Sale vs Flaherty, on the surface, it had all the markings of a pitcher’s duel. Well, that evaporated early. Dodgers got a walk from Ohtani, Mookie hit into a double play on the first pitch, and then Teo was thrown out at third trying to stretch his double into a triple.
Flaherty seemed to be struggling locating his pitches right from the start. He gave up a single to Harris leading off the first. After striking out Soler and Ozuna, Olson doubled off of the wall in right field, a ball Mookie just missed catching and Harris scored. Neither team scored in the second inning. In the top of the third, Muncy struck out, then Kike hit a ground rule double. Shohei struck out and then Betts his a bloop single to center that scored Kike. That would be the Dodgers only score of the game.
Flaherty gave up a leadoff double to Soler in the bottom of the third. Ozuna walked, and Olson struck out. Murphy hit into a force play for the second out. A wild pitch sent Murphy to second. Kelenic walked loading the bases. Arcia doubled to right clearing the bases making the score 4-1 Atlanta. Urshela walked before Merrifield grounded into a force out to end the inning.
For all practical purposes, the game was over. But Atlanta kept piling on. They would score 6 more runs in the bottom of the 6th inning for the 10-1 win. The Dodgers would finish with 7 hits, 2 by Miguel Rojas who got his BA up to .294. The big 4 went 3-12. Evan Phillips had a nightmare 1/3rd of an inning and he was charged with 5 earned runs. When Brasier entered the game to relieve him, the bases were loaded. Brasier gave up a bases clearing double to Olson, and it was 9-1. Olson got to third on an error by Betts. Murphy hit a sac-fly to score Olson and end the scoring.
Miguel Rojas and Kike Hernandez pitched the last two innings allowing just 1 hit between them. The loss was the Dodgers 61st of the season. In games affecting the Dodgers, Arizona lost to the Brewers, so their lead over Arizona stays at 5 games. San Diego was up 8-0 in the 9th inning on the Giants. So, the lead over the Padres will drop to 3.5 games. The Dodgers and Arizona have 14 games remaining. The Padres have 13 games left. The series with the Padres in the next homestand now takes on some serious importance depending on how well or badly the Dodgers play the rest of this road trip.
Charlie Morton makes the start for Atlanta against Buehler tomorrow. The Dodgers need Buehler to be a lot better than he has been lately. They need length from him, and some shut down innings. Yamamoto will pitch Monday against Freid. The Dodgers are between the rock and a hard place pitching wise. Right now, the post-season rotation would consist of Flaherty, Yamamoto, Buehler and Miller, with Knack also a possibility. Those are the only healthy starting arms. Glasnow is gone for the year, Stone is supposed to start a throwing program this weekend.
Andrew Freidman has said that this winter the team is going to look into the cause of so many arm injuries and try to find solutions to the growing problem. There will most likely be changes in the way pitchers prepare for games. MLB is also considering some rules changes to the number of innings a pitcher must pitch. It will be an interesting winter.
The Dodgers have few options to replace any of the injured arms. And the options they do have are kids with very little experience. Wrobleski and Casparius both have pitched in the majors this year. Casparius only pitched one inning, but he could be a piggy-back option come playoff time. Same with Wrobleski. As it stands right now, with Kershaw’s status up in the air, the Dodgers do not have a left-handed starter in the rotation. Against teams like Arizona and the Phillies, who both have some pop from that side, this could be a real disadvantage. They have to hope that Miller and Buehler can find some semblance of the pitchers they have been in the past. There are no pitchers at AAA this year with extensive MLB experience.
Minor League Scores
OKC beat Tacoma 9-3 and OKC’s pitchers held the Rainiers to just 3 hits. Rushing was 3-4 with his 7th homer. Lipcius was 2-5 and hit his 25th homer. Lipcius drove in 2 and Rushing 3. Freeland, Gauthier, Ward and Feduccia also had multiple hits. Rooney got the win with 1.2 innings of scoreless relief.
Tulsa beat Wichita 3-2. They had 12 hits, only 2 of them for extra bases. Morillo got the win, his 5th. Young, Santana, Alleyne, and Casey all had 2 hits.
