Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Blue Crew keeps on rolling. With Clayton Kershaw on the mound, the dominant Dodgers (60-29) look for their 10th straight home win on Friday night. The Padres (42-45) are in danger of losing six straight and falling further below .500.
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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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SS
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Tatis Jr. |
SS
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Taylor | |
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1B
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Hosmer |
CF
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Verdugo | |
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3B
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Machado |
3B
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Turner | |
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RF
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Reyes |
RF
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Bellinger | |
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LF
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Renfroe |
1B
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Muncy | |
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C
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Mejia |
2B
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Hernandez | |
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2B
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Kinsler | LF | Garlick | |
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P
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Lauer (L) |
C
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Barnes | |
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CF
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Margot |
P
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Kershaw (L) |
Clayton Kershaw (7-2, 3.23 ERA, 3.75) gave up five runs (four earned) over seven innings in his last start against the Rockies (44-42). He’s faced the Friars twice this season, allowing six runs in 13 winnings with a 4.15 ERA. Kershaw has been good at home. He’s 6-0 with a 2.68 ERA and 1.043 WHIP in eight starts.
Kersh has absolutely dominated the Padres over his career. He’s 19-6 with a 2.02 ERA and 0.976 WHIP in 36 starts. He’s struck out 247 Padres in 235.2 IP. Franmil Reyes and Manny Machado are dangerous hitters in the San Diego lineup, and they each have hit two home runs off Kersh.
Eric Lauer (5-7, 4.22 ERA, 3.98 FIP) has pitched well against the Dodgers in his career. He’s 3-0 with a 1.46 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 24.2 IP ( four starts). The southpaw has struggled on the road this year going 2-4 with a 6.49 ERA and a 1.500 WHIP in seven starts (34.2 IP). He faced the Dodgers in San Diego on May 3, allowing two runs on four hits in 5 IP in the 4-3 Dodger win.
Enrique Hernandez, Chris Taylor and Max Muncy have all homered against Lauer, and all three are in the starting lineup. Taylor’s leading off and playing at shortstop. Speaking of the Dodgers’ home dominance, Taylor hits well at home (.882 OPS). Cody Bellinger is 2-for-4 against Lauer. I haven’t seen a player so locked in like Bellinger this first half. He crushed his 30th home run of the season on Thursday against the Padres, continuing his historic first half. His 30-homers in 85 games is one of the best first-half performances in Dodger history. He’s pretty special.
Ken Gurnick of MLB.com broke down Bellinger’s historic pace:
“Bellinger, meanwhile, added to his MVP resume, becoming one of 38 players in MLB history with 30 home runs by the All-Star break, one of only 19 in the National League, and the only Dodger.
Bellinger is on pace to hit 54 home runs this season, which would break Shawn Green’s club mark of 49. He has 71 RBIs, on pace for 130, which would be the most since Tommy Davis’ team-record 153 in 1962. The last Dodger to finish a season with a batting average higher than Bellinger’s current mark of .344 was Mike Piazza at .362 in 1997. His .711 slugging percentage and 1.149 OPS would break Babe Herman’s club marks of .678 and 1.132 set in 1930.”
The Dodgers have the best record in baseball (60-29), best run differential (+134), best home record (37-9), best home ERA and K/BB in the majors (2.63 and 5.00). Coming into Friday’s NL West matchup, the Dodgers are 14.5 games up in the NL West as they go for their 10th straight home win and fifth straight win overall.
Earlier today, Chad looked at the teams who have gone on to the World Series, including the 2017 Dodgers, after winning 60 games before losing 30. It’s looking good for the 2019 Dodgers.
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I hate to have to include some bad news, but Will Smith and Tony Gonsolin have been placed on the 7-day injured list with Oklahoma City. Gonsolin has a hamstring strain, Smith an oblique strain.
OKC Dodgers placed C Will Smith on the 7-day injured list retroactive to June 26 with strained side muscle. Also, RHP Tony Gonsolin is on the OKC 7-day injured list retroactive to July 2.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) July 5, 2019
On a brighter note, Muncy gets a well-deserved trip to Cleveland.
Max Muncy has been named to the NL All-Star team to replace Anthony Rendon. pic.twitter.com/3CVJad9Y67
— MLB (@MLB) July 5, 2019
Bellinger has got most of the media attention this year, but Muncy has also been raking this year (141 wRC+) behind him in the lineup with 21 homers in 86 games.
The Dodgers now have six players who will travel to Progressive Field for All-Star festivities: Hyun-Jin Ryu (starting pitcher for NL), Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Cody Bellinger (starting OF), Max Muncy, and Joc Pederson will make his return to the Home Run Derby on Monday.
Now coach Dino Ebel is throwing batting practice to Pederson. Looks like a serious tryout with Jose Vizcaino for HR Derby pitching duty.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) July 5, 2019
The lineup for the Quakes is stacked tonight.
Find us a better 2-3 combo in the minor leagues tonight. We’ll wait. #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/BiK1rgxxl0
— Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (@RCQuakes) July 5, 2019
