The All-Star Break Can’t Come Soon Enough for the Dodgers
Some of the Dodgers' core sluggers are slumping in June. With the All-Star break looming, Los Angeles' biggest bats could use a reset.
We’re less than three weeks away from the 2025 MLB All-Star break, and for most players, it’s a time to reset physically and mentally. For some, though, it can’t come soon enough. That includes four of the biggest names in baseball: Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernández, who, on more game days than not, happen to be the top four hitters in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup.
While the Dodgers sit atop the National League with the best record in the NL as of June 26, they’ve done it despite rampant pitching injuries and a noticeable downturn in production from, debatably, their four biggest offensive stars.
And as the summer grind takes its toll, no Dodgers need the All-Star break more than these four.
Stats were taken prior to play on June 26.
Freddie Freeman: June Slump After a Blazing May
Freeman was unconscious in May, slashing .410/.486/.638 with a 1.124 OPS over 105 at-bats. By the end of the month, he was boasting MVP-level numbers: .374 batting average with a 1.078 OPS.
But June has been a different story. Freeman is hitting just .179 with a .484 OPS and no home runs across 84 at-bats. He’s struck out 22 times while drawing just eight walks and driving in only three runs. His average has since fallen to .310 and his OPS is down to .886.
There’s no major red flag in his underlying numbers. He still ranks between the 75th and 93rd percentiles across key offensive metrics on Baseball Savant. But at age 35, after 2,101 career games, Freeman’s durability doesn’t make him immune to fatigue.
His 1.9 bWAR might pale in comparison to other top NL first basemen like Matt Olson (3.1), Pete Alonso (2.7), and Michael Busch (2.2), but his track record still speaks volumes: 2024 World Series MVP, former NL MVP, and a decade-plus of elite play. A few days of rest could help Freeman get back to being one of baseball’s most consistent offensive forces.
Shohei Ohtani: Still Elite, But Looking Human
Let’s be clear, Ohtani’s numbers are still outstanding. Through 79 games, he’s hitting .291 with 27 home runs, 51 RBI and a 1.018 OPS. But June has been his quietest month yet: a .273 average and .904 OPS with five home runs, 14 RBI, and a growing strikeout total (28 through June 26).
His recent surge, including a bases-clearing triple and homer against Washington on Sunday and another long ball Monday in Colorado, salvaged what could be a very pedestrian month thus far by his standards. But the spike in strikeouts coincides with his return to pitching.
Ohtani’s thrown two one-inning outings this month (his first on the mound as a Dodger), and the dual responsibility may be subtly impacting his swing.
In the eight games since he made his season pitching debut, Ohtani has struck out 14 times in eight games. Ohtani is now encroaching on his most strikeouts in a month (33 in July 2024) since joining the Dodgers.
There’s also the question of whether hitting leadoff after pitching is a sustainable strategy. At least on days when he is the pitcher, we could see Ohtani slide down to second or third spot in the lineup.
He’s still third in baseball in both home runs and OPS, but the All-Star break offers a perfect chance to reset both physically and mentally as he continues to adjust to the two-way workload again.
Mookie Betts: The Weight of Playing Shortstop
Betts has been sensational defensively at shortstop, ranking in the 86th percentile in fielding run value and 94th in range per Baseball Savant. His 2.6 bWAR reflects how valuable he’s been despite his offensive drop-off.
But the bat just hasn’t been there. Betts is hitting .253 with a .388 slugging percentage and .721 OPS; each a career-low mark. He has just nine home runs in 289 at-bats and has slugged only one homer since May 20. We are talking about one of the best all-around players in baseball since his 2014 debut. An AL MVP, eight-time All-Star, and three-time World Series champion.
With a career slash line of .292/.371/.517 for an .888 OPS, Betts’ 2025 season on offense has been a severe anomaly. And while his age (32) and the toll of playing shortstop at a high level every day may be wearing on his offense a bit, his offensive struggles could still stem from his preseason illness.
Betts missed the season-opening Tokyo Series due to flu-like symptoms that carried over from spring training. He reportedly lost 15–25 pounds and battled fatigue throughout April.
He is still creating value by walking just as much as he strikes out and ranks in the 99th percentile in squared-up rate, but the power just hasn’t returned.
Currently second in All-Star voting behind Francisco Lindor, Betts may not deserve a spot based on first-half performance. While it would be strange to see an All-Star Game without him, it might be best for both Betts and the Dodgers if he spends those days resting instead of traveling.
Teoscar Hernández: June Slump After a Blazing May (Pt. 2)
Hernández was a revelation in 2024, posting a 4.3 bWAR with 33 home runs and 99 RBI. He started 2025 strong, hitting .298 with an .880 OPS through May. But in June, he’s hitting just .198 with a .620 OPS, including four home runs and 24 strikeouts in 81 at-bats.
His current .796 OPS and .496 slugging are well above league average, but his .300 OBP and 1.7 bWAR suggest he’s cooled considerably. And with a third-percentile grade in fielding run value and range, his offensive production has to carry his value.
For the first time this season, Hernández was moved to sixth in the lineup on Monday night in Colorado against the Rockies.
Still second in All-Star voting among NL outfielders, there are too many players trailing Teo in voting who have posted extraordinary first halves and who are more deserving: Kyle Tucker, Ronald Acuña Jr., Juan Soto, teammate Andy Pages, Fernando Tatis Jr., and James Wood. Like his teammates, he could benefit from the break, using that time to reset for a second-half surge.
A Deep Offense Carrying the Load
Somehow, the Dodgers still lead MLB in runs scored and boast the best record in the NL. That’s a testament to their depth.
Will Smith has quietly been one of the best catchers in baseball, slashing .330/.425/.541 with a .965 OPS and 3.3 bWAR. In June, he’s hitting .300 with a .943 OPS.
Pages, once a question mark in April (.137 AVG through April 14), has emerged as a star. Now hitting .297 with 16 home runs, 53 RBI, and an .847 OPS, Pages owns a 3.1 bWAR. He’s hitting .349 in June with a .991 OPS and has been unstoppable with runners in scoring position (.360 AVG, 38 RBI).
Then there’s Max Muncy, who credits a mid-May eye exam and new glasses for his resurgence. After a slow start to the season, Muncy now has an average of .250 to go with 12 homers, 51 RBI, and an .829 OPS on the year. In the month of June, he’s hitting .328 with a 1.101 OPS.
Ohtani, Freeman, Betts and Teoscar are still elite, but they’re also human. Whether it’s age, fatigue, dual-role demands, or lingering effects of illness, each of these Dodgers needs the All-Star break to recharge.
Luckily for L.A., the supporting cast has more than picked up the slack. But if the Dodgers hope to cruise into October and compete for another World Series title, their stars will need to regain form, and the second half, not the first, will determine everything.
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