Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
This series is one of the most important the Dodgers have played so far this year, and to this point, it’s gone about as well as they could have hoped for. Today, Brandon McCarthy (2.87 ERA, 3.17 FIP, 3.80 DRA) takes the mound to try to help secure the Dodgers’ tenth straight win and third consecutive series sweep, all while staving off the still-close Rockies (and Diamondbacks) in the standings.
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Rockies
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Dodgers
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1:10 p.m.
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Los Angeles
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CF
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Blackmon |
LF
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Taylor | |
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2B
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LeMahieu |
SS
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Hernández | |
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3B
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Arenado |
3B
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Turner | |
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1B
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Reynolds |
LF
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Bellinger | |
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RF
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Tapia |
1B
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Forsythe | |
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LF
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Desmond |
2B
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Barnes | |
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SS
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Valaika | C | Grandal | |
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C
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Wolters |
CF
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Pederson | |
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P
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Anderson (L) |
P
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McCarthy (R) |
McCarthy has been pretty excellent this year. His opponent, Tyler Anderson (5.75 ERA, 5.01 FIP, 4.97 DRA), has been less so. Anderson’s strikeout and walk rates are slightly better than league average; his main problem has been the home run ball. While this may seem unsurprising for someone who pitches for the Rockies, interestingly enough, nine of the thirteen home runs Anderson has allowed this year have been away from Coors. Anderson seems to have struggled to adjust to the elevation phenomenon, as his groundball rate is down six percent from last year.
Anderson hit the disabled list in early June with left knee inflammation, and this is his first start since being reactivated. Anderson has made three starts against the Dodgers this year, twice at Coors and once at Dodger Stadium. In 15.2 IP against the Dodgers this year, he’s allowed 12 runs (10 earned) with a WHIP of 1.468. The Rockies have lost all three of those starts.
Yasiel Puig gets the day off, as his hamstring has been bothering him. Corey Seager sits once again, although he’s available today, if the situation calls for it.
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Our own Stacie is credentialed at Dodger Stadium today, and she’s providing all the scoops, including that Mike Freeman is being activated as Franklin Gutiérrez heads to the DL:
They're going to activate Freeman, Franklin Gutierrez to the 10-day DL.
— Stacie Wheeler (@StacieMWheeler) June 25, 2017
Freeman, a 29-year-old infielder/outfielder, is batting .295/.338/.361 through 20 games in Oklahoma City this season. He’s been playing mostly shortstop there, though he’s also played some left field as well. That makes him a prime candidate to come up as an outfielder goes down and Seager deals with the hamstring strain.
Gutiérrez is experiencing “an episode of ankylosis spondylitis,” that form of arthritis that’s plagued him for some time and has visibly affected his playing ability.
