Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers host the Brewers for the rubber game of this 3-game series — a position the Dodgers haven’t been in too frequently.
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Brewers
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Dodgers
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1:10 p.m.
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Los Angeles
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2B
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Nerd Power |
CF
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CT3 | |
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LF
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Pan Blanco |
SS
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Seager | |
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1B
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Walker |
3B
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RedTurn2 | |
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3B
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Mayor-DDC |
LF
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Grandyman | |
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RF
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Showmingo |
C
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YRG Jr. | |
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C
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I Believe |
1B
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El Titan | |
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CF
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Fla Boy | 2B | Logie Bear | |
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SS
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El Niño |
RF
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Kiké | |
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P
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Big Sweat (R) |
P
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Yu-San (R) |
They haven’t lost a series since June 5-7 against the Nationals. In that time, they’re 19-0-3, which is a great way to compile a .711 winning percentage this late into the season.
Yu Darvish makes his return to the mound today after 10 days on the disabled list with lower back tightness. Josh Fields took Darvish’s spot on the DL with, well, lower back tightness. It’s going to become the new “hamstring strain” for the Dodgers. Darvish has been pretty solid in his first three outings, but he was a little off in his last one (6 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 K), so here’s hoping a break helps him get back to the guy we saw in his first two starts.
He’s taking on Jimmy Nelson, who is the unquestioned Brewers’ ace (even if Zach Davies has the Dodgers’ number this season). He held the Dodgers to no runs on five hits over eight innings back on June 2 in Milwaukee. Oh, and he struck out 11. He has legitimate swing-and-miss stuff, but he also is prone to giving up runs. Since that start against LA, Nelson has a 4.09 ERA, but just a 3.16 FIP and has struck out almost 22 percent of the hitters he has faced.
Nelson is good, and after the Dodgers’ bats didn’t show up last night, it looks a like a tall task to score off him. Luckily, most of the “A” team is in the lineup today. Yasiel Puig is getting the day off after making that incredible catch on a Domingo Santana fly ball last night. Enrique Hernandez is getting the start in his spot. The Dodgers don’t have many better options right now with Cody Bellinger out (but due back soon), but starting Hernandez against a guy with one of baseball’s best curveballs seems ill-advised. It seems unavoidable right now, unless you want to play Austin Barnes or Kyle Farmer in left field (which seems even more ill-advised).
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Joc Pederson has been playing exclusively left field with Oklahoma City, and that might be his future going forward.
Joc Pederson has only played LF at AAA. Roberts says Taylor has played better in CF this year and Joc can play either position.
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) August 27, 2017
Pederson has been one of baseball’s worst center fielders by defensive runs saved (-12), but I don’t think he’s that bad. Still, his long-term future has always been in a corner, and with Chris Taylor emerging offensively and defensively, perhaps that future is now.
Roberts says it's a "good possibility" that #Dodgers start to use 6-man rotation over next couple weeks.
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) August 27, 2017
With Clayton Kershaw and Alex Wood due back next weekend in San Diego, this seems like a good way to ease them back in. I’d like Kershaw to be on a 5-day turn by the end of the season, though.
Pitching probables for Dodgers-Diamondbacks this week:
TUE: Hill/Godley
WED: Ryu/Ray
THU: Maeda/Greinke— Eric Stephen (@ericstephen) August 27, 2017
The Diamondbacks have their best lined up against the Dodgers’ not-best. Still, Rich Hill, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Kenta Maeda are a formidable trio for the almost meaningless division clash in Phoenix starting Tuesday.
And since the OKC game started before the Dodger game last night…
Clayton Kershaw's final line in his rehab start: 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R/ER, 0 BB, 8 K, 1 PO, 64 pitches, 43 strikes, 3/2 GO/AO. #Dodgers
— Dustin Nosler (@DustinNosler) August 27, 2017
I am excite for his return.
