Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
After yesterday’s dominating outing by Walker Buehler, the Dodgers are in a position to take three of four from the Padres and should have a pretty fresh bullpen behind tonight’s starter. Buehler SHOVED last night, striking out 15 Padres and allowing a single run on a Manuel Margot homer in the eighth. Today, the Dodgers look for their 74th win of the season and their fifth win in the last six games.
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Padres
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Dodgers
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1:10 P.M.
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Los Angeles
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SS
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Tatis Jr. |
RF
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Pederson | |
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2B
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Garcia |
LF
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Verdugo | |
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3B
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Machado |
SS
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Seager | |
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1B
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Hosmer |
2B
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Muncy | |
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RF
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Renfroe |
CF
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Pollock | |
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LF
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Naylor |
1B
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Beaty | |
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C
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Mejia | 3B | Negrón | |
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CF
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Margot |
C
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Martin | |
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P
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Paddack (R) |
P
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Maeda (R) |
Kenta Maeda is coming off a rough July and a rough outing in Colorado. His start on Monday lasted only four innings, and Maeda allowed six runs (five earned) and seven hits in a 9-1 Dodger loss. It capped off a tough month for Maeda. In six July outings (one rain delay shortened start, one relief outing), Maeda allowed 14 earned runs in 24 2/3 innings. His 5.11 ERA in the month came with a still-respectable .200/.276/.421 triple slash line against him, but the Dodgers dropped four of the six games Maeda appeared in (only winning the rain-shortened one and the relief one). For a team with a 73-40 record, it’s kind of impressive that they’re only 11-11 when Maeda pitches in a game.
Maeda has seen the Padres three times in 2019 and has put together three of his longest outings of the season against them. His shortest start against San Diego came on May 5, when he allowed four runs on three hits in six innings in San Diego. 10 days later, Maeda had arguably his best start of the season. He struck out 12 Padres in 6 2/3 shutout innings and allowed only three hits. Then, his longest outing of the season came on July 6, as he allowed three earned runs in 7 2/3 innings, but the Dodgers only managed one run.
Maeda’s opponent on that July 6 start is also his opponent tonight. Chris Paddack makes the 19th start of his impressive rookie season and his third start against the Dodgers today. Paddack’s first start against the Dodgers was a bit shaky, as he allowed six runs (three earned) in 4 2/3 innings on May 14. He was much better against the Dodgers on July 6, holding the Dodgers to three hits in 5 2/3 shutout innings. Paddack has allowed one or zero earned runs in nine of his 18 starts this season. Among pitchers with 100 innings pitched this season, Paddack’s 2.78 ERA is tied for the sixth-lowest in all of baseball and his 5.8 percent walk rate is the 22nd-best.
Paddack is a three-pitch pitcher and throws a fastball nearly 60 percent of the time. He throws a changeup nearly 30 percent of the time and a curveball nearly 10 percent of the time. His curveball has been his “worst” pitch, with an expected batting average against of .243. Opponents are only slashing .184/.241/.338 against Paddack this season.
A bunch of lineup changes for the Dodgers today, as Cody Bellinger and Justin Turner sit. Joc Pederson gets his second consecutive start in right field, and Kristopher Negron gets the start at third. Russell Martin starts behind the plate, and A.J. Pollock returns after missing the last two games.
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It’s an injury-update filled morning.
Enrique Hernandez and Chris Taylor could begin rehabbing from their injuries next weekend. David Freese hasn’t played since July 24, and he might not return until rosters expand in September. Ross Stripling will pitch in a rehab assignment on Tuesday, giving Dustin May the Wednesday start against the Cardinals.
