Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers remained hot last night, taking the series-opener against the San Diego Padres. They’ve won seven of their last eight games and can clinch their third-straight series victory with another win over the Padres. They currently sit 3.5 games back of first place thanks largely to an extremely mediocre division.
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Padres
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Dodgers
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7:10 PM
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Los Angeles
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LF
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Jankowski |
SS
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Taylor | |
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2B
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Pirela |
1B
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Muncy | |
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1B
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Hosmer |
3B
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Turner | |
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3B
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Villanueva |
RF
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Kemp | |
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RF
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Reyes |
C
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Grandal | |
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SS
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Galvis |
CF
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Bellinger | |
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C
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Ellis | 2B | Forsythe | |
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CF
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Margot |
LF
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Pederson | |
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P
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Lyles (R)
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P
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Wood (L)
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Alex Wood suffered another leg cramp in his last outing, but will make his 11th start of the season tonight. He finally earned his first win of the season last Sunday in Washington, holding the Naionals to two runs and four baserunners through six innings. The conversation about who the Dodgers’ best healthy starter is changes quite often, but Wood, Walker Buehler, Kenta Maeda and Ross Stripling have formed into a quite potent and right-handed-heavy rotation. With Clayton Kershaw on his way back soon, maybe the Dodgers aren’t dead yet (Dustin).
Yasiel Puig is out of the lineup after his mental lapse in right field last night. Might be nothing, might be something. Both Joc Pederson and Matt Kemp are in the lineup, so there were no consequences for Pederson’s assault on Kemp following last night’s game. Nothing makes me more proud to write for this website than when I see a Chad shitpost.
Jordan Lyles gets his fourth start of the season after his first 13 outings came in relief. He’s been great since taking Bryan Mitchell‘s spot in the rotaion, tossing 18 innings and allowing 17 baserunners and only five earned runs while striking out 20. Two starts ago, Lyles matched a career-high with 10 strikeouts in 7 1/3 perfect innings before allowing a single and a walk and being removed from the game against the Rockies. Lyles sits in the mid-90s with his fastball and pairs it with a knuckle-curve that sits in the mid-80s.
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Like I said, Kershaw is on his way back.
Clayton Kershaw said his simulated game went well and he’ll be ready to start for the Dodgers in 5 days if that’s what the team decides.
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) May 26, 2018
He survived a four-inning, 60ish pitch simulated game, so the next stop will likely be a start late next week, either in the Majors or Minors. Next weekend will feature the Dodgers’ first trip to Coors Field, which I’m sure will not be stressful at all if that’s where Kershaw makes his return.
Dave Roberts won’t commit to starting Kershaw starting in 5 days. They’ll wait to see how he feels.
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) May 26, 2018
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Rich Hill is slightly further from a return.
Roberts says he still thinks Rich Hill is “a ways away” from being able to pitch without his blister-prone finger uncovered, which he would need to do before his return.
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) May 26, 2018
It seems like MLB won’t allow him to pitch with a band-aid or something on his blistered finger.
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Brock Stewart Monday, Kenta Maeda Tuesday for Dodgers.
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) May 26, 2018
Brock Stewart starting Monday would make him a logical person to be replaced by Kershaw later in the week.
