Holes or Opportunities?

Of course the Dodgers have holes in their lineup.  I do not know a team that does not.  The starting pitching seems to be in good shape.  Early in the season, the starters were not getting deep into games, and that seemed to give the bullpen some concerns, especially with the number of arms on the IL that were counted on.

Of late, the starters have been pitching through 6.0 innings and into the 7^th and 8^th innings.

Tyler Glasnow (7 Quality Starts):

• 0 IP – 1
• 0 IP – 3
• 0 IP – 3
• 0 IP – 3
• Last 5 – 8.0, 6.0, 7.0, 7.0, 5.0

Yoshinobu Yamamoto (5 Quality Starts)

• 0 IP – 1
• 1 IP – 1
• 0 IP – 3
• 2 IP – 1
• 0 IP – 3
• 0 IP – 1
• Last 6 – 6.0, 6.0, 6.0, 8.0, 5.2, 6.1

James Paxton (4 Quality Starts)

• 2 IP – 1
• 0 IP – 3
• 0 IP – 3
• 2 IP – 1
• Last 4 – 5.0, 6.2, 6.0, 6.0

Gavin Stone (5 Quality Starts) – Not counting last night

• 0 IP – 2
• 2 IP – 1
• 0 IP – 2
• 0 IP – 1
• 1 IP – 1
• 0 IP – 1
• Last 4 – 7.0, 6.0, 7.0, 6.0

Walker Buehler (1 Quality Start)

• 0 IP – 1 (Last game)
• 0 IP – 1
• 1 IP – 1

Landon Knack (1 Quality Start)

• 0 IP – 1
• 0 IP – 2
• 2 IP – 1

Bobby Miller (1 Quality Start)

• 0 IP – 1
• 0 IP – 1
• 2 IP – 1

Trending up is starter IP.  Currently 261 for 9^th most, with Phillies #1 at 288.

Trending down is reliever IP.  Currently 189.1 for #2.

Starters:

• ERA – 3.24 (#5)
• WHIP – 1.13 (#6)
• BAA – .220 (#5)

Relievers:

• ERA – 3.04 (#3)
• WHIP – 1.05 (#2)
• BAA – .205 (#2)

Both starters and relievers are trending up.

Currently the 5 SP are – Glasnow, Yamamoto, Buehler, Stone, Paxton.  When Miller comes back, do they officially go to a 6-man rotation. What happens when Clayton Kershaw comes back.  Down on the farm and ready to go – Landon Knack and maybe Ben Casparius.  Multi inning options – Ryan Yarbrough and Elieser Hernandez.  So while the Braves are eyeing Zach Eflin from the Rays, the Dodgers are not in that market.  Nor do I believe they are in the Justin Verlander market.

The bullpen has been good enough, there does not appear to be a chance that AF would spend the prospect capital for Mason Miller.  Plus, if Baltimore wanted Miller, the Dodgers could not touch what the O’s could offer.  Are the O’s willing to spend on a reliever?  But there are a number of quality late inning relievers AF could be interested in.  But he has been loath to spend prospect capital on relief pitching.  He did trade for Tony Watson and Tony Cingrani at the 2017 deadline with rookie level lottery tickets.  One was Oneal Cruz/Angel German for Tony Watson.  Scott Van Slyke and Hendrik Clementia for Cingrani.  AF was rumored to be targeting multiple relief RP targets since, but the cost was always too high for him to pull the trigger.  The best he has picked up since 2017?  Chris Martin for Zach McKinstry in 2022.

I am working on a reliever post, probably for this weekend.

The first and perhaps most glaring hole for the LAD roster is OF.  The current OF is Teoscar Hernández, Andy Pages, Jason Heyward, Chris Taylor, and Miguel Vargas.  Vargas has had 3 uninspiring ABs since being recalled.  I am not sure why he is on the 26 man if they are not going to play him as much as Pages.  Is he now considered a backup platoon LF?  A backup platoon LF on a team that needs an offensive OF.  That ought to do wonders for his trade value.  If James Outman needs everyday ABs at OKC doesn’t a younger Vargas?

Vargas will be optioned once Max Muncy returns from the IL, and Kiké Hernández moves back to the OF group.

What OF might be available?  That really depends on who will be buying and who will be selling.

