Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers (100!-57) can lock up home-field advantage in the National League playoffs on Tuesday with a win over the San Diego Padres (70-87) and a Washington loss. The Nationals will take on the Phillies at 4:05 PM PT. L.A. still remains 1 1/2 games ahead of the Indians for the best record in baseball, and they have a magic number of two to eliminate the Nats and capture the No. 1 seed in the NL.
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Padres
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Dodgers
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7:10 p.m.
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Los Angeles
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CF
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Margot |
2B
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Utley | |
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3B
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Villanueva |
SS
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Seager | |
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1B
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Myers |
3B
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Turner | |
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RF
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Renfroe |
CF
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Bellinger | |
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2B
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Solarte |
C
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Grandal | |
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LF
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Blash |
RF
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Puig | |
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SS
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Aybar | 1B | Gonzalez | |
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C
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Torrens |
LF
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Ethier | |
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P
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Lamet (R) |
P
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Wood (L) |
Alex Wood (15-3, 2.71 ERA, 3.14 FIP) takes the mound for the Dodgers’ second to last home start of the regular season on Tuesday. Wood has hit a bit of a rough patch in September, possibly due to some arm fatigue causing a dip in his velocity despite some down time in August with a disabled list stint. He’s allowed 11 runs on 21 hits in 23 innings this month in four starts, but last time out against the Nationals he rebounded with six shutout innings thanks to an effective changeup.
This season the lefty is 1-1 with a 3.21 ERA in three games (two starts) against the Padres. The Dodgers lost to the Friars 6-4 last time Wood faced them on September 3. He allowed four runs on seven hits including two home runs to Erick Aybar and Jose Pirela in six innings.
Rookie right-hander Dinelson Lamet (7-7, 4.45 ERA, 4.24 FIP) makes his final start for San Diego. He pitched admirably against Clayton Kershaw on September 1, allowing one run on six hits with 10 strikeouts against the Dodgers in six innings. Last time out against a tough D-backs team, he served up six runs on six hits including three homers in 5 1/3 innings.
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Dave Roberts not only looks for the series win vs. the Padres and home-field advantage in the NL playoffs, but he also is gauging many of his roster options over these final regular season games. The situation continues to be fluid. Veterans Adrian Gonzalez and Andre Ethier will both get a start against the right-hander on Tuesday. Gonzo hasn’t started at first base since September 11, and he’s on the bubble as far as being healthy enough to be able to play in the NLDS. Ethier, on the other hand, came up big five days ago in Philadelphia with a pinch-hit game-tying home run. Since making his 2017 debut on September 1, Dre is hitting .296/.345/.556/.900 with two home runs in 27 at-bats.
Justin Turner returns to the lineup after missing time due to illness and a sore right thumb. Yasiel Puig is also starting after being benched by Roberts for showing up late to the ballpark on Monday for early batting practice.
Dave Roberts said Yasiel Puig is no longer “grounded.” Is allowed out of “his room to get on the field and play with his friends.”
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) September 26, 2017
Some starting pitching updates:
Roberts said that Kershaw will make an abbreviated start in his final regular season appearance.
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) September 26, 2017
And a Julio Urias sighting.
Julio Urias here on his bobblehead day. Said he has been told throwing program will start in 4th month out of surgery pic.twitter.com/47lKwJTrMG
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) September 26, 2017
