Dustin May got the start for LA against Jake Irvin. You look at their stats and they almost mirror each other. I had a family function this evening, so I missed the game, and considering how it ended up, I am glad I did. May went 6 innings allowing 3 runs, all on solo homers. Pages and Smith hit solo homers leading off the fifth and sixth innings making it a 3-2 game. Jack Dreyer came in and allowed a double to Ruiz, his second of the game. He got Young who sacrificed Ruiz to third but then gave up a 2-run homer to Abrams, his second of the series.
Trivino came in to pitch the 8th and wasn’t much better. He gave up a leadoff homer to Lowe, his second of the game. He struck out House and Bell singled. Klein relieved him. Klein gave up a double to Lile, with Bell stopping at third. Ruiz then hit a sac-fly scoring Bell. It was now 7-2 Nats. Zack Brzykcy came in to pitch the 9th for the Nats. Teo greeted him with a solo shot to right, his 14th. Muncy walked. Pages struck out. Kike flied out to center, and Edman grounded out to second ending the game, a 7-3 win for the Nats.
This was supposed to be the soft part of the schedule, but if these two games are any indication, the Dodgers are going to have their hands full. DC took 2 of 3 from LA back in April. Dodgers are going to have to win tomorrow to even the series for the year. On Monday, they face the Rockies, who have lost their last 3 games, but have played much better this month. DC has outscored LA in the 5 games, 31-21. They hit 5 homers tonight, and 3 last night. The Dodgers are the team leading the league in homers. They have 120, DC has 80.
Another problem was the total lack of production out of the top 3 in the order. Other than a single by Betts, they were 1-12 with 6 strikeouts. Ohtani’s slump is such that he is now hitting under .290 and his OPS dropped below 1.000. Freeman has not looked like himself for about 2 weeks. Mookie has spurts of production but has not gone on one of his patented tears. May pitched well enough to win, but lack of offense doomed him.
OKC overcame a 3-0 deficit to win 4-3. They had just 4 hits but got excellent bullpen pitching after giving up 3 in the third inning. Davis 2 innings, Rodriguez, who got the win, 2 innings, Henriquez 1 inning and Diaz, all had scoreless outings. Diaz got his first save. Robinson, at DH tonight, hit a 2-run game tying homer in the 4th. In the 6th, Outman reached on an error. Feduccia singled, Outman then stole third and scored when the throw went into left field. That was the winning run.
Jackson Ferris started for the Drillers and pitched 3.2 scoreless innings. He allowed just one hit, but he walked 4. He also struck out 6. Christian Suarez relieved him and pitched 2.1 scoreless innings allowing a hit, a walk and striking out 3. Kopp, 2 innings and Knowles, 1, also pitched scoreless innings for a 4-0 Drillers win. Miller singled in a run in the third, Myers singled in a run in the 6th. Newell singled in a run in the 7th and Miller drove in his second run in the 8th with a ground out.
Great Lakes won their game 8-6 despite being outhit, 10-6. The Peoria pitching staff gave up 13 walks. DePaula had a 2-run game tying homer in the 6th inning, his 9th. Linan gave up 5 of the Peoria runs. George and Nevin had 2 hits each. Sirota walked 3 times but did not score. Martin got the win; his 3rd and Hobbs got his 5th save.
Rancho lost a tight one, 6-5. They took a 2-0 lead in the first inning but the Storm scored 4 in the top of the third to take the lead. Rancho scored 1 in the bottom of the third, but San Bernadino came right back with 2 to take a 6-3 lead. Herder pitched 2.2 innings giving up 4 runs. Vilchez gave up the last 2 in the top of the 4th for the final runs for the Storm. Victor Rodrigues had a 2 run single in the bottom of the 5th to end the scoring.
Jason Heyward was DFAd by the Padres yesterday afternoon. He had been hitting under the Mendoza line. The Braves placed Chris Sale on the15-day IL with a ribcage fracture. He had been injured when he made a diving play trying to get a grounder hit by Juan Soto. Orioles placed Adley Rutschman on the IL with an oblique injury. Rangers placed Jake Burger on the IL with an oblique strain. Angels placed Jose Soler on the IL with lower back inflammation. Andrew Freidman said the Dodgers were not contacted by the Red Sox about Devers availability in trade. Machado shooting his mouth off again after the suspension of Shilt and Roberts.
Not supposed to lose to teams like this, but as in years past, LA sometimes plays down to the competition. But you are not going to win a lot of games when your three superstars go 1-12.
