I want to hear what you posters think about the Dodgers chances of going all the way to the World Series. Back in March, the hopes were high. Over the last couple of months, they have been dashed a bit by a long period of inconsistency by both sides of the ball. Extended slumps by key players like Freeman and Betts, injuries forcing the team to use untested rookies and guys like Buddy Kennedy.
Myself, I remain hopeful the can go on some sort of run over the next 25 games. They are a game back of Phillie for the second bye spot. That would mean they would not have to play a three game wild card series. As most of us know, those 3-game series are definitely a crap shoot. You can burn your two best arms just trying to make it to the LDS. Dodgers are fortunate that the starting staff is getting healthier by the day.
My main concern would be the offense and at this point, the back end of the pen. They are really missing Alex Vesia. Scott had two good outings coming back and then a stinker yesterday. Many have little faith in him or Kirby Yates, who so far as not been close to the pitcher he was last season. At this point, I do not think Yates would make the post season roster. Then there is the matter of the three players returning from the IL at some point in September.
Muncy is the biggest need. At least if he is hitting like he was just prior to going on the IL. The reason is simple. Max stretches that lineup. He was hitting better than Teo when he went down, and that would give you six big guns at the beginning of the lineup if you count Pages who at least has shown some consistency. I would go with this lineup, Ohtani, Betts, Freeman, Smith, Muncy, Pages and pick em. Kim should return for the first game of the Pirates series. Edman is a little further behind. Max, because of a bad cold will not return on the road trip, but with a short rehab stint, should be ready by the next home stand which is a 3-game set against the Rockies starting next Monday.
The Dodgers added LHP Andrew Heaney on a deal yesterday and he is headed to AAA to get ready in case he is needed. Not sure what role he would fill, he has not been very good as a starter for the Pirates prior to being released. He also has given up a ton of homers, 24. They should get Kopech back today. What is most needed is a sense of urgency and some consistency by the offense. Better at bats, especially when men are on base is a huge need.
Myself, I think they will make it into the playoffs. They might win the West, but they need to beat the teams they are supposed to beat not go 6-11 like they have over the last few weeks. The stars have to perform. The sluggers have to hit and drive in runs, and the bottom of the lineup needs to set the table. They also would be wise to score first and give the starters some breathing room. Yoshi and Glasnow should sue these guys for non-support. So, let’s hear what you think.
MiLB GAME SUMMARY REPORTS
Sugar Land Space Cowboys (Houston) 5 – OKC Comets 1
Roki Sasaki had a rough 1st inning. He gave up two 2-run HRs. He then finished 5.0 IP. He allowed 3 hits, 2 BB, 2 K.
Kyle Hurt relieved in the 7th. This was his first game action since July 4, 2024. He walked the first batter who moved to 3rd on a single. The next batter hit into a DP, but the run scored.
The Comets managed 2 hits, one being Luken Baker’s 6th double. Baker’s double was followed by the other Comets hit, a single by Austin Gauthier, and Baker moved to 3rd. Baker scored on a force out, for their only run.
Box Score
Wichita Wind Surge (Minnesota) 12 – Tulsa Drillers 2
The Drillers’ pitchers allowed 12 runs on only 6 hits and 8 BB. 3 of the hits were Wichita HRs. One a grand slam off Livan Reinoso. One a 2-run HR off Brandon Neeck, and a solo HR off Jacob Meador.
Patrick Copen started and allowed 7 runs (6 earned), 2 hits, but 6 BB, in 2.1 innings.
- Zach Ehrhard – 2-5
- Kyle Nevin – 2-4, 1 BB, 1 run, 1 RBI, HR (4)
- Taylor Young – 2-4, 1 run
Box Score
Lake County Captains (Cleveland) 7 – Great Lakes Loons 6 – 10 innings
After Great Lakes took the lead in the top of the 10th from Kendall George starting at 2B, stealing 3B, and scoring on an Eduardo Quintero SF. Lake County scored a pair in the bottom of the 10th off Alex Makarewich, both unearned. First run scored on an Elijah Hainline throwing error, and the 2nd on a SF for the walkoff win. Logan Tabeling started and completed 3.1 IP. Surprisingly (or not so much) Tabeling allowed 5 walks to go with 4 hits.
