said.

“We’ve got to figure something out,” echoed shortstop Mookie Betts.

Take a fast look at the numbers in this World Series, and the Dodgers’ hitting issues are comparatively simple to clarify.

Shohei Ohtani (who took another Ruthian spherical of batting observe Thursday) doesn’t have a hit since reaching base 9 occasions in the 18-inning Game 3 marathon. Betts (who spent as a lot time hitting as anybody Thursday) has bottomed out with a three-for-25 efficiency.

Other important bats, including Muncy and Tommy Edman, are hitting under .200. And as a crew, the Dodgers have 55 strikeouts (11 more than the Blue Jays), a .201 total average and just six hits in 30 at-bats with runners in scoring place.

“We got a lot of guys who aren’t hot right now, aren’t feeling the best,” Edman said Wednesday night time. “But we got to turn the page, and hopefully we can swing it better the next couple days.”

“As a group,” Kiké Hernández added, “it’s time for us to show our character and put up a fight and see what happens. … It’s time for us, for the offense, to show up.”

Better manufacturing from Betts can be a good start.

On Wednesday night time, the shortstop didn’t mince phrases about his latest offensive struggles, saying he has “just been terrible” after batting .164 in 13 video games since the start of the National League Division Series.

Roberts tried to take some stress off the previous MVP in Game 5, shifting him from second to third in a reshuffled batting order. But after that yielded yet another hitless efficiency, Roberts additional simplified the duty for his 33-year-old star.

“Focus on one game, and be good for one game,” Roberts said. “Go out there and compete.”

On Thursday, that was Betts’ focus, with a number of people around the crew noting a quiet and renewed confidence he carried into his off-day batting observe session. He had long talks with hitting coach Robert Van Scoyoc, particular assistant Ron Roenicke and Roberts around the hitting cage. He searched for solutions to a swing that, of late, has generated too many shallow pop-ups and mishit balls.

Dodgers teammates Mookie Betts, left, Max Muncy, Tommy Edman and Freddie Freeman wait on the infield during a pitching change in the seventh inning of Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night time at Dodger Stadium.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

“He looked great,” fellow hitting coach Aaron Bates said. “Actually, his head was in a good place. Good spirits. The whole group, guys were great. Everyone came and showed up and hit and got their work in.”

For the Dodgers to save their season, it isn’t only Betts who will need to discover a turnaround.

While Blue Jays starters Shane Bieber and Trey Yesavage pitched properly in Games 4 and 5, the Dodgers also appeared to battle to adapt their plan of assault — getting caught in an “in-between” state, as both Roberts and a number of gamers famous, of both making an attempt to assault fastballs and defend against secondary stuff.

“Sometimes we’re too aggressive,” outfielder Teoscar Hernández said. “Sometimes we’re too patient.”

“It seems like at-bats are snowballing on us right now,” Kiké Hernández added. “We’re getting pitches to hit, we’re missing them. And we’re expanding the zone with two strikes.”

Being “in-between” was a drawback for the Dodgers late in the season, when they ranked just twelfth in the majors in scoring after the All-Star break. That it’s taking place again raises a acquainted query about the identification of the membership.

Do they need to be an aggressive, slugging lineup that lives and dies by the home run? Or more of a contact-minded unit succesful of grinding out at-bats and stressing an opposing pitcher’s pitch depend. Roberts’ emphasis on better “compete” signaled the need to do more of the latter.

Freeman echoed that notion main up to Game 5.

“If we’re going up there just trying to hit home runs, it’s just not the name of the game,” Freeman said. “We just need to verify down and have, like, nearly a 0-1 mindset. Just construct innings, prolong ‘em, work counts, be who we are.”

So, how do they actually go about doing that, ahead of a Game 6 matchup with a pitcher in Kevin Gausman who excels at mixing his fastball and splitter?

“Basically, you have to keep to your strengths,” Bates said. “And see what the next pitcher brings to the table.”

The only silver lining: The Dodgers have been in this spot before.

Last year, at the very start of their World Series run, they faced a similar situation in the NLDS against the San Diego Padres, winning back-to-back games with clutch offensive outbursts that helped catapult them to an eventual World Series title.

“We can do it again,” Freeman said.

“I think we’re a more proficient crew than we have been last 12 months,” Kike Hernández added.

Entering Friday, they may have two video games to show it. Now or never. Do, or watch their desires of cementing a dynasty die.