OKC Comets 3 – Round Rock Express (Texas) 1
Clayton Kershaw started his rehab assignment this AM, and pitched well for 3.0 scoreless innings. He surrendered 2 hits with no walks and 2 strikeouts. Clayton was super-efficient as he threw only 30 pitches in his 3.0 IP. 22 of the 30 pitches were strikes.
Clayton Kershaw (@Dodgers) with an efficient first rehab start with the @OKC_comets:
3 IP
2 H
0 R
0 BB
2 K
30 pitches, 22 strikes pic.twitter.com/k4c3iwSUrD— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) April 16, 2025
Assuming he pitches once a week, Clayton should have 4 more starts before he is eligible to come off 60 day IL. That should be more than enough time for him to ramp up. Please know, he will have some tough innings before his rehab is through.
Justin Jarvis followed Kershaw and pitched a marvelous 5.0 innings. He allowed 1 run on four singles and 1 BB to go with his 4 strikeouts. Jarvis was also efficient with throwing 71 pitches in his 5.0 IP + 2 batters in the 9th.
OKC finally broke through a scoreless game with a pair of runs in the 6th. Eddie Rosario drew a BB, and James Outman followed with his 4th HR on the season. The homer was Outman’s third homer in the last four games.
OKC scored an insurance run in the 7th when Esteury Ruiz doubled (2). Ruiz stole 3rd and came around to score an unearned run after a throwing error by Tacoma pitcher, Adonis Medina.
Evan Phillips was warming up in the bullpen, but Jarvis came back out in the 9th. The first batter he faced hit a pop up to 2B, but Austin Gauthier dropped the ball for an error. The next batter singled to CF and the Rainiers had runners on 1st and 2nd and nobody out.
Phillips was summoned from the bullpen. This was Phillips’ first attempt at back to back games. Phillips struck out the first batter he faced, but surrendered a single to load the bases. He then was able to induce a game ending 4-6-3 double play
Tacoma outhit OKC 7-6. 5 of the 6 OKC hits were XBH.
- Alex Freeland – 2-4, 2 doubles (8)
- James Outman – 1-4, 1 run, 2 RBI, HR (4)
- Esteury Ruiz – 1-2, 1 HBP, 1 run, double (2)
- Austin Gauthier – 1-3, double (3)
Eddie Rosario got the other hit, a single.
Tulsa Drillers 5 – Wichita Wind Surge (Minnesota) 4 – 14 innings
Wednesday’s early morning start between the Tulsa Drillers and Wichita Wind Surge turned into a 14-inning marathon. The game entered the final inning of regulation tied at 1-1, and both teams rallied for two runs each to send the game into extra innings tied at 3-3.
The two teams matched runs in the eleventh, and after two more scoreless innings, Yeiner Fernandez singled to right field to score the winning run and give Tulsa the 5-4 walk-off win.
Tulsa led most of the game after Chris Newell and John Rhodes began the first inning by each extending their hitting streaks, and Damon Keith supplied the Drillers first run with a sacrifice fly.
RHSP Chris Campos was the clear star for this one. The Tulsa starting pitcher worked a four-hit shutout over six innings with no walks and six strikeouts.
Antonio Knowles took over for Campos in the seventh inning. He inherited a 15.1 scoreless inning streak by Tulsa pitchers. Wichita ended the streak with its first run of the series in that seventh. Following a one-out walk and a single, the Wind Surge got a Jake Rucker sacrifice fly to tie the game at 1-1.
With Tanner Kiest on the bump for Tulsa, Wichita managed to break the tie with one swing in the ninth. With a runner at first base, Kyler Fedko hit a two-run homer to give the Wind Surge a 3-1 lead.
The Drillers rallied to tie the game in the ninth inning. Tulsa’s half of the ninth began with a flyout, but after two consecutive hits, Aaron Bracho drove in a run with a double to cut the deficit to 3-2. Following an intentional walk of Fernandez, Ezequiel Pagan tied the game with a sacrifice fly.
The two sides each scored a run in the eleventh, with Wichita using an RBI single from Tanner Schobel, and Tulsa getting a sacrifice fly from Jose Ramos to leave the game tied at 4-4.