Losing to teams like this is quite common.
Unfortunately, that is true. Does not make it any easier to swallow.
When you are pitching guys like Lou Trevino, Will Klein in the 8th and 9th innings, you’re going to lose to even the worst teams.
The pitching is still mostly garbage.
Agreed. Too many good pitchers on the IL.
Disappointing game. Not that they lost but you never had the feeling they were really interested in this one. Going threw the motions .
May is a serviceable innings eater the way he is going. Nothing special.
I am becoming a bit worried about Betts and FF. Might this be the time of their respective careers when they are considerably slowing down ? Father time is undefeated. Would not come totally out of the blue in both cases.
Overall age IS a problem on this roster.
Pages doing what he can do make the ASG.
Klein and Trivio should be next to go as soon as guys like Henriquez , Snell and Glasnow are good to go.
dePaula with a long HR for GL.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe Robert’s surrender the other night set the bar?
Boys were in a good run before that.
They won 3/4 against SD and go for series win today. People are unreasonble.
I am not certain that people who are upset about last night are unreasonable. I felt the exact same way as dodgerram stated. The team did not look like they gave a damn. They were listless, lethargic, zero energy. I acknowledge there are times in the season when this happens, but we drove straight through from San Diego to Sacramento just to be home in time for the game. We missed the previous three games. When it got to be 5-2 and after watching Ohtani, Betts, and Freeman go throught the motions, I said if this is how they are going to play, I am not going to watch it. Hopefully today is a better effort.
If Pages goes, it will most likely be if he is picked by the manager as a reserve. He is not even in the top 6 in the voting. Teo is third. Freddie leads first basemen, and Mookie is second in the SS voting to Lindor. Smith leads the voting at catcher. # 1 vote getter in the outfield is Crow-Armstrong of the Cubs. I think age has something to do with the lack of production for Freeman and Betts. Freddie is 35 and turns 36 in September. I also think the ankle still causes him problems. He is at his best when he is taking the ball to left. Betts is 32 and turns 33 in October. I really believe he has not fully recovered from losing all that weight. I also believe he is playing a more demanding defensive position, and that has affected his offense. He will say it hasn’t, but something is obviously out of whack with him. Ohtani is in a slump. Klein and Trivino are on a short leash, Klein is not really part of the plan anyway. Henriquez has electric stuff, but not much experience.
Experience can be gained, electric stuff not.
At this stage of the season I´d rather live with the growing pains of Henriquez than the water treading with Trivino, Klein, Davis and the other stopgaps from the OKC roster.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
I totally get where you are coming from.
Henriquez for postseason pen
Henriquez has pitched in 10 games since his rehab started May 29. He has pitched in 5 games the last 10 days. In those games, he has pitched 6.0 innings. He has allowed 1 run (HR) on 4 hits, 1 BB, and 8 K. He has pitched in 3 of the last 4 games. All the boxes checked.
Edgardo’s rehab has to be considered complete. Now its only time before he gets called up.
What is the plan for today ?
Shohei for 2 innings, then Casparius with bulk innings ?
A win today would make it a very good home stay.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, exactly that.
Gotta score eigh….. forget it.
Dodgers don’t pitch so good.
Who is Klein?
Yep, some of the old guys are looking a bit tired. No youth to rest them really. Live by the geezer, die by the geezer. But, geezers still in first place.
Ohtani with an at bat where he swings at two out of the strike zone then looks at strike 3 right down the middle. WTF? I could do that.
Mookie looking pretty good at short. Better than I thought he would. But I’d just as soon he was in right, or even second base and OPS’n over .900 again, which I believe he would be doing if he hadn’t been moved to the most demanding defensive position standing up. Oh well. He does turn 33 first week of October. He may need some time off coming up. Rest those weary shortstop legs.
33 old? Even the slow, plumpious hung over Babe Ruth had over 10 WAR when he was 33. If he can do it….. never mind.
They got Klein in a trade with the Mariners on June 2nd, for Joe Jacques. 25 years old, originally drafted by the Royals in the 5th round in 2020. Jacques was a 30-year-old lefty reliever.
He’s also the grandson of Calvin (the underwear guy, not Marty McFly)
Win today, and we win the series 2-3. Who won’t take winning 2-3 games in a series??
The sky is falling folks after 1 game need to do more things on a Sat evening than cry because we lost a game.
