After they finish tonight’s game, there should be one thing on the Dodgers minds. Beat Arizona. Don’t try to do it all in one game. Beat Gallen, then beat Kelly, then Pfaadt then Rodriguez. And Doc should put his best offense on the field every game. The reason? Gallen is 10-6 with a 3.65 ERA. His career record against the Dodgers is 1-4. Even though they have a low BA against this guy, they still manage to win games against him. Put your best hitters on the field against him so he has no easy innings.
Merrill Kelly is 4-0. But his ERA is almost 4. He can be scored upon. Kelly also allows a lot of homers. The key to beating the D-Backs is shut down their potent offense. Pfaadt has an ERA above 4 and he is just over .500 for the season. Pfaadt also allows a lot of homers. He has given up 19 so far this year. Eduardo Rodriguez, the same guy who turned down a trade to LA last year, is 2-0. But his ERA is over 5. The Diamondbacks are basically bludgeoning the opposition. The Dodgers offense needs to match them blow for blow. LA is 4-5 against Arizona this year. They are 2-1 against them in their own ballpark.
A split would be ok, but winning three would be a very good series. They are a hard team to sweep. They have gone 51-25 since the end of May. That is a hard pace to keep. They have 18 wins this month. The Dodgers have 16. Most of the lost ground came in July. They have some tough teams coming up. They play the Giants in SF where they are always tougher, and then they get Houston in Houston. Texas and Milwaukee at home after that. While they are playing the Giants, the Dodgers get the Angels for two in Anaheim. Then they play six at home against Cleveland and the Cubs.
Right now, the Dodgers have 29 games left. 6 against the Rockies, 3 against Miami, 3 against the Cubs, and 2 against the Angels. All of those teams are non-contenders. The Dodgers need to win all of those series. Also of note is the fact that the rosters can expand to 28 this weekend. Andy Pages is expected to be recalled, those of you hoping to see Dalton Rushing, I believe you are going to have to wait until spring training. With Teo in left and Barnes back as Will Smith’s caddy, there is just nowhere for the kid to play. Dropping him into the heat of a pennant race with as little experience as he has, just is not wise.
Well, the game is over now. Dodgers win 6-3. Miller was good until he wasn’t. He had one of his patented bad innings. He still ended up with the win, but his ERA is now 7.25. He only allowed two hits, but he hit a batter, got an out, walked a batter, got another out, and then grooved one the Cowser hit over the left center field fence. You would think the score would have been higher; the Dodgers had 14 hits and stranded 11 runners. Six players had 2 hits, Betts, Edman, Rojas, Taylor, Lux and Barnes. Ohtani was the only player without a hit.
On to Phoenix. The matchups are set for the first three games. Kershaw-Gallen, Stone-Kelly, Flaherty-Pfaadt. Rodriguez will pitch for Az on Monday. The lead is 4 over Arizona, and 5 over San Diego.
Minor League Scores
OKC dropped a game to Round Rock, 3-1. Choi took the loss; he pitched 5.1 innings giving up 5 hits, 2 runs, and 3 walks. He struck out 2 and one of the hits was a homer. Andy Pages knocked in the only run with his 8th homer in the 6th inning. Rushing was 1-3 with 2 walks.
Corpus Christi crushed Tulsa, 12-3 in a sloppy game that featured 7 errors. Tulsa managed just 6 hits. Ortiz-Mayr took the loss allowing 6 of the runs in 4.1 innings, allowing 5 hits and walking 5.
Great Lakes rallied to beat Iowa 6-4 in 12 innings. A Nevin single and a homer by McLain, his first, brought the 2 runs in the top of the 12th for the win. Biddison and Thompson also homered. Martinez got the win, and the save went to Ruebeck.
Rancho broke open a 1-1 tie in the top of the 6th inning with 7 runs and cruised to a 9-1 win at San Jose. The Quakes pounded out 14 hits. Decker hit the only homer driving in 2 in the 6th inning. Hope was 1-4 with a run scored, an RBI and a walk. Munoz was 3-5, Rojas 2-4, Guererro 2-5, and Hainline 2-4. All of the Quakes had at least 1 hit. Day got the win going 6 innings in relief of Jang. He allowed 1 run on 5 hits and 3 walks. He struck out 4.
Outman is on the temporary inactive list, not the restricted list. Jordan Lyles is also on that list. The only player at OKC on the restricted list is Sam McWilliams, an outfielder. He has been on the list all season.
Good win. 4 games up heading to the desert.
With a series win or a sweep we can all but distance the D-Backs for good.
