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Alexander: Once again, Dodgers and Angels are headed in opposite directions

July 9, 2023

Max Muncy of the Los Angeles Dodgers runs the bases celebrating after hitting a one run home run against pitcher Reid Detmers of the Los Angeles Angels during the second inning at Dodger Stadium on July 8, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates after hitting a lead off one run home run in the dugout against pitcher Reid Detmers of the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning at Dodger Stadium on July 8, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Max Muncy of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates after hitting a one run home run against pitcher Reid Detmers of the Los Angeles Angels during the second inning at Dodger Stadium on July 8, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels hits a lead off base hit against pitcher Alex Vesia of the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at Dodger Stadium on July 8, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels slides safely into third base under the tag of third baseman Max Muncy of the Los Angeles Dodgers for a triple with third base umpire Brian Walsh following the action during the third inning at Dodger Stadium on July 8, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Miguel Vargas of the Los Angeles Dodgers is hit on the foot by a pitch from pitcher Reid Detmers of the Los Angeles Angels during the second inning at Dodger Stadium on July 8, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates with David Peralta after hitting a lead off one run home run against pitcher Reid Detmers of the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning at Dodger Stadium on July 8, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels a two run home run to score Andrew Velazquez against pitcher pitcher Michael Grove of the Los Angeles Dodgers during the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium on July 8, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels runs the bases after hitting a two run homer un to score Andrew Velazquez against pitcher pitcher Michael Grove of the Los Angeles Dodgers during the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium on July 8, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Pitcher Alex Vesia of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws against Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning at Dodger Stadium on July 8, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers scores a run during the second inning on a base hit by Will Smith against pitcher Reid Detmers of the Los Angeles Angels at Dodger Stadium on July 8, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

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LOS ANGELES — Just about three weeks ago, we noticed in This Space that the pecking order of SoCal baseball seemed to have flipped. The Angels were surging, with designs on the franchise’s first postseason berth since 2014, while the Dodgers were skidding.

Uh, maybe not.

That column came just before the Angels and Dodgers played two games in Anaheim. The Dodgers won both by 2-0 scores and little did we realize that would start a dramatic reversal in both teams’ fortunes.

The Dodgers came into that series after being embarrassingly swept by the San Francisco Giants at home, and those victories in Anaheim started a stretch of 12 victories in 17 games, including Saturday night’s resounding 10-5 victory over the Angels to also sweep the Dodger Stadium portion of the Freeway Series. So, despite a growing injured list, the indignity of losing two of three to lowly Kansas City last weekend and then an egregious blown lead against Pittsburgh on the Fourth of July, Saturday night’s victory kept the Dodgers a half-game behind Arizona in the NL West and gave them a two-game cushion in the wild-card chase.

But you want to discuss indignities?

The Angels’ season has tanked. They were eight games over .500 on June 18, 41-33 after winning in KC, and had a one-game cushion in the wild-card standings. But starting with that Tuesday night loss to the Dodgers on June 20 they’ve lost 14 of 19, and they go into the All-Star break 45-46 and 4½ games out of the third wild-card spot.

As noted a week ago, season-ruining cold spells are not new in Anaheim. Whether this one has more long-term ramifications will depend on whether General Manager Perry Minasian feels compelled to hoist the white flag between now and the Aug. 1 trade deadline and seriously listen to offers for Shohei Ohtani … who is pretty much the only reason to watch the Angels these days.

For example, the only suspense remaining in the ninth inning Saturday night was whether Ohtani could complete a cycle by doubling. He didn’t, but his fly ball scored the run that cut the Dodgers’ lead to 10-5. Small triumphs, you see.

Asked before the game to sum up this first half, Angels manager Phil Nevin said: “Inconsistent, but with the understanding that I know we have a darn good baseball team that can get hot at any time. I’m not even talking about when we get healthy. I just think we have plenty of players out here that are winning players. We got to play better, certainly. But I think at full strength, you saw us, we’re a playoff team, I mean, I don’t think it’s a question about that.