Is a sweep coming? We all know our pitching is suffering badly, but what about our batting? There seems to be a lethargy within the Dodgers starters. It’s not that we cannot hit. We don’t hit when it matters. There is no reason the hitting should collapse at this point. This is the time that the chemistry should be clicking in and the excitement rising. Will this be our 3rd year in a row collapse? I truly hope not.
Bad luck.
I mean REALLY bad luck, no?
Oh there’s a sweep coming and it’s not against Atlanta this week.
Last year I called the Dodgers season over around June. So many people told me I was crazy. Or that I was “performing”. My analysis was so simple. “when was the last time any team had won a World Series with no starting pitching”? I asked. Still people argued with me. “But they have no starting pitching” I stated. Going into the playoffs they still had no starting pitching and they were swept.
Nothing has changed. This year the Dodger’s pitching staff is a national disaster, and it’s not due to bad luck. (sorry Bluto).
This time, I will make my case with numbers to back this up. Let’s dive into this.
The Dodgers pitching staff ranks 13 in ERAThe Dodger’s starting pitching ranks 18 in ERAThe Dodgers have just two pitchers log over 100 innings (Glasnow and Stone)The Dodgers have just two starters make 20 starts or more (Glasnow and Stone)The pitcher with the third most innings registered is no longer with the club (Paxton 89)The Dodger’s staff ranks 18 in Strikeouts (1235)The Dodgers staff walks too many batters (536 third in MLB)The Dodgers staff gives up too many home runs (205 third in MLB)Dodgers have the sixth worst BAA (.254)The starters are 24 in innings pitched.Dodger relievers have pitched 576.1 innings this year.Let’s dive deeper.
There are 5 aspects to pitching (IMO)
velocityspinlocationlengthefficiencyWe know the Dodgers never have length. And they don’t have efficiency either. Some of the guys throw hard, but spin is seriously lacking this year. According to Baseball Savant the Dodgers have just one pitcher in the top 50 in spin rate on four-seamers (Vesia). They have 3 on the curve (Yamamoto, Ryan, Knack). They have none in the top 50 on sliders. They do have 4 in the top 50 in movement (Vesia, Knack, Kopech, Wrobleski)
So let’s recap. The Dodger pitchers don’t go deep into games. They Don’t pitch efficiently (way too many 3-ball counts), very few have spin or movement on their pitches, and they struggle with location (way too many walks). Even worse, they give up a boatload of runs in the first inning (5.11 ERA).
Does this look like a championship caliber pitching staff? This is the third consecutive season they are heading into the playoffs with almost no starting pitching and a tired bullpen. Is this the way to win a World Series?
I don’t know what the solution is, but they can’t continue acquiring injury riddled pitchers. Health and innings count. The Dodgers doubled down on load management this year and it was a trainwreck. They have almost an entire roster of pitchers on the injured list.
There has to be a change in strategy and development. Are you guys ok with this exact same result (early playoff exit, or sweep) again next year?
I’ll say it again, since when has a team with no starting pitching ever won a World Series?
Good post . Sadly I think you are spot on.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Agree
I think our pitchers were sitting in on too many of our hitters meetings where they are told to work for 3 ball counts.
Your takes are consistently poor and self-congratulatory. You have no journalistic nor baseball-specific cred and you slum the bottom blogs of Dodger fandom for people to read your self-important tripe. You are not “right” about anything and your name carries no weight. I guess you have your platform here so enjoy it. I can’t read this garbage anymore.
Excuse me I forgot what a genius you are.
I’ve done way more than you ever have, and last I checked you’ve never built a blog or done anything baseball or blogging related.
You are just a pathetic nobody. Dinosaur 🦕. This isn’t my platform and you are just insulting Jeff’s site over here. I wish he would just ban you because (I’m going to take a page from Mark here,) you are a first class moron. Go back to Mark’s site you nimrod, nobody wants you here.
Hey Jeff D. This idiot just called your site “bottom blogs”.
You should be permanently banned here, and you are lucky Jeff puts up with your nonsense.
Now be gone doofus.
Okay guys, lets quit the name calling, Jeff is still recovering and not on here every day. He does not ban people, but he also dislikes this kind of exchange. Everyone is entitled to their opinions no matter how much someone might disagree.
🖕 Why are you slumming here if you consider it a bottom blog? Just go away.
Ohio,
We should be called the bottom boys. 😆
LOL. I guess so.
