Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers (96-53) are in Philadelphia for four games with the Phillies (58-91), whose winning percentage is worse than every other team in baseball, save for the Giants. When the two teams faced each other for three games in April at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers swept that series.
With the Dodgers’ magic number down to four, there’s a very good chance they’ll be celebrating a clinch in the City of Brotherly Love. We’ll continue keeping an eye on the Diamondbacks to see just how soon that’ll be possible.
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Dodgers
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Phillies
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4:05 PM PT
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Philadelphia
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CF
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Taylor |
CF
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Herrera | |
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3B
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Turner |
SS
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Galvis | |
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1B
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Bellinger |
RF
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Williams | |
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RF
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Puig |
1B
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Hoskins | |
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C
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Barnes |
LF
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Altherr | |
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LF
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Granderson |
3B
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Franco | |
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2B
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Utley | 2B | Crawford | |
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SS
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Hernández |
C
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Alfaro | |
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P
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Kershaw (L) |
P
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Pivetta (R) |
On paper, today’s game looks like a great matchup for the Dodgers. Clayton Kershaw (2.12 ERA, 2.98 FIP, 2.71 DRA) has pitched very well against the Phillies in recent history. Per Elias, he’s currently in the midst of a 27 inning scoreless streak against them. That streak that extends across four games, dating back to July of 2012. The most recent game was in July of 2015.
One thing Kershaw will have to contend with that he didn’t before is Rhys Hoskins, the Phillies’ dinger-crushing rookie phenom. Hoskins was called up in mid-August, and has hit 18 home runs in 37 games (159 plate appearances). He has, however, gone three games since his last one.
You may remember rookie righty Nick Pivetta (6.75 ERA, 5.02 FIP, 5.91 DRA) making his MLB debut this season against the Dodgers. Although the Phillies eventually lost that game, he was not bad, allowing just two earned runs in five innings. Pivetta has mostly struggled since then, though. He’s gone six full innings or more in just seven of his 23 starts, and the longest he’s ever gone is seven innings. He’s also allowed four or more earned runs in nearly half of his starts.
Corey Seager is not starting tonight, but he will start “the rest of the season.” Enrique Hernández, back with the team after going to Puerto Rico for his grandfather’s funeral, is starting at shortstop instead and batting eighth, despite a right hander being on the mound. Cody Bellinger has moved up to third in the order, and Yasiel Puig is hitting cleanup. Beloved former Phillie Chase Utley is starting at second.
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Although Seager is going to be in the lineup for the remainder of the season and postseason, he’s still not 100%:
Roberts said Seager is guarding his atm when he throws. "He's not 100 percent," he said. He's trying "to manage it."
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) September 18, 2017
(Presumably that’s “arm,” not automated teller machine.)
Medical staff tells him Seager's arm "is playable. Our staff is on top of it."
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) September 18, 2017
Roberts said an injection is not an option for Seager's elbow.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) September 18, 2017
Offseason treatment is probably still on the table, based on past reports.