After the twelfth and thirteen innings were scoreless, Fernandez led off the fourteenth with a soft liner that dropped into shallow right field for a single that brought Bracho home with the winning run.
Jose Ramos potentially saved the game in the 12th. With the placed runner on 2B, Kelvin Bautista walked the first batter, and struck out the next one. RHP Brandon Neeck relieved Bautista and surrendered a single into LF. The runner was waved home, but Ramos playing shallow, scooped up the ball, fired home and got the runner at the plate. Neeck would then face 7 more hitters and retired all without the inherited run scoring.
- Aaron Bracho – 3-5, 1 BB, 1 run, 1 RBI, double (1)
- Damon Keith, 2-4, 1 BB,1 run, 1 RBI, double (2), Sac Fly
Great Lakes Loons 10 – Dayton Dragons (Reds) 5
RHP Eriq Swan made his 2025 debut. He completed 4.0 innings. He allowed 1 run on 4 hits, 1 BB, and registered 3 K. He threw 59 pitches in his debut, 35 for strikes.
The Loons struck first in the 3rd. Kendall George reached on an error and was balked to 2nd. George went to 3rd on a ground out. George scored on the second fielding error of the inning.
Dayton tied it up in the 4th with a solo HR.
Great Lakes put up two more in the 6th. Kole Myers singled and scored on a Carlos Rojas double (2). Jackson Nicklaus walked and Kendall George reached on a bunt single. Logan Wagner walked in the 2nd run of the inning and took a 3-1 lead.
LHP Wyatt Crowell made his professional career debut relieving Swan. He got through 3.2 innings without allowing a run before hitting the proverbial wall. After getting two outs in the top of the 8th, Crowell issued a BB, and then gave up a fly ball 2-run HR before LHP Evan Shaw relieved him.
Shaw gave up a BB, double, and a single for 2 runs before he got the final out. At then end of 7.5 innings, Dayton turned the game around and took a 5-3 lead.
The Loons put up 7 in the bottom of the 8th. Jackson Nicklaus and Kendall George opened the inning with walks. Logan Wagner reached on an error to load the bases for Josue De Paula. De Paula hit a grand slam HR (2) to put the Loons back up to 7-5. GL was not done. Zyhir Hope, Jordan Thompson, and Joe Vetrano each walked to load the bases again. Hope scored on a Kole Myers force out at 2nd, and Thompson moved to 3rd. Carlos Rojas hit a sac fly that was dropped by the left fielder for an error. With Myers on 2nd and Rojas on 1st, Nicklaus and George both walked with Myers scoring on George’s BB.
Carson Hobbs retired the Dragons in order in the 9th, and the Loons beat Dayton 10-5.
- Josue De Paula – 2-5, 1 BB, 1 run, 4 RBI, double (3), HR (2)
- Joe Vetrano – 2-4, 1 BB
- Carlos Rojas – 2-4, 1 run, 2 RBI, double (2)
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 5 – San Jose Giants 3
The Quakes stayed perfect at home on Wednesday night, rallying for a 5-3 win over the San Jose Giants.
San Jose took the lead in the 3rd after Rancho starter Hyun-Seok Jang allowed a walk, double, and single to give the Giants a 2-0 lead. After a BB and a K to start the 4th, Jang was relieved by Alex Makarewich. Jang completed 3.1 innings, allowing the 2 runs, 2 hits, 3 BB, and 4 K.
The Quakes finally got to Giants’ starter Niko Mazza in the fourth, scoring five times to take the lead for good. Eduardo Quintero reached on an error. Mike Sirota and Samuel Sanchez each singled to load the bases. Jose Meza drew a BB to give the Quakes their first run. Eduardo Guerrero hit into a force play allowing Sirota to score the tying run. Victor Rodriguez drew a walk to load the bases, and Raynerd Ortega followed with a run-scoring BB giving RC the lead. Kellon Lindsey greeted the reliever with a 2-out 2-run single giving the Quakes a 5-2 lead.
San Jose scored an unearned run in the 7th for the Giants final run.
