Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers open a brief two-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. While the trade deadline rumors heat up, the Dodgers find themselves a mere 2 1/2 games out of first place in the NL West with 62 games remaining on their regular season schedule.
The Giants have lost eight of their last ten games, allowing the Dodgers to close the gap in the standings. The Rays, who have had an abysmal season so far, will try to fend off the Dodgers in unfamilar territory. It is only the second series the Rays have ever played at Dodger Stadium during their franchise history. The Dodgers swept a three-game series against Tampa Bay at Chavez Ravine back in 2013.
Bud Norris (2-2, 5.64) made 23 pitches in relief during the 16-inning torturous marathon on Friday night, serving up the walk-off home run to Matt Adams. Norris has already allowed five home runs (2.0 HR/9) as a Dodger in five games. Since his strong debut with the Dodgers on July 1, he has allowed 14 runs on 23 hits in 16 1/3 innings of work.
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Rays
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Dodgers
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7:10 p.m. PT
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Los Angeles
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| 2B | Forsythe | 2B | Utley | |
| SS | Miller | SS | Seager | |
| 3B | Longoria | 3B | Turner | |
| LF | Dickerson | 1B | Gonzalez | |
| 1B | Pearce | LF | Kendrick | |
| CF | Kiermaier | C | Grandal | |
| RF | Guyer | RF | Toles | |
| C | Maile | CF | Pederson | |
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P
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Archer (R)
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P
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Norris (R)
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Norris is 1-2 with a 4.62 ERA against the Rays in seven career games (six starts). Evan Longoria, who grew up watching Dodger games, has three hits vs. Norris, including two homeruns. A trade for Longoria may be a long shot this year, but Dustin wrote about the possibility of an offseason acquisition earlier this month.
There is nothing more exciting than playing in the ballparks you grew up watching as a kid! #ChavezRavine pic.twitter.com/6OxtsxzgkI
— Evan Longoria (@Evan3Longoria) July 26, 2016
Chris Archer (5-13, 4.60), who will face the Dodgers for the first time in his career on Tuesday, has been another name circulating the trade rumor mill for the Dodgers. The Tampa Bay ace would certainly be a welcomed addition to the L.A. rotation especially with Clayton Kershaw currently disabled and possibly facing season-ending back surgery if his disc irritation does not heal. Ironically, Archer hails from Clayton, North Carolina.
The Rays (38-60) are in the cellar and 20 games behind the first-place Orioles in the AL East. They have lost three straight games, including consecutive walk-off losses to the A’s on Friday and Saturday. The 27-year old right-hander Archer is having a bumpy season, with a 4.60 ERA, 89 ERA+ and 20 home runs through 123 1/3 innings. He’s still striking out batters at the same rate as last season (10.73 SO/9), but he’s allowing more walks (3.7 BB/9) and long balls (1.5 HR/9) this year.
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Andrew Toles is starting in right field and batting seventh. Dave Roberts said that Yasiel Puig is available tonight off the bench and is feeling better. A retroactive DL stint could still be a possibility.
Kershaw is still not throwing, and while Andre Ethier took batting practice, there is still no timetable for his return either.
#Dodgers Yasiel Puig got letter from MLB warning him he would be fined $5K if he wore Vin Scully cleats again. Does not comply w/ uni rules
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) July 26, 2016
#MakeBaseballFunAgain
100 games down, 62 to go. With some reinfocements via a trade or two, this Dodgers team shouldn’t be counted out.
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