Don’t read it then.
Always a ray of sunshine
Just ignore is my recommendation
Better to just go away. The negativity of the comments on this side is become almost unbearable so later
No please. (In monotone voice) Stay. Don’t go. Lolz
The Glasnow news comes not unexpected.
And I will not be surprised when the Dodgers say in the next days he will need TJ surgery and will be out for 2025 too.
Last nights game was a preview of what will await us in the postseason. An excellent starting pitcher going for the opponent, a good lineup to deal with. Our starter not able to provide length and a bullpen parade .
Buehler and Miller better get their sh.it together and step up.
Bullpen is showing some serious cracks recently too which is not surpsring given the workload htey had to shoulder for months now.
My expectation level for a WS run is under 10 percent. At best. I can even see the Dodgers melting down and not winning the division.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Once again, just like last year, the Dodgers only blueprint afforded them to advance in the playoffs is for virtually all of their post-season wins to come by outscoring their opponents in high-scoring affairs.
And once again, that AIN’T gonna happen!
Totally agree. Unless Buehler and Miller can suddenly turn their season completely around all our hopes will have to rely on our offense and our bullpen.
And if it has to be our offense the Dodgers can not carry all of Barnes, Kike, CT3 and KK.
Have to bring up Rushing NOW and take a look. He had 3 more hits yesterday including another HR. Have to take Pages over KK even if his defense is average at best.
In the bullpen they should give Henriquez a look NOW. Desperate situations ask for desperate measures.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yup, the Dodgers must pivot to making their post-season offense as potent as can be.
But don’t hold your breath waiting on AF to go that direction.
Considering their pitching mess, the Dodgers must prioritize offense over defense for the post-season if they are to have any chance of advancing in playoffs. And even so, that strategy is just a forlorn hope.
Probably.
Prioricising offense for me means also to play Mookie at 2b vs a LHP with Pages in RF from now on. No more Kikes or CT3s in a platoon with Lux.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pages is a waste of time. Both Kike and CT have come up big in the playoffs….Pages has been invisible for much of the 2nd half of the season and is a defensive liability. He shouldn’t even be on the playoff roster.
Loyality is a good thing but at some point it has to end for the sake of the team and the goals of the franchise.
You can not carry both of CT3 and Kike on the postseason roster. Just can not do it. Same player profile and not hitting at all vs RHP. Basically not hitting all season long both and in the case of CT3 for two seasons now. Sorry, All those who think CT3 and kike suddenly will switch to be good hitters in the playoffs IMHO are thinking with their hearts and not their brains.
And Pages is killing LH pitching all year. Put him in RF and Mookie at 2b , Pages is solid in RF defensively.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good listen about this toic:
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!
Can the Dodgers win the WS with their current starting pitching?
Since there is growing talk about Ohtani pitching for the Dodgers this postseason:
Some are saying do not risk sending him out to pitch this season. Those voices say it could lead to him being out as a hitter for 2025 if he reinjures himself pitching.
But he is already throwing off of a mound these days. So there is the risk of a reinjuring the elbow already present. Could happen with every pitch he throws .
So IMHO the Dodgers have to make a principal decision: Do they want Ohtani to pitch again or do they not ? If they want to use him as a pitcher and he is medically cleared to pitch again do it. If not shut him down as a pitcher for good and permanently.
If they want to use him as a pitcher I see no reason to hold him back IF medically cleared.
A reinjury and losing him as a hitter too for some time is the risk you have to take then
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Either pitch him this season or never? Is that what you are saying? How about don’t rush him, continue on a progressive path, then off season, then spring training, then he starts the season as pitcher/hitter.
And if they are that desperate then why don’t you think Gonsolin is a better option than Shohei? Gonsolin will be making his 2nd start today so he is ahead of Shohei, Kershaw, Glasnow and Stone!
Its not Gonsolin OR Ohtani in that discussion.
And I did not say pitch him this season or never. It is just about the risk of pitching him. Whenever he pitches the risk is there.
IF he is medically cleared I would strongly consider pitching him this year. Dodgers have a huge need and even if only can pitch 2-3 innings it would be a huge boost.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ohtani won’t start this year. If he pitches at all it will be one inning. Ok, maybe as an Opener but only one inning.
