Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers are not playing good baseball right now. The offense went missing again last night while Rich Hill struggled through five innings, and Chad posted his recap in like the sixth inning. It did not get much better from there, and add on that Logan Forsythe left the game with right shoulder discomfort. It’s only April and standings look weird everywhere (both the Cubs and Nationals are in fourth in their divisions), but the 2018 season has not been fun.
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Diamondbacks
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Dodgers
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1:10 PM
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Los Angeles
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LF
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Peralta |
CF
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Taylor | |
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2B
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Marte |
SS
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Seager | |
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1B
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Goldschmidt |
LF
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Kemp | |
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CF
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Pollock |
1B
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Bellinger | |
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3B
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Descalso |
RF
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Puig | |
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RF
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Owings |
C
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Barnes | |
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SS
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Ahmed | 2B | Utley | |
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C
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Mathis |
3B
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Hernandez | |
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P
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Godley (R)
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P
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Kershaw (L)
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It’s mid-April, and Clayton Kershaw is still in search of his first win of the season. Kershaw is making his fourth start of the season and despite an 0-2 record, he’s only allowed four runs in 19 innings. Three of the four runs have come on solo home runs, and the fourth was an inherited run that scored after a single and a bunt single knocked Kershaw out of his last start.
Kershaw is 0-2 because the Dodgers have scored a grand total of three runs in his three starts, one of which came after Kershaw had left the game. In Kershaw’s start in Arizona on April 3, he allowed solo home runs to Daniel Descalso (of course) and David Peralta. The 2-1 deficit felt insurmountable enough, but Scott Alexander allowed three runs and the Dodgers ended up losing 6-1. Kershaw looked much more Kershaw-like in his last start in San Francisco, and the Dodgers could really use a vintage Kershaw performance today.
Matt Kemp returns to the lineup after a day off yesterday. Enrique Hernandez gets the start at third after Forsythe left the game last night. Hernandez crushed the ball during the spring, but has struggled early on this season.
For Arizona, Zack Godley will get the ball for the third time this season. He’s been dominant so far, throwing seven innings in each of his first two starts and allowing only one run. Against the Dodgers his first time out, Godley allowed four his and a walk but only struck out three. In his last start against the Giants, Godley only allowed four hits while striking out nine. Godley made three starts against the Dodgers last season and allowed 17 hits and eight runs in 18 innings. His got the loss in his only start at Dodger Stadium last year after allowing one run in 5 2/3 innings.
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To add injury to insult from last night:
Forsythe (right shoulder inflammation) to the DL. Valera up.
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) April 15, 2018
Forsythe has reportedly been battling this shoulder issue since Spring Training, but there’s no structural damage.
The Dodgers acquired Breyvic Valera from the Cardinals on April 1st as some major league ready infield depth. That depth is already being tested, as Forsythe joins Justin Turner on the DL. Valera appeared in seven games at Triple A-Oklahoma City and posted a .316/.417/.421 triple slash in 24 plate appearances. His power is almost non-existent, but Valera has walked more times than he’s struck out in his nine seasons in the minors. In 11 plate appearances with the Cardinals last season, Valera had one hit and one walk. Valera will wear number 33 with the Dodgers, but he along with everyone else will wear 42 today.
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Today is Jackie Robinson Day, commemorating the 71st anniversary of Robinson’s historic major league debut in 1947. Every player across the majors will wear Robinson’s retired number 42 today, and many players are honoring Robinson in other ways.
https://twitter.com/Cut4/status/985581734690545672
"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." – #Jackie42 #ThankYouJackie it's an honor everyday to play for Jackie's team @Dodgers @MLB And a privilege to have Mr. Don Newcombe, Jackie's teammate, as my mentor. So grateful for your guidance Newk. pic.twitter.com/PpPmJOIeJy
— Kenley Jansen (@kenleyjansen74) April 15, 2018
Again, it’s early, but it would be really nice if the Dodgers could not start with a 4-10 record. Narratives are also annoying, and another loss today would give the Diamondbacks 12 straight wins against the Dodgers in the regular season. Of course, people fail to mention that the Dodgers swept the Diamondbacks in the NLDS, but the Diamondbacks have had the Dodgers’ number of late. So the Dodgers should win today, IMO.
