Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers (88-35) and the Pirates (60-65) meet for game two of four in Pittsburgh tonight, despite thunderstorms threatening to delay the start time. It’ll be Brock Stewart (1.64 ERA, 4.05 FIP, 4.90 DRA) on the mound in a spot start for Los Angeles.
A reminder that this game is being simulcast on KTLA.
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Dodgers
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Pirates
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4:05 p.m.
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Pittsburgh
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CF
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Taylor
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LF
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Marte | |
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SS
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Seager
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2B
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Frazier | |
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3B
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Turner
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CF
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McCutchen | |
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LF
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Granderson |
1B
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Bell | |
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C
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Grandal |
3B
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Harrison | |
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RF
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Puig | RF | Jaso | |
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1B
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González |
C
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Díaz | |
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2B
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Forsythe |
SS
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Mercer | |
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P
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Stewart (R)
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P
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Taillon (R) |
With Yu Darvish on the DL with a sore back, Stewart gets another shot at a start. Stewart has made two starts at the major league level this year, as well as seven relief appearances, between stints at Triple-A. His most recent appearance for the Dodgers was August 10, when he allowed two runs in 1.1 innings of relief. Stewart was recalled today from Oklahoma City, with Alex Wood being DL’d as the corresponding move (more on that in a bit).
Jameson Taillon (4.64 ERA, 3.44 FIP, 4.45 DRA) is a hard-throwing righty, with a four seamer and a sinker that average around 95 MPH and top out around 98 MPH. His best pitch is his curveball, which has induced a 13.5 percent whiff rate in 2017. Still, Taillon has struggled this year, despite strikeout and walk rates that are slightly better than league average. At least some of his struggles can be chalked up to bad luck with BABIP (yet to stabilize, as he’s only pitched 97 innings this season).
Taillon has faced the Dodgers once before in his career, in June of 2016 when he allowed four runs in four innings. You might remember that better as the Nick Tepesch game (though you couldn’t be blamed for not remembering that). Taillon missed time earlier this season while on the disabled list recovering from surgery for suspected testicular cancer, so it’s especially good to see him out there.
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There was a lot of Dodger news today. First up is that Wood is officially hitting the DL with SC joint inflammation:
Alex Wood is headed to the DL. He said the initial plan is to return in the first weekend of September against San Diego.
— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) August 22, 2017
As Dustin wrote about earlier today, Wood’s velocity has been down of late. As it’s likely the result of fatigue, Dustin advocated a DL stint to allow him to get some rest. Well, that seems to be what’s happening.
This leaves the Dodgers without a starter for this Saturday at home against the Brewers. Per Dave Roberts, it won’t be Clayton Kershaw, who needs a rehab start and will likely be making one with OKC that Saturday. It also won’t be Walker Buehler. Roberts did, however, mention Ross Stripling as a possibility.
'Bullpen game' started by Ross Stripling sounds like most likely option for Saturday at this pt. Others from AAA would require 40-man move
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) August 22, 2017
Two other speculated candidates are Fabio Castillo and Wilmer Font. Castillo is currently on the Triple-A seven-day DL. He has a combined Double-A and Triple-A 3.96 ERA across 86.1 IP this year. Font has a 3.58 ERA in 128.1 innings at Triple-A.
Cody Bellinger is still not back in the Dodgers’ starting lineup and could be DL-bound.
Bellinger a likely DL candidate with mild ankle sprain. Decision in next 2 days.
— AlaNNa Rizzo (@alannarizzo) August 22, 2017
Not forcing Bellinger, and giving him some time to actually recover, truly wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.
Update
Cody Bellinger is going on the DL. Josh Ravin up.
— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) August 22, 2017
Bellinger is, indeed, going to the DL, with Josh Ravin being recalled to take his place.
A couple of other notes on injured Dodger starters:
Brandon McCarthy will be starting a rehab assignment in the next few days. #Dodgers
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) August 22, 2017
Kazmir is in Arizona pitching sim games, Roberts said.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) August 22, 2017
These things would’ve been less consequential before the Dodgers ended up with basically an entire rotation on the disabled list.
