Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
In stereotypical LA fashion, the Dodger bats didn’t really show up until the third inning of last night’s game. In also stereotypical LA fashion, the bats were loud when they did show up, as the Dodgers put up 16 runs on the Blue Jays yesterday. They only scored in four different innings, but had a three-run inning, two four-run innings and a five run inning en route to their 83rd win of the season. Tonight, the Dodgers look for a series win against an old friend.
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Blue Jays
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Dodgers
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7:10 P.M.
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Los Angeles
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SS
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Bichette |
RF
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Pederson | |
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2B
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Biggio |
2B
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Muncy | |
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RF
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Grichuk |
3B
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Turner | |
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1B
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Tellez |
1B
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Bellinger | |
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3B
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Drury |
SS
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Seager | |
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CF
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McKinney |
C
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Smith | |
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C
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McGuire | CF | Taylor | |
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LF
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Fisher |
LF
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Beaty | |
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P
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Font (R) |
P
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Buehler (R) |
Walker Buehler starts tonight for the Dodgers for the 24th time in 2019. He’s coming off a rough start in Miami, which continued his struggles away from Dodger Stadium this season. Last time out, Buehler allowed five hits and five runs in four innings, striking out six and walking three Marlins. He’s made more starts on the road than at home in 2019, and his road ERA is more than two runs higher than at home (4.37 vs 2.33). Buehler’s last two starts in LA have been fantastic. He’s allowed nine hits and a run over 15 innings at home in August, with opponents posting a .454 OPS against him.
Opposing Buehler is an old friend in Wilmer Font. Font pitched in nine games for the Dodgers in the 2017 and 2018 seasons, but was traded in April 2018 to the A’s. From there, he was traded to the Rays, then the Mets, and was purchased from the Mets by the Blue Jays in July. Font is tonight’s starter and has been good with the Blue Jays, but he’ll likely be an opener. Since his first appearance in Toronto on June 20, Font has appeared in nine games, starting five of those. However, he hasn’t thrown more than three innings or made more than 43 pitches in a game with the Blue Jays. He’s found success in this role, allowing only five runs in 18 1/3 innings and striking out 24 while walking only three.
Following Font today might be Jacob Waguespack, who was originally slated as tonight’s starter. He may have been skipped in the rotation, as the 25-year-old rookie threw a career-high 102 pitches in his last start five days ago. Waguespeck has a 4.20 ERA in 45 Major League innings. On August 10, Waguespeck followed up Font against the Yankees and allowed three runs in 3 2/3 innings. The start before that was the best start of his brief career, as he shut the Rays down over six innings and allowed only four hits while striking out four. If he doesn’t pitch today, ignore this paragraph.
Justin Turner is back in the lineup for the Dodgers, batting third and starting at third. Chris Taylor returned from the IL with three hits and four runs batted in last night, and he remains in the lineup starting in center. For Toronto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. gets the day off. Another son of a former Major Leaguer, Cavan Biggio, gets the start today.
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Dustin May will not pitch out of the bullpen on this roadtrip.
The Dodgers are staying on rotation through the weekend, but with games on 16 consecutive days, May will get a start to give other starters some rest.
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Rich Hill is still progressing.
He seems to be healed, and will throw off a mound tomorrow. He may not have time to build all the way back up as a starter, but his return (even as an opener-type of starter) would be a nice boost to the bullpen, who ideally wouldn’t lose Julio Urias or May to the rotation come September/October.
Ross Stripling did throw a bullpen.
Stripling could be a nice option as a piggyback/long relief guy in October as well.
