Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Los Angeles Dodgers (98-56) will take the field at Dodger Stadium as the National League West Champions on Saturday night when they go for the series win against the Giants (60-94). The clubhouse is drying out from the river of champagne, but there’s still some regular season baseball to be played before they try to win 11 games in October. Some of the regulars won’t be in the lineup, and should be rested before the NLDS, but there’s still plenty of reason to watch. Home-field advantage for a potential World Series berth is still not decided, the Dodgers look to capture 100+ wins, Rookie of the Year shoe-in Cody Bellinger is on the cusp of 40 home runs, and there’s roster decisions to be made including the fate of Saturday’s starter Hyun-Jin Ryu.
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Giants
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Dodgers
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6:10 PM PT
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Los Angeles
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CF
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Hernández |
CF
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Taylor | |
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2B
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Panik |
SS
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Seager | |
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CF
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Span |
LF
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Hernandez | |
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C
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Posey |
RF
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Puig | |
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RF
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Pence |
3B
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Forsythe | |
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SS
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Crawford |
C
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Barnes | |
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3B
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Tomlinson | 1B | Farmer | |
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1B
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Jones |
2B
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Culberson | |
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P
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Bumgarner (L) |
P
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Ryu (L) |
Ryu (5-7, 3.46 ERA, 4.49 FIP) has pitched far better than anyone expected this year after being sidelined for so long with shoulder and elbow injuries. The left-hander will get one final starting opportunity to make a case for himself on Saturday against the Giants as Dave Roberts evaluates his postseason roster options. He’s actually been quite effective in the second half, going 2-1 with a 2.36 ERA and 1.228 WHIP in nine starts (49 2/3 innings). Ryu’s also pitched well in two starts against the Giants this season, allowing one run with 10 strikeouts in 13 innings against the orange and black. Overall, Ryu is 4-5 with a 3.36 ERA vs. San Francisco in 11 career games.
Another Dodgers pitcher vying for a playoff roster spot is Walker Buehler. Buehler, who has found some “success” with the Dodgers since being called up this month, is still in the mix per Roberts.
Dave Roberts said he would use Walker Buehler in higher leverage situations over these final 8 games of the regular season, to test him
— Eric Stephen (@truebluela) September 23, 2017
The Dodgers will face infamous foe and motorcycle stunt rider Madison Bumgarner (3-9, 3.48 ERA, 3.95 FIP) for the final time this year. MadBum’s injury has played a part in the Giants’ historically poor season, but beating the Dodgers — especially when they look at him — is always one of his favorite things to do. The touchy lefty hasn’t been as dominant as he usually is since returning from the disabled list, and he’s lost four straight with a 3.66 ERA in 12 starts. Bumgarner pitched seven innings of shutout ball against the Dodgers on July 30 in L.A., a game narrowly won 3-2 by the Boys in Blue. Overall, he’s 14-9 with a 2.59 ERA in 28 career games against the Dodgers. Yasiel Puig, Bumgarner’s arch nemesis, is 10-for-38 with two home runs against him.
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The post-clinch lineup is pretty much as expected with some of the regulars including Yasmani Grandal, Bellinger and Justin Turner getting some rest. Turner, who was sadly at home with a virus and a sore thumb during Friday’s festivities, is not available tonight. Logan Forsythe is at the hot corner, Austin Barnes is behind the plate, and Charlie Culberson is at second. Kyle Farmer starts for the first time at the major-league level, batting seventh. Farmer played 35 innings at first base for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers this season, but it will be his first time in the majors at first base.
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This would be fun.
Nothing official from MLB but in Mexico it’s being reported that the Dodgers/Padres will play a series in Monterrey next year. May 4-6 2018.
— Roberto Baly (@rbaly79) September 23, 2017
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These final games may be meaningless, but beating the Giants and Bumgarner never gets old.
