Dodgers @ Angels July 15, 2022: Kershaw opens up the final series before the All-Star Break

The Dodgers, somehow, took two of three in St. Louis and have now won 13 of their last 15 games. They had a 1.5 game lead in the NL West when the Padres came to LA on June 30, and now sit 9.5 games up with a chance to go up double-digits with a win and a San Diego loss to Arizona.

The All-Star break is two days away for the Dodgers, who end their first half with a quick series in Anaheim. The Angels are not doing great, as they’re 2-8 in their last 10 and haven’t won a game started by not-Shohei Ohtani since June 27. They’ve been crushed with some injuries, but their recent lineups have been historically uneven.

So, I looked this up, by which I mean I asked @JasonBernard_ to help me look this up, and it's true. Comparing OPS 1-3 to OPS 4-9, as a percentage .. this really *is* the top-heaviest AL team of all time. & I'm tempted to just toss out 97 Astros anyway b/c they had a P hitting 9 pic.twitter.com/xO1Xw8ys0F

— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) July 14, 2022

Seems good.

	6:38 PM		Anaheim
RF	Betts	2B	Stefanic
SS	T. Turner	DH	Ohtani (L)
1B	Freeman (L)	CF	Ward
DH	Smith	SS	Rengifo (S)
3B	J. Turner	RF	Adell
2B	Alberto	1B	Walsh (L)
CF	Thompson	3B	Villar (S)
C	Barnes	C	Suzuki
LF	Lux (L)	LF	Marsh (L)
P	Kershaw (L)	P	Sandoval (L)

Clayton Kershaw makes his final start of the first half. He’ll appear in his ninth All Star game on Tuesday (hopefully as the starter), with a 2.40 ERA/2.57 FIP and 1.005 WHIP in 63 2/3 innings. Kershaw made a strong case to start the All Star game in his last start against the Cubs, as he pitched into the eighth inning for the first time this season. Kershaw allowed two runs (one earned) over 7 2/3 innings and allowed a single with two outs in the eighth to prevent him completing eight innings for the first time since last June, also against the Cubs. Kershaw’s allowed 17 earned runs this season, with six of those coming in one Coors ass start on June 28. Since then, Kershaw’s had two starts and combined to allow one earned run in 14 2/3 innings with 18 strikeouts and only one walk.

Opposing Kershaw is Angel lefty Patrick Sandoval. Sandoval has continued to be good after breaking out last season, with a 2.95 ERA/3.00 FIP in 76 1/3 innings this season. He’s allowed two or fewer runs in 10 of his 14 starts and didn’t allow a homer in his first nine starts this season. He’s walked two or more batters in 12 of his 14 starts and is coming off a start where he struck out a season-high 10 batters.

Sandoval offers one of the best changeups in the sport, with a 48.5 percent whiff rate and and xBA and xSLG of .202 and .273 off it, respectively. His slider falls just short of a 40 percent whiff rate (39.9 percent), but his fastball has been very hittable. Fangraphs broke down his fastball issue, and it only has a 7.5 percent whiff rate and xBA and xSLG of .391 and .680 against it.

Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy both sit against a lefty. Gavin Lux starts in left, with Hanser Alberto starting at second, Trayce Thompson in center and Will Smith DHing (with Austin Barnes behind the plate). For the Angels, Mike Trout is out of the lineup for the third straight game with back spasms.

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The Dodgers made a signing.

Source: Dominican Hanser Robles was signed by the Los Angeles #Dodgers, Robles who was released by the #RedSox ✍🏽 pic.twitter.com/igseN1S1Kp

— Mike Rodriguez | Univision 🍥 (@mikedeportes) July 15, 2022

Hansel Robles was signed to a minor-league deal. Robles made 26 appearances for Boston this season and allowed 16 earned runs in 24 2/3 innings before being DFA’d. He also only allowed two of seven inherited runners to score.

Robles gets ~70 grade vertical approach angle on his fastball, and he does it from a low release point, about 5'-3" off the ground. He lacks an effective secondary at the moment, but with his fastball that moves to a little past 1 o'clock, a sweeper would be a good complement. https://t.co/IIOs1j4Y3z

— Josh Thomas (@jokeylocomotive) July 15, 2022

This feels like it could be a good Dodger pitching development heat check.

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Some pitching injury updates.

Dave Roberts said Andrew Heaney will likely pitch in a rehab stint tomorrow with Rancho.

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) July 15, 2022

Andrew Heaney will potentially start a rehab assignment tomorrow in Rancho.

#Dodgers Brusdar Graterol’s MRI came back clean. The hope is he’s back in about 2 to 3 weeks.

— Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) July 15, 2022

Brusdar Graterol‘s MRI didn’t show anything serious, which is a huge bullet dodged for an already-injury-riddled bullpen. Graterol will be out a couple weeks, which feels like best-case scenario when dealing with shoulder inflammation.

Still no set date for Dustin May to start a rehab assignment, but Dave Roberts said it will be “soon.” Still targeting mid-August for him.

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) July 15, 2022

Dustin May is still being targeted for a mid-August return, but no rehab start date has been decided on.

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Good labor news today.

BREAKING: Major League Baseball will pay $185 million to settle the federal class-action lawsuit filed by minor league players who sought pay for minimum-wage and overtime violations by teams, pending a judge approving the settlement, according to a document filed in court today.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 15, 2022

Update on Compass/Levy Labor Dispute at Dodger Stadium pic.twitter.com/tCOOly9Y0X

— UNITE HERE Local 11 (@UNITEHERE11) July 15, 2022

MLB will be paying minor leaguers in a class-action lawsuit and Levy and their workers have made enough progress to avoid a work strike during the All-Star festivities. Pay your employees fairly, people.

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First pitch is scheduled for 6:38 PM PT and will be shown on Sportsnet LA (or whatever the Angels channel is).