Mid-August. 40 games left for the three contenders for the National League West division crown. Who will be the lead horse on September 29th? Pitching most certainly will be a key component. The Dodgers currently are 7th in the majors with a team ERA of 3.75, tied with Cleveland. San Diego is 14th at 3.93. Arizona is 24th at 4.44. Four NL teams have a better ERA than the Dodgers, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Chicago and Atlanta.
Uncharacteristically, this Dodger team gives up too many homers. Last season they allowed 200. So far this year, 147. Last season was the first and only time in Dodger history that their pitching staff allowed 200 home runs. On average since 2013 when this run began, LA pitchers have given up 162 homers a year. In 2013 and 14, they gave up 127 and 142. By comparison, Arizona pitchers have allowed just 124 and the Padres 132. Obviously, LA needs to keep the ball in the ballpark. Homers were Flaherty’s bugaboo on Thursday.
Batters are hitting .233 against the Dodgers, .240 against the Padres, and .259 against Arizona. But as we all know, the numbers might add up to be in your favor, and you still lose. Padres for the first time in a while, will win the season series against LA. Best the Dodgers can do is win 6 of 13 if they sweep the Pads at the end of September. In the wrap-around series the Dodgers will play at the end of this month in Arizona, the Dodgers can flip the script on Az, if they take 3 of the 4 games. Which right now it seems to be something they need to do.
Going into Friday night’s game with the Cardinals, their one-time big lead is down to 2 over both teams. It is natural this time of year to watch the scoreboard, but the best thing for the Dodgers to do is ignore the scoreboard and take care of their own business. As long as they win, Az and the Padres cannot gain any ground. Both those teams have been scorching hot for a while. Can that continue? Doubtful. Teams have hot and cold streaks. The Dodgers have been lukewarm for almost three months. It is time for them to heat up some, and the burden is on the pitching staff to keep the offense in games.
Team hitting, the Dodgers are rated third in the majors. They do not have the highest BA, but teams are rated on overall performance, BA, OPS, SLUG. Arizona is ranked 10th, and San Diego, 13th. As I was researching this, the news came down that Glasnow went on the IL with tendonitis in his elbow. Not good news. The starting staff is very thin as it is. Bobby Miller will be activated tomorrow. Ryan Brasier is due to be activated also, helping the bullpen with a fresh arm. Two roster moves will be needed.
Judging on his performance in this evening’s game, Michael Grove could be headed back to AAA. Wrobleski went 5 innings tonight. He gave up 4 runs on 4 hits, but three of those hits were homers. Then after the Dodgers scored 5 in the top of the sixth, the bullpen, Grove-Banda, almost gave the game away. Grove walked Pham and Arenado lined out. Goldschmidt walked and Banda replaced Grove. Donovan, a lefty, took an outside pitch down the left field line to score Pham. Walker struck out for the second out. Pages then singled to left scoring Goldschmidt with Donovan taking third. The next hitter, Scott, hit a shot to center that Kiermaier raced back and caught for the final out. Kelly, Phillips and Kopech then shut the Cardinals down the last 3 innings allowing only a couple of walks.
Five Dodgers accounted for 10 of LA’s 12 hits. Betts, Lux and Kiermaier all had two hits including a homer. Kiermaier’s was a 3-run shot that made the score, 7-4. He drove in another run with a single earlier. Freeman and Rojas were the other hitters with 2 hits. One of Rojas’s went for a double, Mookie also doubled. Ohtani, who is now 5 for his last 43, had no hits as did Teo. Arizona lost to Tampa, and Colorado beat the Padres, so LA gained a game on both of them.
OKC was pounding Las Vegas in the bottom of the 7th inning, 10-1. Rushing, Hoese, Cartaya and Ward (2), have all homered. It was Rushing’s 2nd, Cartaya’s 6th, Hoese’s 14th and Ward is now at 28. Jon Duplantier started the game; he was signed by the Dodgers on the 6th of August. He went 5.2 innings before he was replaced by Henriquez. Chris Taylor started at second base and went 1-4 with an RBI. Tommy Edman did not start tonight. Muncy played 3rd and was 0-5 with 2 K’s. OKC has more strikeouts than hits tonight. 12-11.