Evan Shaw and Cam Day each threw a scoreless 2.1 IP for GL.
Josue De Paula slugged his 11th HR in the top of the 1st inning to give GL a brief lead.
- Kendall George – 2-5, 2 runs, 1 RBI, 2 SB (94)
- Josue De Paula – 3-5, 1 run, 2 RBI, 2 doubles (15), HR (11), SB (25)
Box Score
Fresno Grizzlies (Colorado) 7 – Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 5
Davis Chastain allowed a 2 run double in the top of the 9th, giving Fresno the 7-5 lead and eventual winning score.
Justin Chambers was the one Quakes pitcher who did not allow a run. He pitched 2.0 innings, allowing 1 hit, 1 BB, with 3 K.
Jhonny Jiminez blew his 2nd save after allowing a 2-run HR by Ethan Holliday, his 1st professional HR.
One of the most followed 2025 draft picks is Ethan Holliday. He now has had 56 AB in full season A Ball, with a slash line of .232/.338/.321/.659. He also has 3 errors in 52 total chances. He is 18, and has a bright future.
- Niko Perez – 2-4, 1 BB, 2 RBI
- Jose Hernandez – 2-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, double (1)
- Doubles – Emil Morales (10), Victor Rodrigues (8)
Box Score
And yet another frustrating loss to a bad team.
Kersh with a horrible first inning and then Henriquez with his first bad outing .
Bullpen still looks shaky with everyone brought in giving up run(s).
7 runs should be enough to win a game vs the Pirates.
Good thing the Padres could not take advantage and lost too.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just saw the lowlight of Teo’s failure to catch a bloop in that ugly 1st inning. One Statcast (or whatever) report had the expected batting average on that hit at .100.
If Teo makes that play, it’s a different game.
In happier news, Pham’s line drive didn’t decapitate Kershaw.
The Dodgers should start a strong pace now, and pick up speed as guys like Max and Edman return.
A lineup I’d like to see soon:
Shohei DH (another MVP campaign)
Mookie SS (finishing strong after a slow start)
Freddie 1B (battling for BA title)
Will C (also battling for BA title–and leading league in OBP)
Max 3B (even the Max-haters miss Max!)
Pages RF (yes, put his arm in RF. He’s outhitting Teo and should be rewarded)
Teo LF (make the defensive switch now)
Edman CF (assuming his ankle is healthy)
Kim 2B (extra spark from the second lead-off)
Kike could platoon with Max, and maybe Rojas can platoon with Kim. Rushing backs up Will, of course. Conforto sits….
I think that leaves one spot on the expanded roster?
Oh yeah. Alex Call.
our rookie catcher Daulton Rushing is who you forgot!
That’s the playoff lineup!
Conforto sits in Cancun. Along with Yates
I vote for this lineup….or if Edman’s ankle is still not 100%, he can play 2B and Kim in OF.
I like your lineup very much. HOpefully Doc sees it the same way.
Conforto should be relegated to pinch hitting at best.
Bullpen has to pick it up. And that means you Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates in the first place.Earn your freaking paycheck.
Still think the Dodgers should have aquired one of the top closer avaialble at the deadline. It is and was the biggest single need on this team.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You all make sense. But good luck getting Conforto out of that lineup. He could shoot someone 5th Avenue and still have supporters in our management..
To answer Bear’s question, I’m sorry to say I don’t feel this is our year. I know and hope things can turn around if we get hot in September, but injuries and inconsistencies have taken away the good feeling I usually have with this team. Especially in the bullpen. Scott and Yates…they are no Batman and Robin.
WE NEED MARVELOUS MAX and TOMMY TERRIFIC BACK AND HEALTHY….always been a fan of both. Being back healthy should take away a lot of pressure from the big 5 guys.
As for the bullpen….let us pray…..
