Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers (91-38) close out August with three games against the Diamondbacks (73-58), currently 19 games back in second place in the N.L. West. Arizona comes into this series on a four-game winning streak and having just completed a three-game sweep of the Giants this weekend.
The N.L. West race may be essentially decided (August isn’t over and the Dodgers’ magic number is already 14), but the D’backs very much have something to play for right now. They currently hold sole possession of the first Wild Card spot, two games up on Colorado and five games up on the Milwaukee Brewers. While that situation isn’t as crazy as the A.L. Wild Card race, with more than a months’ worth of games left to play, it’s still very much up in the air.
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Dodgers
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D’backs
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6:40 p.m.
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Arizona
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CF
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Taylor |
LF
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Peralta | |
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LF
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Granderson |
C
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Iannetta | |
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3B
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Turner |
CF
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Pollock | |
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C
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Grandal |
1B
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Goldschmidt | |
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RF
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Puig |
RF
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Martinez | |
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1B
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González |
2B
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Drury | |
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2B
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Forsythe | 3B | Lamb | |
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SS
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Hernández |
SS
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Marte | |
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P
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Hill (L) |
P
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Godley (R) |
Rich Hill (3.32 ERA, 3.91 FIP, 4.79 DRA) will start for the first time since his dramatic and heartbreaking near-perfect game in Pittsburgh. It was the longest outing of Hill’s season (and of his Dodger career) by innings pitched, and he was brilliant in spite of the end result. This will be Hill’s third time facing the D’backs this year. He had a very short (due to the blister) start against them on April 16 (3 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 2 K, 2 BB), and a very good start against them on July 6 (7 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 9 K, 0 BB).
Zack Godley (3.15 ERA, 3.28 FIP, 2.77 DRA) will be making his third start against the Dodgers this year. He had a strong outing against them earlier this month, allowing three runs in 6.2 IP in a game the D’backs won, 6-3. In his previous start against L.A. this year, Godley allowed just one run. While Godley’s season has been excellent overall, he’s been getting hit harder this month. Batters had a .583 OPS against him from April through July; in August, he’s allowed a .816 OPS.
Corey Seager is out of the starting lineup with a sore elbow that he’s evidently been dealing with for a few weeks. He’s day-to-day, although he’s available to hit tonight, as the issue affects his throwing more than his batting. Enrique Hernández will start at shortstop instead.
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The Arizona Fall League rosters came out today. Here are prospects who will be representing the Dodgers organization:
#Dodgers to AFL: C W. Smith, OF Y. Diaz, OF M. Beaty, OF D.J. Peters, RHP I. Anderson, RHP S. Spitzbarth, RHP A. Sopko, LHP M. Boyle.
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) August 29, 2017
Speaking of Arizona, Cody Bellinger is making a rehab start with the Dodgers’ AZL team:
Cody Bellinger will play for #Dodgers team in AZL tonight. Roberts said he will be activated from DL, in lineup Wednesday
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) August 29, 2017
We should be seeing him tomorrow night.
Finally, in addition to Clayton Kershaw coming back on Friday, we’ll be seeing Alex Wood this weekend in San Diego, too:
Alex Wood will start Sunday.
— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) August 29, 2017
Alex Wood said cortisone shot relieved SC joint inflammation. Plans to throw bullpens Wed and Fri. Will come off DL and start Sunday
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) August 29, 2017
We still don’t know who’s pitching the day game in Saturday’s double header, though:
Kershaw starts Friday night, Darvish Saturday night, Wood Sunday. Saturday day game TBD.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) August 30, 2017
That game is a makeup of one that was rained out earlier this season.