Tulsa beat Midland, 5-4 at home. Ramos was 2-4 with a homer and 2 RBIs. Davis also had 2 hits and scored 2 runs. After giving up four runs in 4.2 innings, the Drillers pen shut Midland out the rest of the way for the win. Knowles, 3-4, was the winning pitcher.
Great Lakes beat Lake County, 5-2. The Loons had 10 hits, but only one was for extra bases, a double by Thompson. DePaula was 1-3 with a run scored, an RBI and 2 walks. Campbell was 2-3 with 2 runs scored. Nevin was 2-4 and drove in 2. Meador went 6 innings, allowed 1 run, unearned, 5 hits, 1 walk and he struck out 5. Michael Martinez got his first save.
Rancho lost to Visalia, 6-3. All of the scoring was done by the 5-8 hitters for the Quakes. Diaz and Munoz had 2 hits apiece and Munoz drove in 2 of the 3 runs. Linan went 6 innings allowing 3 runs, 10 hits, he walked none and struck out 4. One of the 10 hits was a homer. Corcho worked 1/3rd of an inning, walking four, allowing one hit and three runs. He took the loss.
I am heading to the lake to camp early in the morning, I will be back Sunday evening and there will be a new post on Monday. Just feel free to put all of your comments on this post. Hope you all enjoy the next two days.
*they’re
Thankfully the Dodgers had Kiermaier in CF tonight and not Pages.
Ohtani is not just slumping. He is sleepwalking. Dude is 5-43. Nelson and Orel tried to paint it rosy by saying but 3 of those 5 hits were homers. Wow. And how many runners have been stranded while he strikes out or grounds out in those 43 at bats? In his last 5 games, he is 4-23. 2 of the hits were HR’s. You add in his 0-5 tonight, he is 4-28. While he WAS having a career year, he now is just 27 at bats away from how many he had last year, and his production is down.
Henriquez with 1.1 IP scoreless at OKC with 4 Ks. Hit 102mph on the gun.
Looks more and more like an option for the stretch run and playoffs.
Imagine him and Kopeck and maybe the Bazooka (outside chance he comes back) at the end of the bullpen.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
More Dodgers weirdness
https://x.com/FabianArdaya/status/1824653272596025756
Billy Martin told a story about when he was managing the Yanks. The team was loaded w good hitters and they were complaining about where they were hitting in the batting order. So to shut them up he made the lineup by pulling names out of a hat. They continued to win no matter who batted where. He made his point. Just saying.
Can’t wait for Muncy coming back and going 0 for 4 with 2 k’s 3 out of every 5 games. He is not much of an answer for us. Way too many watched 3rd strikes. He will be in a race with Kike for a great .220 batting avg.
I agree: The way this went down with Glasnow is worrysome. IMHO this is not a phantom IL stand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMdzpcn14U8
(Glasnow talk starts around 0.45)
Should Glasnow be out for the season it could be the kiss of death to the Dodgers chances for a WS title in 2024,
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can’t say much for the Cardinals City Connect Uniforms.
I thought “The Lou” was a British Bathroom.
Too many called third strikes. Swing the bat.
Too many walks. Throw strikes.
For being a Dead Man Walking, Kiermeier is making his execution difficult.
I feel for our bullpen right now, and honestly wasn’t upset at Hudson the night before when he blew the save. Dude should not have pitched that night. The guys need some ace type to step up and give us a complete game. We just don’t have that right now, so the overworked bullpen is faltering.
HOWEVER, Michael Grove just came back to the team, and he was likely needed to go 2 innings last night. Instead, he lasted 2 batters and walked 2 guys for no reason, thus bringing in Banda early, and the rest of the train early. Grove did NOT do his job, and Doc looked pissed when he took him out last night.
Hopefully he bounces back today and does his job. No one should expect 7 from Bobby Miller today, but 5ip has to be the minimum.
I think they keep Kiermeier and Edman as there two centerfielders and send Pages down until the roster expands then DFA Heyward he won’t get playing time with Betts in right and Kiermeier an Edman make the defense batter so that will make room by doing that to add Muncy and Edman and keep Kiermeier then when roster expand bring Pages up..
