Dodgers @ Phillies August 4, 2015: Don’t Sleep On The Phillies

After a quick five games back home, the Dodgers once again find themselves on the east coast, lined up for three in Philadelphia and three in Pittsburgh, before heading back home to welcome the Nationals.

So the Phillies… well, it’s an interesting team. Cole Hamels is in Texas. Jonathan Papelbon is in Washington. Chase Utley is on the bench. There’s still Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz, but this is a Phillies team that’s finally looking toward the future, turning things over, sort of, to Odubel Herrera and Aaron Nola and Maikel Franco. It’s the return of Jimmy Rollins, by the way; expect a nice ovation for him.

But while they are only 41-65, the worst record in baseball, they aren’t rolling over: They’ve won 13 of 16 and are nearly .500 since interim manager Pete Mackanin took over a month ago. The team that has nothing to play for isn’t playing like it. That can be dangerous.

While you shouldn’t underestimate the Phillies, the main interest tonight is clearly in the Dodger debut of Alex Wood, who was so ably dissected by Brim earlier today. I’m still not sure it’s really sunk in that the Dodgers got a 24-year-old lefty pitcher with big league success under his belt and isn’t even arbitration-eligible yet. Tonight, that’ll change. Maybe.

A roster move: As expected, A.J. Ellis has been activated from the DL, and Austin Barnes heads back to Triple-A. Yasmani Grandal, however, gets the start behind the plate.

Oh, and… yeah.

Walker Buehler, the Dodgers’ No. 1 choice in the 2015 draft, will have Tommy John surgery Wednesday, performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) August 4, 2015