Alex Makarewich (1-0) and Jholbran Herder combined for 5.2 innings of 1 hit, 1 unearned run, 1 BB, and 10 strikeouts out of the pen. Herder went the final 3.1 innings to earn his first save and help Rancho win their third straight game overall and improve to 5-0 at home.
The Quakes will look for a season-best fourth straight win on Thursday night, as they send Aidan Foeller (0-0) to the mound.
Mike Sirota was the only Quakes batter with a multi-hit game. He was 3-4 including his 4th double of the year. Kellon Lindsey had a multi RBI game with 2.
Really bad start for Bobby Miller.
Almost cost the game.
Fastball is just too straight, not enough deception. Hitters can pick it up and it does not matter if he hits 98.99. When he does not have his changeup and /or slider the results are what we saw again .
Outman, Miller, Bruns for Robert jun. ? Two struggling big leaguers plus a lottery ticket for an also struggling major leaguer ?
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I see Kim is down to .268. And Kendall George is hitting .179. Is he that bad, or maybe it’s just a bad start?
Good thing Miller was pitching against the Rockies.
The list of Dodger starters sounds impressive when read. It appears they have 2+ Major League rotations. It’s an illusion. They currently have 4 starters. None on that long list will average 6 innings and it’s unlikely any will throw 150 innings. It’s anybody’s guess who will be the 4 come October.
Conforto is hitting .211. I trust he is better than that. Muncy at .193 had the highest average of the bottom three last night. But it’s not average that counts, it’s OPS, and of the three that goes to Pages at .597.
One thunderous inning, 10 Ks in 8 innings. But the team escaped with a win. Off they go now, to play 5 on the road against first place clubs. They are both 5-5 in their last 10, as are the Dodgers Nobody is really streaking so they should be close games.
Man, did we escape the Rockies? I am getting more and more concerned about our starting pitchers. Is there anyone rock solid on the team anymore.
Freddie is back! And now, Teoscar seems to be slumping. I could take this all with a grain of salt but we seem to have real competition this year in our Division.
All of the stats now reflect a small sample. These days, the Dodgers analytics team would have a better idea of individual performance based on stuff like barrel rate and exit velocity.
About 40 years ago I met Al Campanis a couple years after his fall from grace. I told him about a kid from CalTech who had developed a stat to measure how well relievers prevented inherited runners from scoring. (He called it the Inherited Runners Average, or IRA. And the student’s name was Ira.)
Anyway, Campanis talked about the importance of scouts eyeballing the players, because box scores can be so misleading.
One guy goes 3 for 3–but it was a couple of bloops and a swinging bunt.
His teammate goes 0 for 4–but all four were unlucky rockets off the bat.
BTW, with Kim I’d pay more attention of OBP than BA. He’ll be batting in the 8th or 9th spot and his job is to get on base. He was really good at that in Korea.
“I’d pay more attention of OBP than BA”
I am. It’s dropping too. .333 in AAA isn’t all that impressive. Don’t know if there’s any need for alarm, just an observation. I do still see him in the lineup eventually. Hopefully he’s just what this team needs. Speed and versatility.
The part where you say list of Dodger pitchers sounds impressive, it might be just to us as we read about them continually on our own Dodger sites. I think I agree with your points on them.
But he also doesn’t have control. Too many non competitive pitches.
ON days like yesterday when he does not have the changeup and slider they sit on the fastball and hammer it.
Either he can at least have one more reliable pitch (preferably the change) he will not survive as a starter. Maybe closer but not a starter.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Miller has a habit of having one really bad inning. He almost blew a six-run lead. No excuse. You are right, his fastball is about as straight as they come, but the grand slam came off of a pitch that was up in the zone. Then he gives up another dinger to weak hitting Moniak. I have seen all I want to see of Bobby Miller. It has gone to his head.
Miller’s fastball wasn’t too straight in ’23. Today his curve looked good until Toglia hit one out of the park.
Your trade proposal seems plausible. Something in that range. If the Dodgers think they can fix Robert, it’s probably worth the risk-to-reward ratio. (I’d toss in Ryan Ward too. He’ll never get shot with the Dodgers.)
