Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
Things were scoreless early on in today’s game when the Dodgers were thrown a curve due to starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto going down with triceps tightness.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto left tonight’s game with triceps tightness.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 16, 2024
Nothing else really mattered at that point except his health. Regardless, the Dodgers were in it until the middle innings when the Royals exploded on a tired pen, and the offense continued to look meh in a 7-2 loss.
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Really all that matters in terms of this random game in the middle of June is the health of Yamamoto. Things seemed off early, as after having his start pushed back a couple days, his stuff was down a tick or two across the board. While he did get through a couple innings, after he came off the field in the 2nd, Mark Prior called Dave Roberts and a translator down to the clubhouse for a conversation and it didn’t look great.
pic.twitter.com/ShhCTSlnJe https://t.co/pIMiXhlYgi
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 16, 2024
More on that later.
So it was a pen game from there on out, and Michael Grove gave up a run in his second inning of work in the 4th. However, Gavin Lux got that right back with a bases loaded single in the bottom half to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead
Gavin Lux singles with the bases loaded for the lead. pic.twitter.com/YYWFdQJTPt
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 16, 2024
After Yohan Ramirez got a scoreless 5th, Blake Treinen entered in the 6th and labored. He walked the bases loaded and eventually gave up a dramatic grand slam to MJ Melendez to put the Royals up 5-2. He exited at that point having thrown 39 pitches.
MJ’s feeling grand!@DairyQueen pic.twitter.com/mXhPuLtIvb
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) June 16, 2024
After Anthony Banda got out of the 6th, the Royals tacked on another couple runs against him in the 7th, and he got a scoreless 8th as well, throwing 32 pitches himself to leave the game at 7-2. That left it up to Ryan Yarbrough to finish the Royals off in the 9th, which he managed to do.
Unfortunately, the Dodgers offense didn’t get anything going, wasting a couple half chances but nothing more.
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Obviously though, all eyes are on Yamamoto, who explained the injury in his own words.
#Dodgers Yoshinobu Yamamoto said the triceps tightness is why his start got pushed back a few days. He felt some tightness again during warmups and notified the staff, but he said it wasn’t bothering him enough to not take the ball.
— Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) June 16, 2024
Yamamoto expects to undergo further testing, most likely an MRI, tomorrow. He also said he didn’t think the tightness was related to his last start in NY. https://t.co/UDVfItVs1j
— Mike DiGiovanna (@MikeDiGiovanna) June 16, 2024
Dad editorialized that Yamamoto was being vague at first with his answer to a question about whether he had this issue before, which he thinks means it was more of a clear yes.
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 16, 2024
"He never say that" count: 4
Dave Roberts didn’t seem like the situation was communicated well to him.
#Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said they’ll get more information on the injury tomorrow when Yoshinobu Yamamoto gets checked out by doctors. Also said there’s a “high possibility” he goes on the injured list, even if it’s just precautionary.
— Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) June 16, 2024
Dave Roberts said the staff and trainers communicated with Yamamoto throughout the week and he told them he was fine to pitch tonight.
— Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) June 16, 2024
"There was nothing we heard, either from the coaching staff or myself, that felt he shouldn't have made the start today. There was nothing."
More from #Dodgers MGR Dave Roberts: "I’ve never put a guy out there who is going to get hurt. Part of it is you have to trust the player and listen to the player that feels he can pitch. I can’t, you know, be in his body. I need the communication as well."
— Mike DiGiovanna (@MikeDiGiovanna) June 16, 2024
Could something have been lost in translation with Yamamoto and interpreter? “I knew that he was sore going into the start," #Dodgers MGR Dave Roberts said. "I didn’t feel there was any soreness putting him into harm’s way today. So I don’t see how that’s a lost in translation."
— Mike DiGiovanna (@MikeDiGiovanna) June 16, 2024
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| NL WEST | RECORD |
|---|---|
| Dodgers | 43-29 |
| Padres | 37-37 (7 GB) |
*Either still playing or will play later.
Series finale tomorrow on getaway day at 10:10 AM HT/1:10 PM PT/4:10 PM ET with Tyler Glasnow facing Brady Singer. Glasnow is gonna have to give them innings, to say the least.