Right now, most teams are still very much in the WC race.  In the NL, the teams seemingly out of the WC race are Colorado (8.0 WCGB), Miami (8.5 WCGB), and Cincinnati (4.5 WCGB).  No other team is farther back than 2.5 games.  In the AL, the teams seemingly out of the WC race are CWS (10.5 WCGB), Oakland (6.0 WCGB), LAA (5.5 WCGB).  Houston is 3.5 WCGB and the rest are 2.5 WCGB or better.

Duke Not Snider brought up Brent Rooker who is more of a DH than Of, but yes he can play LF.  Rooker is a RH hitter with severe reverse splits.  I am not sure how a RH bat who has problems with hitting LHP can help.  But would he be available?  Sure.  Is he the OF answer to the Dodgers problems?  I don’t think so.  I would rather suffer growing pains with Pages, Outman, and Vargas.

The one Fish OF that keeps coming up in the trade simulator is Jazz Chisholm, and I cannot see that ever happening as long as Miggy Ro is with the Dodgers.  Even when he is gone, I cannot see AF trading for a player who publicly disrespected Miggy Rojas (or any player, for that matter).

Inter-Division trades are rare.  They do happen, but they are rare. Colorado has an OF that should interest most teams, even though he is having a James Outman type sophomore season…Nolan Jones (LH Hitting).  Would Colorado dare trade Jones to LAD?  He had pretty even splits in 2023.  If he can get back to 2023 levels, Jones might a difference maker.

The Reds have some very good pitching.  They are missing three good bats…TJ Friedl, Noelvi Marte, and Matt McLain.  And yet another of the James Outman sophomore meltdowns, Christian Encarnacion-Stand, is also out with an injury.  They have two young LHSP currently on the IL.  Brandon Williamson is rehabbing and could be back soon.  Nick Lodolo is currently out with a groin injury.  But when everyone is back, Cincinnati could still make a run.  The injured may not be back in time for the Reds to become buyers, but I do not think they are going to be sellers, especially with their kids.

CWS is down to one bona fide star…Luis Robert Jr.  He technically has an additional three years (2025-2027) control if the club wants to exercise options for 2026 and 2027.  He is very affordable.  But he is health challenged.  Last year has been the only year Robert Jr. has played more than 98 games.  I think the price tag for such a health risk might be too high for AF.

Tommy Pham will be traded.  He has been labeled as a malcontent.  Actually he is accused of being too intense, and has a problem with players not playing at 100%.  He wanted to be traded to the Dodgers last year, and told Mets players he thought that was where he was headed.  There are enough LAD players to keep Pham in check, and he is a good playoff player.

One player who could potentially be a difference maker is LAA’s 30 year old RH hitting Taylor Ward.  Ward was rumored to be the other player who might have been traded to LAD in the botched Ross Stripling/Joc Pederson trade.  I am not sure that Arte Moreno is willing to trade with LAD, especially after Shohei signed with them.  Ward has good splits against LHP.  Ward has two years of control after 2024. He is strictly a LF.  If Moreno is willing to trade with LAD, I do believe that AF will have a conversation about Ward.

Even though Boston is still in consideration for the WC, Boston may be willing to trade Tyler O’Neill, and the Dodgers should consider.

The best chance the Dodgers could get a difference maker based on who is out of the WC race right now could be Taylor Ward, Nolan Jones, and Tyler O’Neill.  But each of those have obstacles.

I assume the Dodgers should pursue Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, Ronald Acuña Jr., Kyle Tucker, Mike Trout, Colton Cowser…

Another potential weakness is SS or 2B.  I think this is the least of the position player weaknesses as the Dodgers can certainly turn to Miguel Rojas for this year.

Watford has brought up Washington’s CJ Abrams a couple of times.  There is no doubt that he is going to be a perennial All Star.  But the Nats are going to build their team around Abrams.  They are already in early discussions for a long term extension.  The Nats are getting very close to contention for a WC.  They are only 2.0 WCGB at this time.

They have 5 top prospects that are looming, and with three ranked well ahead of the Dodgers top prospects.  They have two top ten, James Wood and Dylan Crews.  Both have perennial All Star talent.  They have two 3B players, Brady House and Yohandy Morales.  Morales has moved to 1B because of House.  They are both at AA and playing very well.  All four are top 100 prospects.  The 5^th is RHP Cade Cavalli who is rehabbing from TJ surgery  Cavalli is a former 2-time consensus Top 100, and 3-time top 100 on two publications.

And while not deep, the Nationals have Patrick Corbin and 4 young starters who are pitching very well, and one on the IL (Josiah Gray), who was considered a top of the rotation (1-3) starter before his injury, with Cavalli waiting.