And the Dodgers might check the price on Arenado too…
Sirota might be best CF prospect in system. Quintero, George in running.
Good to hear that. He could well be the CF of the future.
Scott is nasty
Phillips, Gonsolin, Kershaw.
Either time for a trade or some rest-rotation begins.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/could-jakob-wright-be-the-dodgers-next-sleeper-pitching-prospect/
The Dodgers were definitely constructed to beat the Rockies.
Good one.
Imagine being a minor leaguer who can say, “I got a hit off Kershaw.”
Thanks for the news from down on the farm. Some key guys seem to be making progress.
Just noticed a fun fact about the Dodgers’ uncomfortable 8-7 win today against the Rockies.
You know how the Dodgers staff has been giving up too many walks?
In this game, Dodger pitchers threw 16 strikeouts.
And issued just one walk.
Newsweek, not exactly a bastion of sports intelligence, especially where it comes to the game of baseball, suggested that the Dodgers need to trade for Jared Kelenic. Kelenic, who is a very good defensive outfielder, is hitting just .151. I do not see where he solves any problems other than being a better defensive player than Pages.
Nope. 5 years, .658 OPS. Robert Jr., 6 years, .779 OPS.
Kim needs to hit > .315 in OK before being called up IMHO.
Freeland needs to continue what he is doing through April and then push him up.
Outman needs to keep pounding home runs.
Why set a higher standard for Kim? Very few callups are even hitting .300. Before Outman was brought up he was a high K,low avg w good power type of hitter. No surprise now that he is the same.
Kim needs to be an OBP with speed type hits. His defensive skills are needed on this team but he needs to get on base at least a third of the time to be of value to this lineup.
Snell back soon?
He played catch on the 14th. He said he felt good. His return depends on if he makes a rehab start or not. He is eligible to come off of the IL on the 18th. The team is thinking later in April.
I’d say 80% of the previous posts this morning are head-scratchers.
Huh?
Quoi?
WSJ says 63.78% of stats are made up on the fly
Yeah, but that’s on flies. What about baseball?
Mathematically that’s roughly equal to 1 – e^-1
199 % of what you post makes everyone wonder what you were thinking.
Is this a joke? Link?
Must be. That was nonsensical. I typed a similar message elsewhere, must have been on autopilot? Maybe?
apologies!
No apologies necessary. I am just having fun.
The bottom of the order is so boring it would have to be deemed “ball-scratchers”
Now that is funny right there.
Sounds like a personal problem.
It is my belief, which in itself is shaky, that a good shortstop can play any position other than pitcher or catcher. I raise this point because (1) perhaps Freeman is the answer at CF and (2) the young prospects are busting at the seams with shortstops. I’d rather see Miller, Outman and whoever traded for young prospects and build the nucleus of the team from within and throw in a couple of upper end free agents. I think picking up Roberts Jr., salary the money could be better spent just giving it to me.
im excited that tonight my wife and I are attending OKC’s game. If you haven’t seen brick town or the ballpark, you should put it on your bucket list.im going to try and talk the wife into going to Texas on Sunday and watch the Dodgers but I don’t like my chances.
wishing everyone a blessed and safe Easter weekend.
One last observation, Kershaw threw 30 pitches22 for strikes. Hitting is difficult it becomes easier when you have the count in your favor or if the pitcher is only able to land one type of a pitch for strikes. Control, changing speed and location is paramount to being a good pitcher. Velocity doesn’t hurt but change of speed will make a 90mph fastball look like it’s 95 if you have other other effective pitches. Now I’ll shut up for a minute.:)
Do you mean Freeland? Not sure Freddie could make the transition to CF.
If so, Freeland could become our Jackson Peter Merrill.
Yep, my bad
No biggie.
The Athletic does a yearly survey among baseball front offices, asking them who they feel is the best front office in MLB.
No surprise, the Dodgers came in first, with Tampa second.
