Marlins @ Dodgers May 11, 2015: Welcome back, Dee Gordon

Hey, Dee Gordon is hitting really, really well. That’s great. Now, people can stop saying the Dodgers shouldn’t have traded him.

Marlins
Dodgers
7:10 p.m.
Los Angeles
2B
Gordon
CF
Pederson
3B
Prado
SS
Rollins
RF
Stanton <3
2B
Kendrick
CF
Ozuna
1B
Gonzalez
LF
Yelich
3B
Turner
1B
Morse
C
Grandal
C
Realmuto
RF
Ethier
SS
Hechavarria
LF
Van Slyke
P
Koehler (R)
P
Greinke (R)

I’m happy for him. I really am. I’m much happier with the return the Dodgers for Gordon (and Dan Haren — tomorrow’s starter — and $10 million). While Gordon is off to a hot start (leads the majors in WAR at 2.3), there is zero chance he sustains it.

I don’t need to tell you a .439 batting average is unsustainable. You already know that. What you might not be aware of is his .491 BABIP. For context, the highest BABIPs since 1945 are listed in this community post at FanGraphs. Last year, Starling Marte led the majors with a .373 BABIP. So, a .491 BABIP is completely unsustainable. Gordon also has a 5.3 percent walk rate, which is right on par with his 5.2 percent rate. So don’t expect an uptick on that front. And that’s something he’ll need to do if he wants to be more than a .330 on-base guy in his career.

His hot start is great for him and the Marlins, but don’t be at all surprised if his numbers — on the whole — end up similar to what they were in 2014. He might not have a dreadful second half like he did last year, but his numbers will normalize.

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The Dodgers return home after a good-not-great road trip in Milwaukee (2-2) and Colorado (2-0). Sure, winning 4-of-6 looks great on the surface, but the Dodgers absolutely lost a game in Milwaukee they shouldn’t have and survived Colorado.

This is the first game of a 3-game series against the Marlins. They host the Rockies for four games starting Thursday.

And then there’s this:

About time. Right-hander Pablo Millan Fernandez (also Cuban) is also expected be in the states sometime this week.

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About Dustin Nosler

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Dustin Nosler began writing about the Dodgers in July 2009 at his blog, Feelin' Kinda Blue. He co-hosted a weekly podcast with Jared Massey called Dugout Blues. He was a contributor/editor at The Hardball Times and True Blue LA. He graduated from California State University, Sacramento, with his bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in digital media. While at CSUS, he worked for the student-run newspaper The State Hornet for three years, culminating with a 1-year term as editor-in-chief. He resides in Stockton, Calif.