I was at the game. Really great atmosphere. The Cards have struggled so the Dodgers in town was a good crowd. Man, the Dodgers travel so well. They showed up and it was palpable.
Wro wasn’t that bad IMO. The Goldy shot was a 100% humidity homer. That thing had no business going over the fence. The air was thick!
just read that Kopech is under team control next season. He is the real deal. Great trade. Go Dodgers.
I would bring Henriquez up at some point to c if he could be on the playoff relief pitcher roster. That electric arm has to be considered. Heyward has done nothing to win a playoff roster spot. When Edman and Muncy are activated Amed will be dfa and pages optioned probably. Pages brought back up in September along with Taylor.
Didn’t Tyler just get off the disabled list. After two games he has a sore arm. How did these pitchers like Orel and Madison Baumgartner or Nolan Ryan throw so many innings and not go on the disabled list now these guys do it after two games. I wish I could have that at work. Say my tetanitious is acting up boss in my knee. Can i have 15 days off then I will be back to work. Is it something that only dodgers pitching staff isnt doing right to have all these arm injuries or is it happening to other teams. I just dont follow other teams but of the starting five pitchers mentioned in spring training. Have they all been on the active roster at the same time at any point during the year all together. And what the last two weeks of the season they all will show up as. GLASNOW Ohnimoto Flarethy Kershaw and Buehler. So there all injured until the last two weeks is that the plan. To trick other teams and then go oh there all fine now.
Grove and Wrobleski sent down, Miller and Brasier up.
As I expected.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Teoscar is getting a day off today Pages is in left. Ohtani needs a day or two off to clear his head.
I wish we still had Pepiot.
My line up would be as follows.
Mookie
Freeman
Teo
Ohtani
Lux
Rojas
Max
Will
Edman
I like Rojas at SS, don’t see any reason to be in a rush to move him or sit him. His batting work with Mookie has completely raised his game at the plate. In clutch situations he has become one of our best hitters. In the field, he is quick and accurate, not to mention really being the Quarterback of that infield. Just watch the respect he gets from the other players and the pitcher when there is a meeting on the mound. Leave Miggy alone, in fact time to get on his bandwagon.
Not advocating for Ohtani to b lead off but that first inning is what a lead off guy should do. He walked which we aren’t necessarily expecting. But he stayed in the k zone which is what we r expecting. Then, stole a base which he has a very high sb percentage. Then, tagged on a fly ball to left which is rare to do. Because of his great speed he was able to do it. So, he brings a lot to the spot when he is not striking out, swinging at bad pitches etc. we still need his slug. But, we also need somebody with a good obp ahead of him. That is not kike.
As far as Doc goes, he is the lamest of ducks. AF, Gomes, and Ohtani are calling the shots.
Miller still looks like a pitcher at the beginning of spring training. Be better, dude!
All the dingbats calling for Ohtani to move in the lineup should be watching this game very closely.
The silliest of narratives, IMO.
Fall behind in count with multiple non-competitive pitches (maybe mix in a wild pitch) and then have your fastball mashed. Rinse and repeat. Not at all encouraging. Feels/looks eerily like Buehler.
The Dodgers continue to play uninspiring baseball.
Once again, their hottest hitter Teo is not in the lineup for what reason exactly? He needed a “breather”. And they scored 2 runs and lost. I would argue that he does not need a breather. The Dodgers keep using the failed load management strategy and keep on losing. How has load management been working out for the Dodgers this year? It’s kept so many players healthy right?….NOT.
Stop coddling the players. You want to win a title, suck it up and play.
Suck it up and play.
This team is just not going to get it done with subpar pitching and paltry hitting. They have to change the batting order. Shake it up a bit. It’s the only thing that they have control over because our pitching is out of control and we can’t expect them to win games for us. We are giving up too many HRs.
Ben Casparius is being called up for tomorrow’s (Sunday’s) game. No word yet on what roster moves will be made to accommodate him on the 40 or 26 man rosters.
Ryan can be moved to the 60-day IL to make room on the 40-man and I’m just guessing here, but I think Mr. Miller may have earned himself a plane trip back to OKC to make room on the 26-man.
Another guess here, but I would think that Knack will take Miller’s next start.