Now, if we lose today, then I’ll say, yes, that was a crappy series. But again, it happens.
As I said above. It is not the result for me. It is the effort.
I totally agree with that. Effort is everything. Last night against a team they should dominate, they looked bored. Plus, you are not going to win many games when your three MVPs go 1-12 with 6 Ks, I despise strikeouts. Between them, Ohtani, Betts and Freeman have struck out 176 times in 822 at bats. As far as who gets called up and who they think gives them the best chance of winning the post-season, I will defer to those who have much more knowledge of the team’s situation than I do. I do know several media reports I have read say that AF really does not want to have to trade for pitching this year at the deadline. As for an outfielder, nothing was mentioned on that front.
Jeff, do the midseason prospect rankings come out end of June, or around the All Star break? I”m quite curious to see where Sirota and Quintero rank.
Baseball America has recently refreshed their top 100. If memory serves me right, MLB Pipeline will update their top 100 after the draft, and draft picks will be included. They also like to see a full season of Arizona Complex League games which end in July. The update will also fall after the trade deadline. Too many prospects trading teams. I believe Baseball America will do another ranking about the same time.
BTW, for BA’s update, Quintero is #92 and Sirota is #93. That is now four LAD OF in top 100.
Bear sort of stole my thunder today, with his report. The strength of the Dodger lineup and the ability to pick each other, is an asset that most lineups don’t have.
The Dodgers are 4 and 2 the last 6 games. In those 6 games the 3 stars at the top of the lineup have struggled.
Shohei has been terrible; 4 for 23 = .174/.539 and 11 K’s. That’s a 48% strikeout rate, and as Badger described, taking strikes and swinging at balls. He’s been hitting like a pitcher.
Mookie has struggled as well; 3 for 24 = .125/.359 with 4 K’s and Freddie 5 for 23 = .217/.435 with 0 homers.
During that period Will and Pages have carried the mail. Smith hitting .444/1.611 with 3 dingers and Pages at .429/1.411 with 3 dingers. These 2 have been responsible in picked up the HOF’ers in their funk.
The homer ball again victimized May, Dreyer and Trivino. I’m not feeling the love for Trivino who needs to head back to the golf course.
Maybe it’s a good day to DH somebody else and let Ohtani just pitch and give him a day off from the batter’s box. Give Rushing some AB’s.
Totally agree about Ohtani. In fact, give him a couple of days off. Maybe it’ll clear his head. He’s not adding much offense right now and it would allow the Dodgers to DH Smith and give Rushing some playing time.
As previously stated, I do not have to like (or watch) lack of effort. But the results are not unexpected. Let’s not forget that after Sunday’s game, the team will have completed playing 23 games in 24 days. In one stretch they played 29 consecutive games playing teams > .500 winning percentage in 32 days, and still managed to win 17 of those games. That includes 7 out of ten against SF and San Diego. That is a .586 winning percentage, or playing at a 95 win season clip, all against winning teams, with a greatly depleted pitching staff. What other team can do that?
In addition to the grueling schedule you mentioned Jeff, I cautioned us not to have a letdown mentally, after an emotional Padres series. It’s easy to see that the Nationals don’t cause the intensity we’d like to see. They sleepwalked through the game yesterday.
Did anyone notice they didn’t have rectangular zone box on tv in the top of first. I sure enjoyed that while it lasted
Kim IS NOT a center fielder!!!!!! That should have been caught and cost us three runs!
He needs to play everyday in CF until the trade deadline. He’s very athletic, he will get much better with consistent playing time. After the deadline if he doesn’t work out they can figure something else out.
Exactly. Kim should be at 2B. Edman in CF. Oh, but Doc is a managing genius. Not.
Edman’s ankle preventing him from playing CF. Stick Kim in left.
Both Outman and Pages would have caught that long ball as well as the short ball Conforto dove for.
Bring Outman up and hit him after Ohtani. I suspect Outman will look more like a hitter than Ohtani.
Dodgers look drugged.
Yes, should have caught it. No doubt about it.
Surprised they did not let Shohei go another inning after 18 pitches in the first.
Game has the same look as yesterday so far.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!
I was too. He looked fantastic to me
That extra hitter, caused by Mookie’s error, cost him seven extra pitches. That might have had something to do with it.
