Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
Last night, the Dodgers hung on to a late lead thanks to a nice tag on a wide throw to remain in first place in the NL West. The Dodgers were a season-worst 10 games under .500 on May 16th, and less than two months later are now 10 games over .500 with two games remaining before the All-Star break. Not bad.
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Angels
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Dodgers
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4:15 PM
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Los Angeles
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3B
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Fletcher |
SS
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Taylor | |
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SS
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Simmons |
LF
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Hernández | |
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CF
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Trout |
RF
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Kemp | |
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LF
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Upton |
3B
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Muncy | |
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2B
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Kinsler |
2B
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Forsythe | |
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1B
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Marte |
1B
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Bellinger | |
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RF
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Calhoun | CF | Toles | |
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C
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Maldonado |
C
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Barnes | |
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P
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Heaney (L)
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P
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Wood (L)
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Alex Wood gets the start today after the Dodgers pushed Clayton Kershaw back a day. Wood last pitched on Sunday in Anaheim and couldn’t hold an early 3-0 lead, leaving the game tied after six innings. Wood has lasted at least six innings in each of his last four starts and in 10 of his 18 starts this season, which leads the Dodgers. Wood has also allowed one home run in each of those four starts. The three runs Wood allowed was the most he had allowed in over a month, and in his last two starts Wood has only struck out seven batters total. He still boasts an impressive 88-18 K-BB on the season, but a declining strikeout rate could become a concern if it continues.
Like last Sunday, Andrew Heaney starts opposite Wood. In the second inning of that game, Heaney issued a pair of walks before surrendering a home run to Yasiel Puig. Outside of that, Heaney was dominant for the Angels. Following Puig’s two-out home run, Heaney didn’t allow another baserunner until there were two outs in the sixth inning. He allowed a pair of singles and a walk to load the bases, but Cody Bellinger grounded out to end the inning. Heaney has gone seven innings and struck out 10 batters in back-to-back starts.
Logan Forsythe bats fifth for the Dodgers against a lefty. Andrew Toles gets the start in center and Austin Barnes starts behind the plate. The Angels move Kole Calhoun down in the order and Martin Maldonado starts behind the plate.
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Service time manipulation back?
The Dodgers are optioning Walker Buehler to the minor leagues to make room for new reliever Zac Rosscup.
— Pedro Moura (@pedromoura) July 14, 2018
The Dodgers activated Zac Rosscup today after claiming him from Colorado on Wednesday. Rosscup gives the Dodgers another potential LOOGY in the bullpen, and with Tony Cingrani‘s injury and Scott Alexander‘s not-LOOGY tendencies, he could be a welcome addition.
Dave Roberts said Zac Rosscup would be used as a lefty specialist and in stints no longer than one inning. Throwing 93-95 with a slider in the high 80s
— Eric Stephen (@ericstephen) July 14, 2018
However, the Dodgers optioned Walker Buehler back to the minors to bring Rosscup up. It makes sense on the surface, as it helps limit innings and with the All-Star break beginning on Monday, Buehler might not even miss a start. It also feels a little icky, as the Dodgers benefit from Buehler not being on the Major League roster.
Buehler is 7 minor league service days away from not getting a full year from 2017+2018. https://t.co/ZXoAXPM0bG
Optioning him for no apparent reason looks pretty bad.— Daniel Brim (@DanielBrim) July 14, 2018
It’s not the worst thing a team has done, but it’s not exactly right. The Dodgers do get their extra reliever back for these final two games, but Rich Hill and Kenta Maeda are reportedly also available out of the bullpen.
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Justin Turner is still not in the lineup, and likely will avoid the DL.
Roberts choice is to stay away from Justin Turner as he deals with adductor/groin issue. He’s available to pinch hit & it’s unlikely a DL situation. ASB will help.
— AlaNNa Rizzo (@alannarizzo) July 14, 2018
Not needing Turner in a pinch hit situation seems like the best case scenario.
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A reminder that tonight’s game will be broadcast on FOX for Los Angeles to view.