TM
I would have to concur with that analysis TM. Not fun to watch, especially when you load the damn bases with no outs and score just one run. I dislike Ohtani swinging at the first pitch of the game and not making solid contact, just a lazy fly to left. See a pitch or two.
Yesterday it was a sprint. Today it’s a run. To me the Padres and Dodgers look like two drunk sailors staggering to the finish line ready to pass out. Very likely we will play each other in 1st round of the playoffs.
The Friars’ recent catastrophic injuries now gives them excuses for stumbling to the end. The Dodgers–with their injured players coming back–have NO such excuses to finish the season strong.
Once again the defense let the team down. All 9 runs listed as earned but those who saw the game know better.
Edman and his ankle in center, Teo in left and Pages in right doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence, but that is what needs to happen. Sitting Freeland, or losing him, and replacing him with Kim also needs to happen.
And the staff? More walks, 8, than strike outs, 7.
It’s September. 24 games to go. Is it too late to clean this crap up? Not really, but it kinda feels like it, doesn’t it?
I’m very high
Love it! What did we use
This team is not fun to watch. I used to watch the games with a prevailing feeling that something good would happen. Now I watch just waiting for something bad to happen.
Frustrating but Ohio that is the way I am too.I too have just about decided that we are just not gonna get it together.
If it happens, I am gone. When the third run scored, I started watching something else. I checked back and began watching again when they tied the score. Walks will kill you. And they seem to be a virus through the entire system for the Dodgers. That has to change.
Way to many strike outs and unproductive AB’s by the offense and way to many walks by our pitchers. Especially the bullpen. Thank god for college football.
Yep, Loved USC’s game Saturday, very entertaining and Alabama lost, so I was very happy.
It was fun watching Alabama and Clemson lose.
This year’s team is certainly missing the “grit factor” that we have seen in the past when facing injuries and other woes. In past years, I feel like our grit came from the bullpen and timely hitting with a “next man up” mentality.
This year feels different to me because our bullpen is the issue, and so is poor defense/sloppy play. Add the horrible investment of Conforto and you have a black cloud that’s hard to lift.
When Tommy and Max return, we’ll be better offensively because Conforto is not playing and neither is Freeland, and in the playoffs Will Smith plays every game. However, our defense is an issue that can lose games in tight playoffs matches. In hindsight, the Teo signing hurt defensively and while i love Pages’ arm he still misplays balls over his head. The left side of our infield is not gold glove and therefore is also a risk when every play is magnified.
The bullpen issue will remain in the playoffs IMO. To think Treinen will save the day as the closer is not reality bc the guys in front of him are not having good seasons–i.e., Treinen won’t be in position to save games.
All that said, I think the team makes the playoffs and loses early due to poor defense and spotty Bullpen in low coring games. The good news is that Friedman will invest to get younger and better defensively as a complement to our excellent starting pitching staff.
You’re wrong on Mookie who’s playing a fantastic SS. Fan Graphs has him ranked 4th in mlb. And his bat finally looks like it’s waking up
And while Freeland looks lost at the plate, he isn’t lost with the glove. Neither is Kiké or Miggy Ro when they play 3B. The OF defense makes all the defense look bad.
Not according to fangraphs. Their tables show LAD down the list at both third and short defensively.
For the season, right? I know 3B had issues for the beginning of the season. I am only talking about Freeland. And I am only talking about Mookie at SS. According to Fangraphs, Mookie is #1 with 16 DRS.
4th in the Majors but first in the NL. His bat has been better. Now they need to get Teo and Freddie hot.
What do I think about this years Dodger team? To start, the injuries, shitty defense, weak fundamentals, and underperformance by highly paid “stars” wasn’t expected to be is bad.