Hey Jeff or Bear, could you give us the inside of the Chan HO Park and Tim Belcher fight.one can find the video of the fight but not why it transpired. I couldn’t imagine being on the wrong side of Pstk’s kick when he had cleats on. Thanks for your consideration
I’m not sure if it’s possible, but the story of AJ Ellis and Molly Knights book, or what led to the Pedro-DeShields trade?
The club has to know what’s been going on the entire season and figure out a way to fix the problem. We’re almost in July and not much has changed.
If you’ve watched the games you already know. The Dodgers are losing or trailing in every game. The pitching staff (doesnt matter who is pitching) gives up 1-4 runs in the first three innings of the game every day (they are down 3-0 here in the third as I write this) and the offense rarely scores before the 5th inning. If they don’t figure out how to resolve this in the second half they’re going to be in trouble. This won’t be good if this continues into the postseason.
Just because they have a good record doesnt mean this isn’t a problem that should be looked at.
Ohtani is hitting like a pitcher.
Mookie is hitting like a girl.
Freddie is hitting like Conforto.
A mediocre pitcher with an ERA over 5 coming into this game is making the Dodgers look silly.
Every once in a while, it’s like a carnival of stupid posts.
thankfully, it’s both rare and humorous
The Dodgers biggest problem to overcome for a World Series title is:
Please vote, for one or multiples.
No, you don’t need to. I’m being facetious.
1) Body Language/Energy
2) Coaching/FO Strategies
3) Injuries
4) Betts playing short
5) Not enough sinkers
6) Bad luck in playoffs
7) Conforto
8) Bullpen depth
9) Not enough major league ABs for Kim/Rushing/Ward
10) Ohtani batting lead off
11) Not enough stupid posts and humorous I might add!
Obviously injuries.
Also Bullpen depth
Ryan Pepiot is pitching well for Tampa Bay.
love to see it.
another testament to Dodgers scouting and development.
hopefully he continues to do well, as do Deluca and Glasnow.
Speaking of pitching, clearly Kiké can’t. Why not just run Vesia out there? Tomorrow is an off day.
Is the Dodgers’ pitching situation so desperate that they must use a position player in the 9th to pitch in a blowout game? Once again, it backfired on them! The game was unnecessarily prolonged with Kike “pitching”, and Vesia had to be sent in the finish it.
Just stop with this stupidity!!
On the bright side, Muncy circa 2021 has returned in 2025.
Stop the silly complaining. It’s nonsense. The Dodgers won the series last year, are among the favorites to win this year, have a loaded 23 and 40 man, have the best front office and some see Kike pitching in a blowout as worthy of voicing!?!?
Maybe Kike likes pitching?
Maybe the team likes seeing Kike pitch?
Why add an inning to a pitcher’s load unless you have to?
The incessant searching for things to complain about is bonkers.
The team might like watching him pitch but based on the results the last two times out, it is painful to watch and very unnecessary. Just get the last three outs.
Yes, I see it as “worthy of voicing.” Bringing in Vesia instead of Kike to finish the last inning almost certainly ends the game much earlier–which means less playing time on the field that reduces the wear ‘n tear on the players and lowers their risk of getting injured.
I think Eric Karros brought up that very point. He looked at Freddie and said it sure would be nice to get him and his teammates off their feet.
I heard Karros say that too. But even had he not, the wear ‘n tear and risking injury from prolonging the game had already crossed my mind.
Like you complaining about people complaining.
I like you liking me complaining about complaining!
Totally ridiculous. And with an off day tomorrow.
Who is pitching Tuesday? Sheehan, Wrobleski?
Kershaw or Yamamoto.
Cannot be Sheehan without an injury, I think
Why send him down? He pitched well.
He was sent down the day after the game. AF/BG/Doc/Mark Prior… picked Wrobo over Sheehan at that point.
If Sheehan can only pitch in case of an injury, just wait 5 minutes. I see one coming around the corner.
And that’s not a complaint, Bluto, it’s a prediction of a negative occurrence. I just checked the bylaws and those are allowed.
Glasnow in AAA today: 2ip, 0 hits, 3bb, 1k
Minor minor-league highlight: Sirota walking three times suggests good plate discipline.
He’s about a year older than Hope and DePaula, and his CF experience could give him the edge next spring. Hope may have more talent–and I still want DePaula trained for 1B, because Freddie won’t last forever.
All these outfielders, plus George and Quintero, are said to be 2-3 years away from the majors… but perhaps one could break through.
I think Ohtani should play first after Freddie retires. That would give flexibility to rotate people through the DH position.