“They’re clearly playing a lot better baseball than we are” - Dave Roberts highlights Dodgers troubles as Phillies dominate the NL

LA Dodgers manager Dave Roberts didn't mince words after being swept in a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies are currently the best team in the NL, and this was a wake-up call for the Dodgers before they meet them again.

Roberts kept it real with his analysis of the game while he talked with Spectrum SportsNet.

"They’re clearly playing a lot better baseball than we are. They’re clearly a better team than we are right now,” Roberts said. “We really didn’t do much well this series.

"Starting pitching, defense, we had a mistake tonight on the bases. Situational hitting, getting hits -- all that kind of stuff, we were outplayed.”

The 5-1 final loss on Thursday highlighted the Dodgers' offensive woes. They have been without Mookie Betts since June 16 due to his fractured left hand. Even Max Muncy hasn't played a game since he strained his right oblique on May 15th.

The Dodgers are in a slump and have only won three of their last 10 games.

Dave Roberts' pitching depth vanished due to injuries

Dave Roberts, who envisioned a season built on a dominant starting rotation, is now surprised by the position his team is in right now.

"I think that one of the things that we’ve done a great job of, as far as putting together the roster and the depth is the pitching. And I remember thinking at one point we’re eight, nine deep, legitimate Major League starters, and we’re not right now," Roberts said.

However, he feels the team has done well despite the rotation being stretched thin.

“It’s baseball, but I think we’ve done a nice job of kind of weathering it, and some of guys have stepped up who’ve needed to,” Roberts added via Dodger Blue.

With a starting rotation stacked with talent, the Dodgers started the season brimming with confidence. But a cruel twist of fate has thrown their plans into disarray.

While only at the halfway mark of the season, the Dodgers are missing key starters like Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw due to injuries.

They would hope for a quick and healthy return of their perennial starters, as following a big splurge in the offseason, they'd aim for nothing short of a World Series.