Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers (37-22) have dropped the first two games of this series in San Francisco (32-26), and will have Julio Urias on the mound as they attempt to stop the bleeding, up against the left-handed Carlos Rodon.
Here’s what Chad had to say about the frustrating game yesterday that catches everyone up nicely: “I wanted to use the blank picture tonight as a shitpost that represented the offensive performance of the Dodgers, but really that’s not true, because being no-hit would’ve been less frustrating than watching them go 5-for-28 with runners on, 2-for-10 with RISP, and stranding 14. Especially considering that the two hits they did have with RISP came during innings where: 1) the bases were loaded with nobody out and Freddie Freeman and Trea Turner made three outs to murder a rally 2) the bases were loaded with one out and Gavin Lux and Mookie Betts had back-to-back strikeouts against a pitcher who literally couldn’t throw a strike with his fastball.” It was bad! They’re 4-6 in their last ten games now, and have just a half game lead over the San Diego Padres (37-23).
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|---|---|---|---|
| 1:05 PM | San Francisco | ||
| RF | Betts | CF | Slater |
| 1B | Freeman (L) | 1B | Ruf |
| SS | T. Turner | RF | Yastrzemski (L) |
| DH | Smith | 3B | Flores |
| 3B | J. Turner | 2B | Estrada |
| LF | Taylor | SS | Crawford (L) |
| CF | Bellinger (L) | LF | Ramos |
| 2B | Alberto | C | Wynns |
| C | Barnes | SS | González (L) |
| P | Urías (L) | P | Rodón (L) |
Both teams run out a limited amount of left-handed batters, with each team facing a southpaw on the mound. For the Dodgers, this means that Hanser Alberto will start over Gavin Lux and Justin Turner will play third base over Max Muncy. That shifts Will Smith over to DH, as Austin Barnes catches. Luis González, Mike Yastrzemski, and Brandon Crawford will be the only left-handed batters in the lineup for San Francisco. So far the team has scored two runs in each of the first two games of this series, so they’ll likely need better production today to avoid being swept. They have some of the best hitters in the world, so they just need to perform.
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Here’s how Urías and Rodón matchup against each other, and how they rank amongst 62 “qualified” starting pitchers.
For these two, it’s been a tale of two different pitchers this year. Urías has clearly had the better results in terms of ERA, which end of the day is the only stat that really matters for a pitcher. Did he give up runs, and if so, how many? His 2.78 ERA is top twenty amongst over 60 qualified starting pitchers. Good stuff, a 2.78 ERA is nothing to scoff at. However, almost all the underlying numbers here clearly indicate that based on his current performance, his ERA would eventually get closer to his FIP and other numbers such as his expected FIP (xFIP) of 4.40. For Rodón, it’s been the opposite. His 3.51 ERA has been good, not great, but all his underlying numbers point towards him also having his ERA balance out, closer to his current FIP of 2.65.
Last time out, Urías received no-decision during Sunday’s 5-4 loss to the Mets, allowing one run on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts in 5.1 innings. He had a bases-loaded situation early in the game, but managed to get out of that, and allowed just one run on a Starling Marte solo shot in the third inning. Of his eleven starts this year, he’s had two very bad ones, but other than that has been very solid in his other nine outings, and has gone at least five innings in all but his first (and worst) start of the year.
Rodón was a little shaky last time out, needing almost 100 pitches to get through four full innings against the Rockies. He allowed two runs on four hits and one walk, with five strikeouts in that start. He’s still allowed more than two runs only twice in his 11 outings this season, with an impressive 75 strikeouts in just 59 innings this season. When he faced the Dodgers earlier this season, he went six innings, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks with just three strikeouts.
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The team would never rush him back, but hopefully he’ll be available and good to go by the postseason.
Trade deadline acquisition Blake Treinen.
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Good words from Dave Roberts in regards to the Dodgers’ recent struggles.
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First pitch is at 1:05 PDT on SNLA.
