Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers are on one of their hot streaks. Not quite 42-8 hot, but they were 17-26 on May 18th, when Dustin wrote that the Dodgers were done. The Dodgers are now 47-39 (30-13 since Dustin’s piece), and with Arizona’s loss to San Diego last night the Dodgers now lead the NL West by percentage points. Dustin for MVP, IMO. Today, the Dodgers begin a three-game interleague series down the 5 in Anaheim against the Angels, who were 25-20 on May 18th and now sit at 44-44.
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Dodgers
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Angels
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7:07 PM
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Anaheim
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LF
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Pederson |
RF
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Calhoun | |
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1B
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Muncy |
SS
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Simmons | |
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3B
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Turner |
CF
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Trout | |
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CF
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Bellinger |
LF
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Upton | |
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DH
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Kemp |
1B
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Pujols | |
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C
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Grandal |
DH
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Ohtani | |
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SS
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Taylor | 3B | Valbuena | |
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RF
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Puig |
2B
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Kinsler | |
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2B
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Utley
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C
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Briceno
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P
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Maeda (R)
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P
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Peña (R)
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Kenta Maeda gets the start for the Dodgers today. He’s coming off a tough loss against the Rockies during which he allowed two earned runs (three runs total) in seven innings while striking out nine. Maeda was very good, but the Dodger bats couldn’t crack German Marquez. Maeda has struck out nine batters in each of his last two starts after striking out four total in his first two starts of June. In 75 innings this season, Maeda has posted a 3.36 ERA and a 3.01 FIP, both of which would be the best of his career. Maeda also currently owns the best strikeout rate of his career (27.1 percent), but his 9.1 percent walk rate is the worst of his career.
Felix Pena is making his fourth start and sixth overall appearance for the Angels. He earned his first career win as a starter in his last outing, as he held the Orioles to five hits and no runs in 5 1/3 innings. In his three starts, Pena has thrown 14 1/3 innings and allowed four runs. Pena’s fastball has some sink to it, and he’s 50 percent of the batted balls against him this year have been hit on the ground. He also features a curveball and a slider/cutter.
Today marks the first road interleague game for the Dodgers. Matt Kemp is the first DH of the season. Max Muncy starts at first with Cody Bellinger in center, and Chase Utley gets the start at second. Shohei Ohtani turned 24 yesterday and is in the lineup DHing for the Angels against Maeda.
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In case you missed it last night, the Dodgers failed to sign their first round pick from June’s draft.
Dodgers' 2018 1st-round MLB Draft pick J.T. Ginn is going to Mississippi State – Via @DustinNosler – https://t.co/7CjDtNWI5a pic.twitter.com/DmMZviv4fh
— Dodgers Digest (@DodgersDigest) July 6, 2018
This especially hurts because at the time, it seemed like JT Ginn would be an easier sign than Shane McClanahan, who the Dodgers passed on. The Rays grabbed McClanahan one pick after the Dodgers, and he signed at roughly slot value. The Dodgers are now locked into the 31st pick in next years’ draft as compensation for failing to sign Ginn. In 2015, the Dodgers failed to sign Kyle Funkhouser after selecting him with the 35th pick. Funkhouser ended up being drafted by Detroit in the fourth round of the 2016 draft. With their makeup pick in 2016, the Dodgers nabbed Jordan Sheffield. In that case it worked out nicely, but losing out on Ginn feels like a big miss.
https://twitter.com/keithlaw/status/1015261405694611456
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Roughly two weeks away from the All-Star break, the Futures Game rosters were unveiled today. Two Dodgers will be participating, both for the World Team.
Rosters for the 2018 @SIRIUSXM All-Star Futures Game include 15 first round Draft picks. The World roster represents 8 different countries & territories outside the U.S. The 20th Futures Game will be played on Sunday, 7/15 at Nationals Park at 4:00 pm ET on @MLBNetwork. pic.twitter.com/mzdAN3Gbca
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) July 6, 2018
A pair of Tulsa Drillers will represent the Dodgers. Catcher Keibert Ruiz and Outfielder Yusniel Diaz will each play for the World Team. Dustin had Ruiz as the second-best and Diaz as the sixth-best prospect in the Dodgers’ system in his preseason rankings. Former Dodger prospect Yordan Alvarez will also represent the World Team as a member of the Houston Astros system.
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Walker Buehler is back with the team and could return from the DL next week.
Walker Buehler threw a full ‘pen today. If he held back at all, he said, it was because of the triple-digit heat in Anaheim. Up next: a sim game, probably Sunday. Eligible to return from DL next week.
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) July 6, 2018
Buehler’s bullpen apparently went well. The Dodgers did right by him by putting him on the DL instead of keeping him in the minors. Brim wrote about that here.
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A quick reminder that each game this weekend will be available to be watched in Los Angeles. Tonight’s game will be on Fox Sports West with the Angels broadcast. Tomorrow will be a national Fox game, and Sunday night’s game will be on ESPN.