I think everyone’s punching bag, Michael Conforto, kind represents what’s gone wrong with the team so far. Although he’s been healthy, the other things I listed above is Conforto’s season. There can’t be any logical reason for his continued use as an everyday player. I’ve heard it’s his “hard hit %”. Really? His K rate is 25% so that eliminates a fourth of his AB’s. This is analytics gone wild. The hell with actually getting hits and driving in runs to justify playing everyday. Just hit a few “hard hit balls” and you get $17MM a year and get to be the Dodger everyday leftfielder. I haven’t notice that many hard hit balls coming off his bat. Maybe, they are including foul balls? It seems damn near every time he comes to bat with RISP he strikeouts. That’s what I remember.
I was with Bear in that I turned off the game after the first inning. I checked back with my phone which got me to go back to the game to watch the BP to melt down again.
Finally, I think for the first time I’m losing faith in the front office. They seem to be too analytically focused. They were uncharacteristically reckless in free agency. They have a supposed top rated farm system, yet AF continually went outside the organization to sign broken down, untalented pitchers and position players. Strong depth? A complete delusion. If the Dodgers fail in the playoffs it will be interesting to see how Guggenheim reacts. It could reflect how ownership see the Dodgers. Winning or making money? Or both?
I’m so looking forward to the start of the NFL and following the Rams.
Carry on.
Good post Ted. I was so frustrated last night that I too shut the game off after Teoscar let yet another flair drop in right. I checked the Box Score this morning to check the score and details
.
I too am sick of all the excuses and watching this circus through Rose Colored Glasses.
I think there is too much emphasis on exit velocity ie. hard hit balls. To me this is Fool’s Gold. I’m in the Dusty Baker Camp when he said he “didn’t care about exit velocity” he “cares about exit hits.
Me too.
I don’t care if the hits are 115 or 50 mph. Just so they are hits. Contact. Less K’s.
It’s gotten to the point where broadcasters discount hits as luck if they aren’t 95 off the bat. It implies that luck is involved over skill and berates hits that are “cheap”. Contact in general takes a backseat to exit velocity.
Conforto isn’t hitting .189/.624 in 360 at bats because he’s unlucky. He’s hitting .189 because he’s shitty.
What do you supposed the over and under is on Yates, Scott, Kike, Teoscar all turning on the magic switch and Muncy, Kopech, Kim, and Edman all coming back to rescue this season in the next 25 games.
And that all the pieces stay healthy and off the IL?
“What do you supposed the over and under is on Yates, Scott, Kike, Teoscar all turning on the magic switch and Muncy, Kopech, Kim, and Edman all coming back to rescue this season in the next 25 games.
And that all the pieces stay healthy and off the IL?”
Yup, EXACTLY Phil!
That’s how I view the Dodgers situation at this point too.
Can’t wait to be at Sofi this Sunday!
Enjoy the game Bobby. If Stafford can stay healthy the Rams should be a dangerous team.
Conforto has Less than 30 rbis all year !Let that sinkin
There is no way to sugarcoat how bad he’s been.
But he has figured out how to avoid the injury bug. If you don’t get any hits you won’t get injured running the bases. If you stand still in the outfield and can’t reach anything, you won’t get injured there.
That kind of sums it up David. Sad, but true.
And he figured out this was the perfect recipe to convince the FO to keep playing him regularly in LF.
This years team the problem is they seem to play at the same level of play like whoever they are playing. A noname pitcher will shut them down and we hear well if we had are regular lineup we would win. Then they get up for a game when it means something. Like getting swept by Angels this year and Brewers which will be one team in this year’s playoffs and that team has been playing together all year. So with 20 games left the dodgers will finnally get the roster for the playoffs which means really the regular season doesn’t really mean anything. But to these other teams in the playoffs the Cubs Brewers Phillies Astros and even yankees that been jelling together that’s hard to beat in the playoffs team chemistry. Which the Dodgers never seem to have hitting and pitching working at the same time.
Shohei scratched from today’s start. Soon to find out why.
He is starting at DH, so luckily no injury. Sheehan starts today
He felt unwell and his side session did not go well.
I’m seeing things a little differently to some of you guys.
To be honest I’m not worried yet, in fact I’m quietly optimistic about the way things are going.
A year ago things looked bleak, especially on the Starting Pitching front.