What to do when score 8 isn’t enough? I really don’t know. Hope the opposition has a flat day tomorrow? Are there any healthy arms left in the minors? Doesn’t matter if they are not ready for prime time. The Dodgers need someone to eat early innings.
As was mentioned, a lot of remaining games are against teams whose bags are packed. They should win enough of those to get in. Then what? Well, just get in and see what happens.
I have been saying this for awhile u cannot win in the playoffs without sp and we are bare. Flaherty and Yamamoto are the only hopes. We have burnt our bullpen to no recovery. U can’t outscore teams in the playoffs. It appears a sweep is coming. There is a good chance San Diego wins the division. AF is hell bent on picking up pitching with a Tommy John history like Buehler Glasnow etc. I know we don’t draft high so this is part of it. In the playoffs Betts and freeman have been almost automatic outs. I also think Roberts saying World Series or bust has taken its toll but he is responsible. The year started with great optimism but the team has not performed as such. Disappointing to say the least. Ohtani has statistically lived up to his part. Freeman has been my biggest disappointment and age is catching up. As the Cubbies always say just wait until next year.
We have to give Freeman some room on this season. His boy weighs heavily on his heart. I’m surprised he’s playing as well as he is. I’m more worried about Ohtani, Mookie, & Teoscar. And, Smith and Muncy. Man, that’s more or less the whole team. The jinx is on, 3 years in the making.
With the current state of the Dodger pitching staff, why would they subject Ohtani’s arm to pitching this year? He’s coming off his second TJ surgery. Do you really think Ohtani pitching a few innings in the postseason is going to lead to a World Series victory? That would be an insane move by the Dodger front office. Remember, he’s in the first year of a 10 year, $700M contract. Even if he doesn’t pitch until next year, the chances of him being an ace in the future are small.
The Dodgers have no successful strategy on how to handle their pitching staff’s health and well being. This is the third year in a row the starting staff has been a mess going into the postseason. It seems a starting pitcher must have had a TJ surgery before AF will draft or sign him. With the BP it seems it’s a requirement to have had a failing or unhealthy career for years in order for a chance with the Dodgers. A few have some success and then break down and disappear from the game. But, most are rehabbed until it’s apparent that they will be of no use to the team. All the while, we have Dave Roberts trying to convince us that they will be ready for the playoffs. The Dodgers have no credibility when it comes to giving the media or fans a more informed message about the health of their pitchers.
Look at Treinen’s career with the Dodgers. He comes to the team in 2020 and is on and off the IL multiple times in five years. This includes not pitching for almost two years. With hundreds of pitchers available in MLB why the fascination with Treinen? When he is fully healthy (2021) he is effective. Unfortunately, that’s not the case most of the time.
I see Ohtani, coming off a second TJ surgery, being able to pitch effectively maybe 2-3 years at the most. If he were to pitch at all this postseason I think it would be reckless and irresponsible for them to do so. But, of course, that’s in the Dodgers’ wheelhouse.
I think you can tell I’m disappointed with this team right now. To spend the money they have and the talented roster they’ve assembled, it’s just so frustrating that year after year injuries and/ or underperformance happens going into the postseason. I’m in the group that thinks a season without a World Series victory is not a successful year. Yeah, to win the division year after year is entertaining, but not a success. And now the playoffs are considered a “crap shoot”. With the talent the Dodgers currently have they should be dominate and be able to overcome any team on a hot streak. But, each year there’s always something.
Carry on.
Great post as usual TED.
Why would the Dodgers risk another arm injury to Ohtani out of desperation in what appears to be a lost season? I’d think giving Gonsolin a try would be way more level headed.
I think it’s all hands on deck with any pitcher on the 40 man roster now; Casparius, Wrobleski, Hurt, Honeywell and Frasso. They can’t be worse.
More expectations are on Buehler and Miller, who may just not be capable of carrying the mail. And Kershaw.
“Andrew Freidman has said that this winter the team is going to look into the cause of so many arm injuries and try to find solutions to the growing problem.” WOW, great idea AF.
I’m drinking the Kool-Aid that the injuries are caused by Velo and Spin. But I’m not convinced that’s the reason. Not all guys who’ve broken down have above average velocity or spin.