So yes the Nats could use pitching, but the Dodgers do not have enough healthy young pitching to entice Mike Rizzo into trading CJ Abrams.  And I do not believe AF would trade that much pitching.

Players on the Nats that might entice AF – CF Jacob Young, 2B/SS Luis Garcia, RHRP Kyle Finnegan, RHRP Hunter Harvey.  I have been advocating for Harvey since his Baltimore days.  But are Young and Garcia difference makers in October?  I do not think so.

• CWS – Paul De Jong, and Nicki Lopez
• LAA – Zach Neto and Luis Rengifo
• Oak – Max Schuemann and Zack Gelof

• Miami – Vidal Bruján and Tim Anderson
• Colorado – Brendon Rodgers and Ezequiel Tovar
• Reds – Elly De La Cruz and Jonathan India (Matt McLain, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Noelvi Marte).  Neither McLain nor Marte can help with this year.  McLain due to injury and Marte because he is precluded from participating in playoffs.

IMO, Zach Neto, Zach Gelof, Ezequiel Tovar, and Elly De La Cruz are not being traded by their respective teams.  All four could be the face of their franchises.  The others are not better than who the Dodgers have.

Does anyone believe Arizona would be willing to move Ketel Marte, Geraldo Perdomo, or Jordan Lawler to LAD?

Some are still clamoring for Willy Adames.  Milwaukee is very much in contention, so they are not likely to trade Adames unless they crater.

One name that does figure to get some interest by the Dodgers and others is Bo Bichette.  Vlad Jr. is also potentially available.  I doubt the Dodgers will have interest in Vlad Jr. But Bichette???

The Dodgers do indeed have deficiencies with OF and middle infield.  But that is tempered, because they do have internal options.  While there are better players out there, most are not going to be available.  And those who may be, are probably not better than who the Dodgers currently have.  I do not believe either holes are critical.  They are going to have to trust their kids (Lux, Pages, Vargas, and Outman).  Show them some love, and maybe they will get rewarded.

There will be some surprises, so we will have to wait and see if anyone wants to pull the trigger on a trade with AF.

MiLB GAME SUMMARY REPORTS

OKC Baseball Club 12 – Reno Aces (Arizona) 3

Ben Casparius had his third consecutive very good AAA start.  He was brilliant for the first 4.0 innings, but surrendered a 3-run HR by long time Chicago Cub Albert Almora Jr.  Casparius left the game with a 5-3 lead and three relievers finished the game with no additional runs:  Gus Varland (2.0 IP), Ricky Vanasco (1.0 IP), and Jack Dreyer (1.0 IP).

The pitching was super, but the bats were even better.  Every OKC hitter had at least one hit, and only one OKC batter did not reach base at least 2 times.

Andre Lipcius opened the scoring with his 13^th HR of the year.  Lipcius is now tied for the AAA lead in HR.

#Dodgers infield prospect Andre Lipcius hit his 13th homer of the season

He’s tied for the PCL lead and this is a MiLB career high in homers for him already pic.twitter.com/qK7PTda55F

— Bruce Kuntz (@Bnicklaus7) May 22, 2024

OKC picked up 3 in the 2^nd.  Hunter Feduccia and Chris Owings singled and scored on Austin Gauthier’s triple.  Gauthier scored on Andre Lipcius’ single.

Playing in his first game at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, Austin Gauthier endears himself to the home crowd with a two-run triple! pic.twitter.com/RuVvznh9Dq

— Oklahoma City Baseball Club (@okc_baseball) May 22, 2024

Chris Owings homered in the 4^th.

OKC broke it open in the 5^th. A single, 2 HBP, and a walk forced one run in.  Hunter Feduccia doubled home all three runners.  After a Chris Owings BB, Jonathan Araúz singled home Feduccia, and Austin Gauthier singled home Owings.

Hunter Feduccia shoots one to the deepest part of the park for a bases-clearing double! pic.twitter.com/qv61vLoBbI

— Oklahoma City Baseball Club (@okc_baseball) May 22, 2024

In the 6^th, James Outman doubled and scored on a Hunter Feduccia single to end the scoring.

In his first game back at OKC, Outman led the team in reaching base 4 times.  A double, 2 BB, and HBP.

