Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
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Dodgers
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Cubs
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5:05 p.m. PT
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Chicago
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2B
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Utley
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CF
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Fowler
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SS
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Seager
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RF
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Heyward
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1B
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Gonzalez
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3B
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Bryant
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CF
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Pederson
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1B
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Rizzo
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LF
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Thompson
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2B
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Zobrist
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3B
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Kendrick
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LF
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Soler
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RF
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Puig
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SS |
Russell
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C
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Grandal
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C
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Montero
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P
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Kazmir (L)
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P
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Arrieta (R)
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You know what’s gotta be fun for a team that got all of one hit the day before? Knowing that today, they have to face one of the best pitchers in baseball, who just so happens to have no-hit them last season. (I mean, technically — we could always have a discussion about Enrique Hernandez reaching on what was ruled an error.)
Jake Arrieta has been something of a sore spot for Dodger fans over the past year, and not just because of the no hitter. His astounding second half of the 2015 season led to him winning the NL Cy Young Award over both Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw. Arrieta has continued to be dominant into 2016, and the Cubs have yet to lose a game in which he’s made a start, which has generated some talk about whether or not he’s better than Kershaw now. (The absolute tear Kershaw has been on of late seems to have quashed that, thankfully.)
Arrieta’s ERA of 1.72 is an entire point lower than his FIP of 2.73 (and even lower than his xFIP of 3.11), suggesting that luck has been on his side this year (as if his .220 BABIP didn’t suggest that enough on its own). His strikeout and walk rates are good, but the key to his success thus far seems to be more about his ability to induce weak contact.
Scott Kazmir enters this game coming off of his brilliant 12-strikeout performance against the Reds. This time, he gets to contend with a very good Cubs lineup. Good luck, Scott.
Of course, this could all be moot. The tarp has been on the field at Wrigley since about 3 PM central time, preventing both teams from taking batting practice. A rain delay or postponement remains a possibility.
We got a few Dodger injury updates today, and none of them are particularly good. To start, Alex Wood‘s triceps soreness will land him on the DL, which means we’ll be seeing Julio Urias again soon:
Julio Urias is coming back to the major leagues. Alex Wood is going on the disabled list with elbow soreness.
— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) May 31, 2016
We have no idea when Andre Ethier is going to be coming back, apparently:
Andre Ethier still hasn't been cleared to resume baseball activities. Original 10-14 week timetable is essentially out the window.
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) May 31, 2016
But wait, there’s more!
Oh, and Kenta Maeda has some residual swelling in his right hand, so he's questionable for Thursday.
— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) May 31, 2016
Finally, in non-injury news, Alex Guerrero finally, mercifully, got designated for assignment:
Today, the #Dodgers designated IF/OF Alex Guerrero for assignment.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 31, 2016
In the 10 games he played this month at the Double- and Triple-A levels, Guerrero was slashing a meager .050/.073/.050.
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