Excessive workloads are perceived as a problem. Some fans are pooping their pants over Flaherty having pitched 151 innings with 26 starts.
Just for fun, I looked at our innings pitched and asked “why are guys breaking down with the innings they’ve pitched? Are they really overworked? Obviously, they’ve pitch less if they been on the IL, and a this point, who hasn’t been on the IL?
We has 3 pitchers over 100 innings. Flaherty at 151, Stone at 140, Glasnow at 134. After that it’s Yamamoto at 78, Sheehan at 60, Buehler at 59, Knack at 56, Miller at 54, Kershaw at 30 and River who broke down at 20 innings.
We have only 3 starters who have over 20 starts; Flaherty @25, Stone @ 25 and Glasnow @ 22.
Vesia, Yarbrough and Hudson all have more innings than all of our starting pitchers, except 4.
Just for the hell of it, I compared our numbers to the 1971 Orioles, because they had 4 starting pitchers who all won 20 games or more.
I know you can’t compare generations. It’s a different game. But bear with me.
These 4 starters averaged 270 innings in the 71 season. Again, folks now are concerned over Flaherty being overworked at 151 innings. Does Flaherty have exceptional spin and velocity, compared to Jim Palmer?
The 4 Orioles had 70 complete games by the way. The 2024 Dodgers have ONE. I know, a successful outing is now 5 innings and 85 pitches.
I’m not living in the past but at times, I wish I was compared to the game I see today.
What can, if anything, be learned from the past?
Are the injuries of this generation all about high velocity and spin? Why are softer throwers and guys without great spin, falling like flies too?
Is it about scouts looking at radar guys at 15? Are year around pitching and showcase games and Daddy-ball, and pitching labs the culprits? Or maybe filling a staff with pitchers who have all have past injuries?
Again, “Andrew Freidman has said that this winter the team is going to look into the cause of so many arm injuries and try to find solutions to the growing problem.” Good luck and get busy.
Hurt is out for the season. He isn’t on the IL at the MLB roster, but he is definitely out for the year. They could use his roster spot in the post-season.
Geez, Bear despite attempts, I can’t keep track of who’s on the 28 man roster, who will be on the 26 man roster and who’s on the IL. I didn’t remember Hurt was hurt.
Thanks Phil. I like your idea of youngsters playing year round travel ball, showcases, etc. as a possible cause for all the injuries.
It’s something that I haven’t seen mentioned.
A prospect should have at least 150 innings pitched in the season before they are called up. That way they should use that as a floor to build from.
Those Baltimore starting staff’s stats are insane. An average if 270 innings. Has Glasnow even pitched that many innings in his career? I know he has, but I doubt he’s exceeded that in the past 3-4 years.
This team was snake bitten before the season even started. The brass doesn’t know how to manage pitchers. Clearly. And it’s going to end the season. I’ve never seen anything like it.
Like others have said, Dodger pitching is one thing. But getting shut down like a AAA squad by other pitching results in a blow out.
Decent chance they don’t win the division IMO.
Just read this on another site:
Our potential playoff rotation as of now:
Flaherty
Hope (Yamamoto)
Pray (Stone)
Rain
😀
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!
The simple truth is staring us in the face. As constructed at this point in time, the starting pitching on the Dodgers is not going to win the World Series. With 14 games left, and a 3.5 game lead over the Padres, there should be some concern about winning their own division. If they were to lose the division to the Pads, they most likely would have to face Arizona in a 3-game wild card series. It is simply not looking too promising for the boys in blue.
Wow, on the same day, three exe Dodger pitchers get cut loose by their teams. The Angels DFAd Nick Robertson, the D-Backs DFAd Dylan Floro and the Yankees released Victor Gonzalez. It is looking less likely that Cody Bellinger will opt out of his Cubs contract. He would be leaving 50 million on the table. More likely he would opt out after next season when it would only be 20, and he will only be 30 years old.
Orioles DFAd LHRP Cole Irvin for assignment.
Tony Gonsolin gets the start in OKC tonight against Tacoma.
If he does well and comes out of it healthy I would give him a start with the Dodgers. Buildup be damned they only go 5 innings anyway. If healthy he could b huge.