I will take a split too, cuts 4 games of the schedule while remaining the lead.
Bobby Miller pitched very, very well vs an excellent lineup except that one pitch that lead to the 3 run HR. Wasn´t a bad pitch too, just a good hitter making a good swing on it.
I have more issues with hitting the leadoff guy and walking one after that.
But the ilmprovement by Miller is visible.
Hudson scares me. If he continues like that he and Kelly are the two candidates to be left off the postseason roster.
Graterol and Henriquez ?
Emil Morales has been votet MVP of the DSL.
https://www.mlb.com/dodgers/news/milb-announces-rookie-level-all-stars-and-award-winners-for-2024?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If Miller can learn to command his stuff, then he’s elite. If not he’s inconsistent and average and not trustworthy enough for a post season start. If we’re gonna start our best hitting lineup then maybe the guy with the 10 year contract isn’t catching in this series.
Ohtani wanted to play meaningful games in Sept and October. Well here’s your chance. Show us what you got in crunch time.
Miller just can’t be trusted at the moment. Can’t throw strikes. Every batter goes 3-2. He certainly has great stuff but no clue where it is going. If he is a playoff starter there will be a lot of nail biting going on.
He had more strikes than balls, but not by much. Considering who else is available, they have to use him. Just realize your nails are going to be down to the quick.
Graterol certainly instead of Kelly. I agree with your assessment of Hudson. Hasn’t a clean inning it seems in a month.
A. He hadn’t pitched in 9 days. That is a long time for a reliever and bullpens don’t have the same pressure. But what was missing was command. He threw 18 pitches, 10 of them were balls. I will guarantee you no one feels worse about that performance than he does. He got the first two outs on 3 pitches.
The Dodgers, with a curious lineup, did what they needed to do in 3.1 against a 1-7 starter with an ERA pushing 7. They did little the rest of the way but did get it done.
How will that overused bullpen fair over a long weekend against the high scoring dbacks? That team has a higher OPS and has scored more runs than LA. And you know how much they like to BEAT LA. Should be a fun series. Sure hope Freddie and Will show up.
14 hits, 11 men left on base. They had chances but missed many opportunities. Can’t do that in the post season. Freddie is supposed to be back in the lineup tonight. He is the one Dodger who owns AZ at their own ballpark. Taylor is another.
Hudson has lost it a bit, so use him in the 5th/6th inning for now. Phillips has found it again, so he, Vesia, and Kopech should handle innings 8 and 9.
Blake Treinen saved the day yesterday. Striking out Henderson with the bases loaded was an October type moment, and he stepped up.
To me, Bobby Miller’s stuff was very good yesterday, but his command was nowhere near as good as his last start, when he sort of found it in the last 3 innings. Hopefully he and Buehler have figured something out.
It’s playoff time, so who steps up this weekend with some clutch 2 out RBI’s? Shohei? Teo? Gavin Lux make a name for himself this weekend?
That was exactly his problem. It is the same thing that has affected Buehler in his comeback so far. The stuff is there, now get the command.
Rushing was catching last night for OKC. First time since his promotion to AAA.
I still think it would be worth a try to call him up and if he continues to hit like he has all year at AA and AAA make him the backup catcher in the playoffs. Smith will very likely catch every game in the postseason so the value of Barnes would be only as the emergency catcher/pinch hitter. Rushing might just be the better option for that role.
The other decision I would make; Pages over CT3 on the postseason roster. You dont need both CT3 and Kike in the playoffs. Both fill the same role.
My bench would be: Rushing. Kike.Pages.KK.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There is just no way that you would bring up a rookie catcher to possibly handle a playoff pitching staff. His time is next year. And Barnes is giving us some offense. More than Smith right now.
How many innings do you think will the backup catcher catch in the postseson ?
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!
I thought of that too, that “well, what if something happens to Smith, you don’t want some rookie in there catching and handling the pitching staff he doesn’t know.”
But then again, if Smith gets seriously injured, Barnes comes up to replace him the next game.
Either way, I don’t see a rookie who’s never played in the bigs (and has only today or tomorrow to do so to be eligible for October) coming up and saving our day.
Good point. I would like to see Rushing in September, with Smith getting some jacuzzi time, but I doubt that will happen. I also believe the Dodgers will go with Taylor through October.
The bottom of the order came through last night. Great to see. Is it sustainable? Absolutely probably maybe.