As of now, we have 4 top of the rotation pitchers in Snell, Yamamoto, Glasnow and Ohtani, and Sheehan and Kershaw if required (Heaney at a push). I No one comes close to that, and that is a huge advantage. With the exception of Yamamoto, who might get a little Rain Check in the next couple of weeks, they are well rested, and only now, in September, building up their pitch counts. This is not by accident.
Good Pitching beats good hitting and we have 4 top Starters, which we have not had all season long.
The Pen still has time to improve, and we have Sheehan and kershaw to help, and possibly Heaney. Bullpen’s are fickle, we have some great arms.
Mookie has come alive and Shohei is showing flashes of improvement. Will is better rested than last year, and Freddie is a Pro who shines in the spotlight. Muncy is key for the length of the order and is something of a Talisman for this team, and he’s due back soon, as is last season’s star, Tommy Edman. The spark plug that’s Kim is also well rested and therefore we have lots of options.
Havnt even mentioned Teo. We have so many potential game winners it’s incredible.
While he wears Blue I will not beat up on Conforto. He is a good teammate. I’ve seen cold players turn things around quickly. I think he’ll surprise a few.
Bothom line is that once the 162nd game is played, what’s gone before means little (an extra game a home in each series) but it’s about what happens next that counts, and the Dodgers have more artillery than anyone else. We’ve all seen teams suddenly get hot from no where, players we least expect like Tommy Tanks last year, like Texas Rangers, like our friends the Gisnts a couple of times. Hero’s you least expect.
This slow play of the season is mainly by design and it will pay off. It’s hard to be patient but it will come together and it will take a very good team to put us out. I’m looking forward to it with more confidence than I’ve ever had before.
My one concern is what we do with Kershaw? I don’t really see a place for him. He has had an amazing season, but I don’t Start him, and I don’t have him relieving either. In fact I see him as a bit of a distraction tbh. Will be interesting to see how they decide to utilise him, if at all.
Watford Dodger, I appreciate you positive view for the rest of the season. The starting pitching looks like, as of now, to be much improved over last year. The BP has been so inconsistent so far. Same with the offense.
It’s the awful defense and basic lack of fundamental baseball that has been the downfall of the 2025 Dodgers. It’s a damn shame considering the talent and experience on the team.
Let’s see how things turn out.
Watford, I think Kershaw has a role in the bullpen, one time through or perhaps a piggyback with Ohtani, assuming he’s healthy and can pitch. He’s too good to put on the shelf if he is healthy.
D-Backs lost Gurriel to a torn ACL. miller likely headed for TJ surgery.
Maybe they’ve come to the realization that they have nobody capable of stepping up to the closer’s role for the balance of the year and the playoffs so Shohei has volunteered and that’s why he’s not starting today (or for the rest of the season).
He felt unwell.
O’s leading the Pads 7-0 in the 4th.
Yeah, and they play the Dodgers this weekend. LA better be ready for them. Win tonight put Pads 3.5 back.
Ohtani not pitching due to not feeling well and not having a good side session. He is ok to hit and run and such, but did not feel great about his side session on Tuesday.
That’s it, not watching tonight. Always hoping for a Dodger win, but to watch them load the bases with no outs only to see Pages swing and K on a 3-2 pitch on a ball out of the zone and then Freeland strike looking at a strike in the zone. I’ve got other shit to do.
That was a pathetic inning
At least Call came thru
Call is unusual at the plate. He seems to do a pirouette with each pitch. I haven’t been impressed with him at all (as I watch Conforto strike out again).
God, this is awful baseball for a division leading team.
It’s a reflection of the level of talent on today’s MLB rosters. Not very good. And they’re looking to expand? Stupid. Contraction might be a better idea.
The first time
Another exercise in futility by the offense. Pitching was good enough to win the game. 0 for 7 RISP, 10 LOB, 9 SO’s.
Pathetic; didn’t even put up a fight. Two strike outs in the ninth. Pathetic.
They’re regularly demonstrating “no clutch//all choke” now. I don’t know if Roberts is capable of instilling confidence in a team that has lost it’s swagger.
