Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers embark on their first road trip of the season that will see them travel to Colorado and the horrific Coors Field and Chicago to take on the world champion Cubs.
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Dodgers
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Rockies
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1:10 p.m.
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Denver, Colo.
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2B
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Forsythe
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CF
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Blackmon | |
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LF
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Gutierrez
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2B
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LeMahieu | |
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3B
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Turner
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RF
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Gonzalez | |
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RF
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Puig |
3B
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Arenado | |
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1B
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Van Slyke |
SS
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Story | |
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C
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Grandal |
1B
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Reynolds | |
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SS
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Hernandez | LF | Cardullo | |
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CF
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Pederson |
C
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Garneau | |
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P
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Ryu (L)
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P
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Freeland (L)
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First up, though, are the Rockies and Hyun-Jin Ryu‘s season debut. This seemed like a pipe dream for most a month ago, but Ryu’s strong spring and good enough stuff has landed him the fifth rotation spot. He has thrown four MLB innings since Oct. 6, 2014, which was Game 3 of the National League Division Series.
He’s a long way from being the pitcher he once was. The odds are strong that he’ll never get back to that level, but he can still be a successful MLB pitcher. He’ll sit in the high-80s and touch 90-91 MPH, but where the improvement is going to have to come is with his command (which was already borderline plus) and his offspeed pitches. His curveball, slider and changeup are all legitimate pitches, and they’ll have to be even moreso with his decreased velocity.
I’m not overly concerned with the results of today’s outing by Ryu, mostly because he’s in throwing in Pitcher’s Hell. I’m more looking for how he looks physically and mechanically on the bump and his making out of this start healthy.
The lineup has a distinctly different look, as the Dodgers are taking on Kyle Freeland, a lefty making his MLB debut. Franklin Gutierrez moves up to the No. 2 spot with Corey Seager getting the day off. MLB home run leader Yasiel Puig moves up to the cleanup spot, while Scott Van Slyke starts for Adrian Gonzalez at first base (love this, by the way). Oh, and we have a Joc Pederson sighting against a left-handed pitcher. Woo!
The Rockies’ 1-5 is really, really strong. Mark Reynolds, despite being blind, as always been formidable against left-handed pitching. So, the Dodgers are probably going to have to wear their run-scoring shoes today.
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One bit of news, because I wrote the thread before Dave Roberts had his media scrum:
Pedro Baez is expected to make his first rehab appearance tonight for @okc_dodgers
— David Vassegh (@THEREAL_DV) April 7, 2017
Petey! Pedro Baez should rejoin the Dodgers next week. It’ll be interesting to see the corresponding roster move.
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Update
Welp. Dodgers placed Rich Hill on the 10-day DL with a blister on his left middle finger. Josh Fields recalled from Triple-A
— Eric Stephen (@ericstephen) April 7, 2017
Because why not. We knew Rich Hill wasn’t going to be an iron man when it comes to making starts, but I would have expected his first DL stint to come a little later than after his first 2017 appearance. He’ll be eligible to come off the DL a week from Sunday. With the new 10-day rule, expect the Dodgers to abuse use it this season. Josh Fields will take his spot on the roster. It remains to be seen who gets Hill’s spot in the rotation, but I’d bet on it being Alex Wood. He pitched two innings of relief on Wednesday and is lined up to go on regular rest come Monday.