I remain concerned about our pen. There are some very good arms down there that are rather worn. As much I would like to see some back to back to back 7 inning starts I don’t expect it to happen. I visualize Glasnow, Flaherty and Yamamoto doing it from September 15th through to November. I believe in visualization. But I don’t think my visualizing Dodger success has any effect. Maybe if we all do it?
I’m in Badger!
I agree with your Rushing take. It would be tempting to add him for the postseason, but finding playing time in September might be tough. i think it’s best to give the offseason to improve his skills in LF and with the bat. It’s a big jump from AAA to MLB so starting fresh in the Spring should give him a better chance for success. And to the Dodger FO and coaches, LF only. One position! Only be the third catcher behind Smith and Barnes/Feduccia.
Remember Vargas last year in October
Concur.
The Rushing idea, or at least my version of it, was he’s a mashing bat who can PH and play LF or C.
That said, it’s an incredibly remote one despite his gaudy numbers.
All accounts report that it’ll be Pages.
Against Righties
.296 BA – .998 OPS / 115 AB / Vargas
.283 BA – .944 OPS / 53 AB / Rushing
Against Lefties
.429 BA – 1.262 OPS / 21 AB / Rushing
.267 BA – 1.030 OPS / 30 AB / Vargas
Also Hyun-Seok Jang is really putting up equally gaudy numbers, albeit in High-A. 3 straight scoreless outings and, if you throw in the end of his complex outings, four scoreless outings in his last five starts, with 24Ks and 8BB and a 2.03 ERA.
He’s 20.
Rushing has 104 games minor league experience as a catcher. He does not have the skill set yet to call games for a major league staff. He definitely does not have enough experience to be behind the plate in a pennant run. Where is he going to play? Sitting him on the bench to be a pinch hitter makes no sense at all. He caught because Cartaya is in a horrid slump. Feduccia was not back with the team yet. He gains nothing riding the bench. If they need an emergency catcher, Feduccia will get the call before he does.
That’s it bear bring these guys back down to earth about Rushing. The team would also need to clear a spot on the forty man roster for him. personally I don’t want to sit Teoscar so we can play a rookie at LF.
Dodgers catch a break against the Arizona offense with Christian Walker, Ketel Marte and Gabriel Moreno all on the IL and highly unlikely to play this weeekend. A split puts the Dodgers up 4 with 25 left and an easier Sept schedule than the DBacks.
Positive signs for Miller and Buehler in the last week. At a minimum, pitching like they are can keep the rotation afloat until Yamamoto and Glasnow (hopefully) return. Whether they are part of the playoff picture depends in large part on the health of those two injured starters. More confident in Buehler helping in the playoffs than Miller simply because of his experience and confidence in himself. Seems a better bet in that environment.
Great info NH. Thanks. I agree…Buehler and Miller are on an upswing. Keep it up fellows.
I would be very pleased with a split..ecstatic to win 3.-TM
Miller’s stuff looks better to me, but both appear to be moving in the right direction. If they can go 6 with ERA’s in the 4’s the rest of the way they can keep the team in games. I think they can both do it. Yes. I’m looking into the future and I see it!
Heyward, CT3. Who will have the most AB’s and the higher OPS going forward? Who will have the higher second half WAR?
Henriquez. His July WHIP was 0.89. His August WHIP is 2. Hmm. I say we bring him up but only let him pitch in July.
We’re talking about Rushing in September and rightfully saying it won’t happen. One thing nobody has said out loud is that if it weren’t for Smith’s great caught stealing percentage, Barnes might actually be catching more playoff games than he would. Barnes is outhitting him and considered the better handler of pitchers.
Henriquez – sounds like he might need a break for a few weeks. He didn’t pitch at all last year, his previous high innings was 35 and he’s already at 47 this year. When you throw that hard, your arm probably gets tired quickly. Maybe Charlie Hough is available.
😀
They do not miss Moreno at all. His replacement, Del Castillo, is hitting .347 with 3 homers and 14 driven in. Corbin Carroll has gotten hot. He has 3 homers and 8 RBIs over his last 5 games. He now has 17 homers. Joc has 21. Josh Bell has hit well since he came over in a trade. He has 4 homers in his 21 games with the team. Their offense has actually taken off since Walker went down. Their vulnerability is their starting pitching. You do not want to get to their bullpen. Gallen is the only starting pitcher they have with an ERA under 4.
After being placed on waivers yesterday, today the Cardinals DFAd Tommy Pham. QO for this year looks to be 21.2 million.
Teo will definitely get the QO and certainly reject it.
Will the Dodgers QO Buehler?
Hmm that’s a good question OD, I think we’ll need to see how the rest of the season goes but that could be some good debate material for the winter.