“… I think every team has a defining moment. And this might be something we look back at towards the end and this was the part of the season that turned us around. We went through some stuff and we were able to overcome it.”

Understand, Nevin has no choice. He has to portray optimism, because if the skipper betrays any sense of woe, why, look out below. Anyway, the hard decisions will be made at pay grades above his, and for all the caterwauling about trading Ohtani and the realization that Mike Trout might be out another eight weeks, they are still too close to a wild card spot for Minasian to be a seller.

The Angels’ first homestand after the All-Star break could influence most of those decisions: Three with Houston, three with the Yankees.

Across the diamond, the Dodgers have been able to compensate offensively, explosively so, for their patchwork starting rotation. They’ve averaged seven runs per game in their last 14, 5.5 per game all season, and have scored in double figures 10 times this season, including each of the last two games.

Mookie Betts is playing at an MVP level, and in 32 games since June 2 he has 13 homers, 29 RBIs, 29 runs scored and a .308 batting average. For the season he has 26 home runs – including his 10th leadoff homer of the season Saturday night, already a franchise record – along with 62 RBIs and a .965 OPS.

“I would have to say so,” Freddie Freeman said when asked if this was the best tear he’d seen Betts put together. “I can’t imagine, but I would have to go back and look at the 2018 season when he won (American League) MVP. I mean, that was a pretty special year, but it seems like every swing, he’s barrelling up the ball. Sometimes breaks can come at the wrong time. But I think Mookie found something in his swing and he’s been able to lock it in.”

Betts’ periodic stints at second base and shortstop have been just as impressive, and when I asked Dodgers manager Dave Roberts before Saturday night’s game if it were possible Betts could become a full-time infielder, he said after a pause: “There’s a possibility. I don’t want to box us in right now, but showing what he’s done, it’s given us some options, yeah.”

Among those options: Adding another outfielder with some pop before the trade deadline. But with so many pitchers injured, that would seem to be a secondary priority for baseball ops president Andrew Friedman and GM Brandon Gomes. The first priority has to be to add healthy, functional arms for the stretch run.

The Dodgers as a team are near the top in runs (494, fourth), home runs (149, second to Atlanta), RBIs (478, second to Texas) and team OPS (.785, third). They’ve had to slug to stay competitive with a pitching staff that has leaned on rookie starters Bobby Miller, Emmet Sheehan and Michael Grove and a bullpen that only now seems to have regained some efficiency but lost Daniel Hudson to injury, again, a few days ago.

But maybe they have another secret weapon. All teams like to believe they’re harmonious, but this one – significantly made over in the offseason with veteran additions and a batch of rookies on the roster – has come together quicker than most would anticipate.

That could be a benefit down the line. Remember, in the wake of last fall’s NL Division Series loss to San Diego, Roberts suggested that the Padres played with a little more urgency than his group of been-there, done-that veterans.

“I think in years past with the talent, there can be a little bit of, kind of – I wouldn’t say complacency, but you just know the talent is there,” Roberts said Saturday. “I do think that this club plays with urgency every night.”

How long does it take to determine how well a team can mesh? This one seemed to come together quickly.

“I think this is as cohesive as we’ve been since day one of spring training,” Roberts said.

The credit, Max Muncy said, should go to the new guys.

“I really had to give props to three people and that’s J-Hey, (Jason Heyward), Miggy Ro (Miguel Rojas) and (David) Peralta,” he said. “Just, you know, the attitude that they bring in this clubhouse and, you know, the way they like to have fun.

“You know, they came over here because they wanted to win. And, you know, they bought into our culture right away, and they’ve added as much as they can to it. And it’s been nothing but a blast.”

One team’s fun is another team’s misery. But the Dodgers and Angels at least have this in common: Both should be happy that there’s still another 2½ months left.

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