5 innings is a complete game to this staff
Well on the bright side that sure was a nice catch CT made.had to think of something good all the doom and gloom on here is depressing
I think “extensive MLB experience” as a consideration down the stretch and in the playoffs, should be out the window. Flaherty, Yamamoto and the maybe’s; Kershaw, Miller, Buehler and Stone don’t provide much comfort. It’s a MASH unit. Find some fresh arms.
Might be very true Phil. But the most any pitcher at OKC has pitched is the 74 innings Alex Gamboa has. Lyle and Duplantier have some MLB starting experience, fresh arms maybe, but not much help I would think. If things get desperate, they would probably go with Wrobleski. Right now, they have one lefty on the roster. They really need Buehler and Miller to up their game a lot. Could they really keep Honeywell on the postseason roster? Right now, though, they really need to win today’s game just to keep the hounds at bay. The Padres finish up with the Giants today, who got reamed by their manager after yesterday’s shutout loss. While LA finishes up with Atlanta and then goes to Miami, Padres are playing the Astros. They then get the White Sox while LA is home playing the Rockies. Need at least 4 wins in the next 5 games.
True enough Bear. The fact that the most innings thrown at OKC is by Gamboa is 74 is part of my questions about the organizations innings management program and preparation of our minor league starters. I think it might have been River Ryan who had a ceiling in any MiLB start of like 78 pitches in a game. He threw 92 pitches on July 28th and broke down after 4 MLB starts. In 2023, Ryan had 104 total innings in 26 games. That’s 4 innings per start.
Casparius has 64 innings. Choi 64 and Dobson 61. In AA Ortiz-Mary has 135 and Kendall Williams 93. The next closest is at 67 innings.
Is it really adequate prep to become a Major League starting pitcher?
I’ve seen a stat a few years back that suggested that a pitcher should not have an innings increase from one season to the next, over 30%. So at that rate, using Ryan with a ceiling of 104 innings in 23, he should max out in 2024, if healthy, at 135 innings. In 2025 that would be 176 innings. If he had lasted that long.
So my question is, is that adequate prep in MiLB to be prepared to be a Major League starting pitcher? Why aren’t these kids conditioned to pitch more in MiLB? Oh yeah, we save workloads and any arm injuries in the minors to show up when they are a Major League starter. We can then shut them down or they exceed the recommended 140 innings.
The math doesn’t work for 162 games, with starting pitchers with current expectations. Assuming a starter gets 30 starts which is very unlikely. And he goes an optimistic 6 innings per start, he maxes out at 180 innings. Any way you stack it, all bullpens will be overworked and broken down by seasons end.
I think a nice place to start looking is to not baby starting pitchers throughout their minor league careers.
Heyward 2-2 against the Angels today. Homer and a single and he has driven in 2 runs.
Good for him!
It seems every time Buehler pitches we score very little and/or crappy d. He has already walked 5 so he has little margin for error. Barnes continues to play crappy d costing runs and elevating the pitch count. Defensive interference again and can’t throw to first or second.
All things considered, I would happily take this game from Buehler in October.
I agree
how about a break out ninth!! Now that is the Dodger team we were expecting. Kopech comes up big in the 8th!!
2 out explosion. Now hold on lol!!
Ya, Kopech really changed the momentum by getting out of that.
Glad to c Roberts left Buehler in for the 6th. One bad inning the 3rd but he breezed through the next 3. Buehler walked 3 or 4 but the catcher interference led to an unearned run. Plus I felt the umpire was not giving him anything close but Morton got the close ones. Glad to c Mookie plate the go ahead run after leaving 4 on. They can get Teoscar out on the breaking stuff but if they hang it he hits it a long way. Man, Graterol was dealing. Really good win. A win tomorrow would be huge.
After going into hibernation for several games, the Dodgers offense finally wakes up with clutch hits from the big guns in the 9th-inning.
Clutch Dodger win and they needed it badly. 13 games to go with a 3.5 game lead. Kopech was excellent. Yamamoto tomorrow against Fried. Go Blue!
I’m pretty sure the Dodgers are undefeated when they hit back-to-back-to-back homers.
So that’s a good strategy with the starting rotation in tatters.
Did Buehler’s start represent a small step forward? I’d like to think so, because he really might be needed in the playoffs.
Nice to have Graterol back. The bullpen continues to look like a strength.