Some of us have made regular comments for the past few years, that we feel AF might hold on to certain prospects too long. This, of course, is a matter of individual opinion and it’s never easy to determine the exact correct time to move a prospect, but I found the following quote from one exec about the Rays front office very interesting:
““They realize the value of a player is really high early in their minor-league careers and they make a very quick decision on whether or not that guy is going to actually move through the system or not,” one AL GM said. “And the second they think he’s not going to, they move him. They stick to their guns. They don’t waver from how they make those decisions. So there’s a lot of continuity in what they do.”
Vargas, Miller, Cartaya…
Here is a video of Bobby Miller’s 2023 highlights. Most of his out pitches were with his change and with his curve mixed in. The 4-seamer was straight, but it was his sequencing and ability to land the change and breaking balls for strikes that made the 4-seamer look unhittable. If he cannot get the batter to swing at the change they are going to sit on his 4-seamer. Nomar commented after the game that his 4-seamer is just too flat to compete at MLB.
Last night’s game per Baseball Savant:
https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/gamefeed?date=4/16/2025&gamePk=778287&chartType=pitch&legendType=pitchName&playerType=pitcher&inning=&count=&pitchHand=&batSide=&descFilter=&ptFilter=&resultFilter=&hf=playerBreakdown&sportId=1&liveAb=#778287
Bobby Miller Baseball Savant page:
https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/bobby-miller-676272?stats=statcast-r-pitching-mlb
2024 Statcast Leaderboard for 4-seamer
https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/leaderboard/pitch-arsenal-stats?type=pitcher&pitchType=FF&year=2024&team=&min=1&minPitches=300&sort=8&sortDir=desc
With minimum of 300 4-seamers thrown in 2024, here is where Bobby Miller stacked up:
It’s called Jonathan Broxton disease. A flat 4-seam fastball with no movement or spin that goes straight through the zone. MLB hitters eat those for lunch, especially if it’s a hitter’s count.
I’m beginning to seriously worry for Bobby Miller, especially if his stuff is not good enough to get Colorado hitters out.
One would think a grip change could fix his flat fastball.
If it were that easy, you might think that Mark Prior would have already done that. That is something they do when players come to LAD from other teams. One of the first things they check.
I know but still…
He has multiple issues keeping him from success.
What are those multiple issues? I have not talked with him, and I do not know him personally, so I have no idea what multiple problems he has.
I thought Miller’s stuff was fine, probably better than fine, yesterday.
just waaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy too many FBs and again not working out of tough spots.
Barnes calling the pitches. Whose game plan was it?
Does not matter who was calling the pitches if they do not move. Compare his pitches with May who has unreal movement on most everything he throws.
He threw too many fastballs because he could not land his change or curve for strikes. He threw 10 changes, only 3 landed in the zone, and they were all hit. No whiffs. 2 went foul and 1 was an out. He had zero command of his change. Batters have to at least think change/curve rather than just spit on them. They sat on his 4-seamer – 14 swings – 1 whiff. At least he got 4 whiffs out of 11 curves. Unfortunately one of those curves missed middle middle for a long ball.
He was sent down today. Hopefully he will work on that change. Most MiLB hitters have a problem with his upper 90’s 4-seamer. That is not what he needs to work on when he is at OKC. Command his offspeed and breaking stuff. I do think he can be an effective pitcher if he gets his change and curve as it was in 2023. Will he?
Despite being able to throw it nearly 100-mph, Miller’s fastball is terrible. It was evident last night and it’s been evident throughout his entire career. He got 14 swings on that pitch last night, generating only one whiff. The Rockies went 3-for-5 against that pitch.
See what happens if he stops throwing the 4-seamer. That should at least be the first step.
He has to be able to land his change/curve/sinker. If he cannot land them for strikes, he only has his 4-seamer to work with. Batters will sit on it as they did yesterday and last year. His 4-seamer could be effective if he can get hitters to whiff at his change/curve/slider.
Major league hitters can time a bullet.
Yes most can. That is why pitchers have to use the offspeed and breaking balls. Miller landed them for strikes pre NLDS in 2023. Or go back to his first game in 2024 – March 29. He threw 93 pitches and hit 6.0 IP. He did not allow a run, 2 hits, 1 BB, and 11 K. I have no idea why he can’t get back there. But he hasn’t. Rick Honeycutt was an expert at looking at film to determine what might have changed. Mark Prior and Connor McGuiness are expert at changing grip, setup, sequencing…but I have no idea if they can look at Miller’s 2023 film and discern what has changed. I would focus on release point. But that is just a novice’s opinion.