• Austin Gauthier – 3-5, 1 run, 3 RBI, triple (1)
• Andre Lipcius – 2-5, 1 run, 2 RBI, HR (13)
• James Outman – 1-2, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 2 runs, double (1)
• Hunter Feduccia – 3-5, 2 runs, 4 RBI, double (8)
• Chris Owings – 2-4, 1 BB, 3 runs, 1 RBI, HR (4)
• Jonathan Araúz – 2-4, 1 RBI

Box Score

Springfield Cardinals 7 – Tulsa Drillers 6

The Drillers came up a run short after scoring their 6^th run in the 9^th.

Kendall Williams started and is still struggling.  He allowed 6 runs (3 earned) in 5.2 IP, including 2 HRs.

The Drillers outhit Springfield 11-9.  Down 2-0 in the 4^th, Griffin Lockwood-Powell had a 1 out BB.  With 2 outs, three straight singles from Diego Cartaya, Jose Ramos, and Yeiner Fernandez tied the game at 2.

Alex Freeland homered in the 5^th to give Tulsa a brief lead.  After scoring 4 runs in the 5^th (1 earned), Springfield took a 6-3 lead.

In the 7^th, Taylor Young drew a walk and Griffin Lockwood-Powell slugged a 2-run HR to creep back to within 1.

Springfield added a run in the 8^th.  Alex Freeland generated a run in the 9^th.  He led off the 9^th with a single, stole 2B and moved to 3^rd on a throwing error, and scored on a ground out.

• Chris Alleyne – 3-4, 1 RBI, double (4)
• Griffin Lockwood-Powell

Box Score

Beloit Sky Carp (Miami) 8 – Great Lakes Loons 4

Maddux Bruns started for GL, but was pulled after 1.0 inning.  He threw 30 pitches in that one inning. He walked 2 of the first 3 batters, and then threw a WP moving them to 2^nd and 3^rd.  A single brought both home.  After the single, Maddux was at 22 pitches  with one out and 2 runs in, with a runner on first.  Maddux finished the inning.

There was an injury delay after the 1^st inning, and I did not watch the game, so I do not know who may have been injured.  Was Bruns injured, and then had to come out after 1?  Or was 30 pitches in 1 inning the limit?  Once I hear, I will advise.  Bluto or STB get information pretty quick as well.

The relief was not effective.  Madison Jeffrey was the one pitcher not to allow a run, but that seems to be a rarity for him of late.

Chris Newell hit his Midwest League leading 11^th HR in the second, cutting the 2-0 lead in half.

#Dodgers outfield prospect Chris Newell launched what is already his 11th homer of the season pic.twitter.com/ZAM6990Ugs

— Bruce Kuntz (@Bnicklaus7) May 21, 2024

In the 6^th, Thayron Liranzo led off with a single, followed by a BB to Kyle Nevin. Newell grounded out, moving the runners to 2^nd and 3^rd.  Liranzo scored on a Dylan Campbell sac fly, and Nevin scored on a throwing error.

Yunior Garcia hit a solo HR in the 7^th.

Thayron Liranzo got off to an ice cold start in his A+ season.  But since May, Liranzo has been pretty good, and more of who the Dodgers expected.

Thayron Liranzo had 2 hits today, which is his 2nd multi hit game in a row, 4th in his last 5 games & 5th in his last 7 games, a stretch where he's 11 for 29 (.379). #dodgers pic.twitter.com/1HtyFCg8kq

— Dodgers Daily (@dodger_daily) May 21, 2024

Thayron Liranzo in May:

.294/.446/.490
164 wRC+
21.5 BB%
16.9 K%

Not bad for a switch-hitting catcher 2.3 years younger than average for the Midwest League 👀

— Josh Thomas (@jokeylocomotive) May 21, 2024

• Noah Miller – 2-5
• Thayron Liranzo – 2-4, 1 BB, 1 run
• Chris Newell – 1-2, 2 BB, 1 run, 1 RBI, HR (11)
• Yunior Garcia – 1-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, HR (4)

Box Score

Modesto Nuts (Seattle) 8 – Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 5

RC pitching was ineffective for the night except perhaps for 2.1 IP by Noah Ruen.

There was not a lot of offense.  RC scored on errors (4), passed ball, wild pitches…They had a total of 4 hits; 3 singles and a Jordan Thompson double (7).

Box Score

ACL Dodgers 4 – ACL Angels 3

Their Big 3, Joendry Vargas, Alexander Albertus, and Eduardo Quintero each had a single.  Vargas and Quintero also had a BB.  Jaron Elkins had a triple.

Box Score