They are on pace to win 91 games. Unthinkable for this roster in March. If 2023 was considered a complete organizational failure, not sure how AF would describe this regular season. Fortunately, every NL playoff team has flaws. But the Dodgers are a tough watch right now. Pages chasing a 3-2 pitch well off the plate with bases loaded, Freeman grounding into a double play with runners on 1st and 3rd, Pages swinging at ball four three times in his 12 pitch at bat that prevented the Dodgers from putting two on with one out, …. . Regardless of what happens in post season, this is going to be an interesting off-season for an old, oft-injured, and unathletic baseball team. In the meantime, on to tomorrow.
You hit on some valid points. The Dodgers are a really an unathletic team and playing with no grit, or sense of urgency.
The team has it hero moments once in awhile, ( Will Smith HR in the bottom of the ninth) but there is simply no clutch moment when a game can be settled with one swing, one big inning at its most crucial moment.
Bases loaded no outs and Pages looks feeble. Freeland can’t be jettisoned off the roster soon enough and if this who the Dodgers are they have some serious contracts that look to be aging poorly. What will AF do next year?
Of all the adjectives I could use to describe this team, the one that comes most often to mind is boring.
I couldn’t agree more! I now use the game to flip to from a program on another channel. It used to be the other way around.
The teams that are obsessed with analytics are also obsessed with the heat maps. Meaning they are waiting for one specific pitch in one location. That’s why we are seeing the Dodger hitters taking so many pitches in the strike zone and swinging at one or maybe two pitches per at-bat. Agon called it “waiting for a cookie” on the post-game show. It’s very poor plate approaches. Gonzo was saying that they should be swinging at anything up in the zone with runners on base and putting the ball in play.
That combined with having several players hitting below the mendoza line in the lineup at once every game (Conforto, Freeland, Rushing) and you won’t score many runs.
The pitching has been much better, but management still refuses to put their best lineups out, instead using righty/lefty matchups and arrogance. I.E. “this guy is due” or “his hard hit rate is good, he’s just been unlucky all year” as if it’s possible for a player to be unlucky for 140 games.
This is by far the worst Dodgers team in the Friedman/Roberts era, and it doesnt look like they will even win 90 games. They may back into a division title only because the Padres are not playing well either.
With every pathetic loss (looks like they’ll get swept with Skenes going tomorrow) more and more of the optimists are disappearing, or realizing how weak the club is this year. I am hearing less and less of the excuses (Injuries, be patient, it’s a long season, plenty of time left etc).
I think Jeff is right. The team is missing something this year. Maybe it is Ohtanis stolen bases, or something else. That combined with management’s delusional and arrogant approach putting the worst lineups out every day with the same hitters who don’t produce. Mix in the terrible defense, bad base running, and poor relief pitching and you get this.
I think Muncy is one of the missing Ingredients. Does he really need to play a bunch of rehab games, while the club flounders against losing teams?
And let’s not forget that terrible trade deadline where the only pitching acquisition was Brock Stewart who pitched 2 innings and got injured, and the only other major leaguer acquired was Alex Call.
If you want to see how to mismanage a defending world series championship club with numerous super stars, this is it.
Better win the division otherwise they have to open the wild card series on the road, and they are a losing team on the road.
I’m not sure I agree with all of that Scott. In fact, I think without question this is the best damm .500 team I’ve ever. seen.
So, it’s come down to cruel sarcasm. Warranted Badger!
Bluto would be proud. Bluto? Bluto?
What a waste of time! I’m out. Maybe I’ll watch some of their two games in October. Most disappointing Dodger team EVER!
I’m enjoying it. Time for Dodger baseball !
I think you’ve indirectly just asked the key question, Rob.
Where the hell is Dodger baseball?
I think a team meeting is what’s needed, who will be the speaker and call out names.
Another blown chance to put distance between themselves and the Padres. My honest assessment of this team is that even if they get into the playoffs, there is not enough consistency in the offense to beat good teams.