Is it possible that maybe he’s just not that good, and his stuff isn’t that good?
His stuff is good, but that does not always translate to a game. You do not strike out 7 in 3.0 IP if your stuff is not good. You do not pitch as well as he did in 2023 and not be a good pitcher. Can he get back there? He lost his command. Can he get it back? Many others have, so why not him? What is wrong with the 2023 Bobby Miller?
I think that’s the Broxton disease. Flat hittable non-moving fastball. That’s my best guess.
Could LHP Jack Dreyer wind up being the closer?
He’s given up 0 hits on his fastball that he’s thrown 44% of the time. He throws a slider with a 41% whiff rate.
Collectively he just has a .079 batting average against. 16 strike outs over 12 innings & an 0.75 ERA.
I’ll settle for Damn Good Reliever Out Of Nowhere.
Not for the next four years he won’t. That is how long Tanner Scott’s contract is for.
Well maybe performance Trump’s contract
Possible, but I doubt it.
Bobby Miller was predictably sent back to OKC today. They have not yet called anyone up. They do not need a starter until next Wednesday. Wrobleski??? It is his turn. I am assuming that Evan Phillips will be activated for the weekend series with Texas. I am also assuming that someone is going to go on the IL or Luis Garcia is going to be DFA if they bring up Wrobleski. Or they could just do a bullpen game for next Wednesday, but IMO that just delays the inevitable.
They should release Garcia, he is a complete waste of a 40-man roster spot.
Garcia throws 98, has an offspeed pitch, and we don’t care if his arm falls completely off.
The guy allows over 7 runs per nine innings. He’s horrendous and so far over the hill, he can’t even see the hill. Why continue to employ him at all?
Because the front office knows more than we do. I know they know more than I do. And I’m not convinced you know more than I do.
I’m not sure why you’re arguing in favor of keeping a pitcher who allows over 7 runs per nine innings. Don’t understand why you have to be so difficult over this.
Who’s arguing? You’re citing early season stats, using the word “horrendous,” and bashing the age [check Yates’ btw] of literally the 26th most important player on the team. Roll on, John.
Are you comparing Kirby Yates to him?
Every roster spot is important. I don’t care if he’s the 26th, 25th, 18th,
He reminds me of other bum relievers that were wasting spots, Lance Cormier, Russ Ortiz, Jack Taschner, Daniel Coloumbe, ETC.
There is no reason to continue to employ him, with a bunch of hungry younger pitchers in the minors looking to make their mark. ANY of them could come up and allow less than 7 runs per nine, are younger, throw just as hard and hey they all have offspeed pitches buddy.
You are seriously the rudest and nastiest poster on this board.
Kirby Yates is 38.
And thank you, mate.
I forgot that you existed.
Yates is a much better pitcher than him. Pitchers with talent justify their roster spots. Even you should be able to figure that out.
I would prefer that you forget about me.
Rockies fired their hitting coach, Hensley Muelens, and Clint Hurdle has been named his replacement for the rest of the season. Hurdle was acting as an advisor for the Rockies. Hector Neris signed a minor league deal with the Angels.
Wrobleski will probably be the next starting pitcher call up. But is there any merit to having Casparius take on the role of spot starter?
He’s whatever we need him to be.
By the time the trade deadline rolls around the White Sox may just give Robert jr to us if we pay for the plane flight
By that time, if he is still below the Mendoza line, I doubt they would even pay for a bus ticket.
Giants lost today and the Dodgers are now in second place 1.5 games back of the Padres.
It seems there is a clock on Pages time in the majors. According to a story in Dodger Way by Katie Manganelli, Roberts is looking at 150 plate appearances for him to show significant improvement. That’s plate appearances, not at bats. He is at 64, so he has some time to work things out. Just what LA’s options in center field remain to be seen if the kid doesn’t start producing offensively.
Well he has certainly played much better the last few games.If he keeps it up we don’t have to worry about his hitting.