Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers handled business over the weekend, taking two of three from the Guardians despite an extremely ominous start to the series. Teoscar Hernandez had to leave the first game of the series after getting hit on the ankle in the first inning, and the offense only scored one run for the second consecutive game. They bounced back nicely from that rough opener, outscoring Cleveland 11-2 over the final two games and moving six games up on the Padres in the West.
Today, the Dodgers kick off a three-game set with the Cubs to close out this homestand. The two teams met in Chicago in April and it was a pretty nightmarish series for the Dodgers. They took the middle game of the series, but Bobby Miller and Gavin Stone got shelled in the first and final games for a series loss. The Cubs were 6-3 after the series, and remain three games above .500 now at 73-70. The ended August hot, winning nine of 10 but have since lost four of six over their last two series. They’ve followed the same pattern in those two series, dropping the first two games before staving off the sweep with a win in the finale. They’ve been shut out in three of those four losses.
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| 7:10 P.M. | Los Angeles | ||
| LF | Happ (S) | DH | Ohtani (L) |
| SS | Swanson | RF | Betts |
| DH | Suzuki | 1B | Freeman (L) |
| RF | Bellinger (L) | 3B | Muncy (L) |
| 3B | Parades | C | Smith |
| 1B | Busch (L) | CF | Edman (S) |
| 2B | Hoerner | 2B | Lux (L) |
| CF | Crow-Armstrong (L) | SS | Rojas |
| C | Amaya | LF | Taylor |
| P | Hendricks (R) | P | Buehler (R) |
Walker Buehler looks to build off a solid start in Anaheim last time out. Buehler got through five solid innings, allowing five hits and two runs (both solo homers). His six strikeouts were the most he’s had in a game since the end of May, and it was his first time completing five innings in his last four starts. Buehler hasn’t seen the Cubs since 2022, and that start was arguable the last time he was Walker F. Buehler He came into that start off of back-to-back shutouts (one CGSO against Arizona and five shutout against Detroit. Buehler held the Cubs to a run on four hits over seven innings, lowering his ERA through six starts to 1.96. He’d make six more starts that season, posting a 6.67 ERA over those 28 1/3 innings before a flexor injury escalated into a second Tommy John surgery.
Kyle Hendricks makes his 26th appearances and 21st start of the season. It’s easily been the worst season of his 11-year career, with a 6.60 ERA and 5.22 FIP over 107 2/3 innings. His ERA is nearly two runs higher than his previous worst (4.80 in 2022). This is actually the third-best ERA he’s had following a start this season, just worse than the 6.33 and 6.35 that he had after two August starts. He is coming off back-to-back starts against the Pirates varying levels of success. In Pittsburgh, Hendricks allowed six runs and eight hits in only 1 2/3 innings. Last time out in Chicago, he allowed two runs on five hits in five innings. He started the first game against the Dodgers when they went to Chicago in April and struggled, allowing five runs and eight hits in only four innings. However, Miller and Michael Grove imploded worse and the Cubs ended up winning that game.
Hendricks has never been a strikeout pitcher, but he’s currently running the lowest strikeout rate of his career (15.6 percent, the third-lowest among pitchers with 100+ innings). His 7.0 percent walk rate isn’t egregious, but it matches the worst he’s ever posted. Hendricks has the slowest average fastball velocity in baseball at only 87.9 MPH. It’s his least-used pitch (12.6 percent) and despite the low velocity coming in, it has his the highest average exit velocity of his four pitches (93.5 MPH). In all, he’s still excellent at limiting exit velocity (85.5 MPH exit velocity overall, second-lowest among starters in baseball). He’s primarily a sinker/changeup pitcher, throwing a sinker 36.7 and change 37.4 percent of the time. He’s also mixed in a curve 13.4 percent of the time.
Hernandez remains out of the lineup, with Chris Taylor getting the start in left today. Old friends Cody Bellinger and Michael Busch start for the Cubs in right and at first, respectively.
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Hernandez was a possibility to return today, but will instead aim for tomorrow.
Teoscar Hernández’s left foot is still “a little sore,” he said. But is going through his normal routine today, and if all goes well, will be available tomorrow night. https://t.co/QoI0hAh1cq
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) September 9, 2024
He reportedly still has some soreness, but could be back in there tomorrow against Shota Imanaga. The Dodgers potentially face lefties in three of the next four games (ESPN has Chris Sale as the probable starter Saturday in Atlanta), so they’ll need Teo back sooner rather than later.
Some additional updates on Brusdar Graterol and Tyler Glasnow.
#Dodgers updates from Dave Roberts:
— Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) September 9, 2024
— Brusdar Graterol will likely be active Wednesday (they’re are some roster gymnastics that have delayed his activation)
— Tyler Glasnow is still scheduled for another bullpen tomorrow, then a sim game Friday if it goes well
— Dodgers still…
Graterol is expected to be activated on Wednesday as the Dodgers look to figure out how to handle the already-crowded bullpen. Glasnow survived his first bullpen and will throw another one tomorrow. Assuming that goes well, he’ll throw a sim game Friday.
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Earlier today, Mookie Betts was named the Dodger nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award.
Making big plays, on and off the field.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 9, 2024
Congratulations Mookie on being named the Dodgers nominee for the 2024 Roberto Clemente Award! Vote Mookie as the league-wide winner until 9/29 at https://t.co/TIAUSm27si. pic.twitter.com/tE9E3npcJr
Imagine being the team that drafted him and then was like “nah we’re good”.
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First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 PM PT and will be shown on SportsNet LA.