Padres have played 2 more games than both the D-Backs and the Dodgers. Dodgers will have 24 games left to play when this series is over. Dodger players have hit 5 homers off of Gallen. D-Backs 4 off of Kersh. If he can control Corbin Carroll, who hits over .500 off of him with 2 bombs, he should be ok. Surprise, one of the Dodgers who has touched Gallen for a homer……..Kiermaier.
Last night’s win felt big. Let’s carry it forward into tonight. 10 runs incoming.
The Orioles are a good team, the Yankees look tough right now but I can see the Orioles going deep into the playoffs.
As far as Rushing, OKC numbers don’t exactly play at the mlb level.
Doesnt Look good for Kersh. Just won’t be the same without him as a Dodger
Going to bed now. I fully expect this game to still be playing when I get up. Wow!
The team is going to need as much offense as possible in the playoffs, even with Yamamoto and Glasnow. The pitching isn’t that great, especially the bullpen.
I don’t care how many pitches Kelly has pitched today. He needs to be left off the playoff roster. He’s a blown game waiting to happen. I’m looking at more than one game, not just this game.
Kelly needs to go away.
I don’t disagree, but for now, he is just another body to get us through the pre-playoff period we are in. Hudson may be waning, too. I’m more concerned with Kershaw. He had no control and I don’t think it was his toe at fault. Good that he pulled himself early on.
We may need to call up 3 pitchers for tomorrow. Bullpen will be spent
Not a good start for the staff. Can we out slug them? This one may be hard to watch.
Gotta say, given Kershaw’s last outing, i would have thought Roberts would be savvy enough to have a better plan for covering a big chunk of the game. Making Kelly go waaayyyyyy beyond what he is capable of seemed suboptimal. Roberts was punishing both Kelly and the team — almost like a flashback to playoff games 5 or 6 years ago where he would seem to be unprepared for the situation at hand. I am really scratching my head on how long he left Kelly in.
Kelly was working hard that’s for sure. I thought it was one batter too long, but I don’t believe a manager should be blamed for not having a plan for a starter going 1 inning.
Back in the day, a manager had a “long” man designated on any given day. I guess those days are over. Also, given what we know about Kelly’s usage in the past 5 years, it just seemed like he had done his job finishing off the 2nd. Both Joe and Orel were quite confused when Kelly came out for the 3rd,
Kelly was our long man in the past, but I doubt he is the same pitcher today. Few relievers can stand the pace of multi-inning games. Our BP really is not bad. It’s our starters that give me the shakes.
Got to disagree with you on Roberts punishing Kelly. First of all, he does not determine the 13 pitchers that are on the 26. That is done by FO. There is no true long man on that staff. He was basically asking Kelly to go two innings. It took Kelly nearly 50 pitches to get 5 outs. Included in that were Kelly hitting batters in the foot and butt on pitches that bounced before hitting the batter. Both with two strikes. Guy like Kelly needs to come in and pick up the team. Kershaw lasted 1 inning. Not sure what back up plan Roberts was supposed to have when Miller and Buehler were down, Stone is going tomorrow, Flaherty Monday and Sunday’s starter is at AAA. Among the 8 relievers, none of them is a long man and two of them had already pitched back to back days. Not a lot of choices. Kelly let that team down. He has been pretty poor this year and as many of posters said at the time, not worth the 8 or 9 million the FO decided to pay him. His inconsistency as a pitcher has always been part of the package.
Hey guys I’m out of town up in Giants territory so I don’t have the game, what happened to Kershaw
An injury to his toe. Appears to be his left big toe, the push off foot.
Something to do with big toe on left foot.
I know Roberts was in a tough spot – and since we got rid of our long man (Yarbrough), he didn’t have great options. But Kelly is who he is, and I still think Roberts should have been happy with his one inning giving up no runs. I also know Roberts wants to win some of the next three games; so, yeah, I get it on some level. Our pitching is in a weird state.
Should Muncy be doing that stupid dance that the Dodgers players do after getting hits considering he was out with back problems?
If he can swing a bat that goofy dance shouldn’t be a problem.
Bad news, thanks for the update guys
They all need to stop doing it. Its time has passed.
Did he need that! Will the thril!!!! Biggest swing of the year!
So glad for Smith! — we ned him!! Now let’s hold on to this game, pretty please.
👍🏻
Smith says I’m tired of this slump.
Smith needs some rest but the team can’t afford to give it to him
Woo-Hoo!! We Win!! Banda makes it a squeaker.