The Los Angeles Dodgers are going through a rough stretch.
Rough, in truth, is a description that puts it mildly for a Dodger pitching staff going through one of the worst seasons in franchise history.
For a franchise synonymous with a unique level of excellence in that area spanning multiple generations — from Clayton Kershaw now to Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale long before him — a 4.66 team ERA as the halfway point of the season approaches most certainly doesn’t live up to that standard.
Granted, Kershaw — a guaranteed first ballot Hall of Famer whenever he decides to put a cap on his career — is living up to the standard that he’s helped cultivate in the modern era.