Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
After an impressive run of form in recent weeks, the Dodgers (64-31) dropped the first game of a three game series to the Washington Nationals (33-65) by a score of 4-1.
Mitch White will be on the mound up against old friend Josiah Gray.
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|---|---|---|---|
| 7:10 PM | Los Angeles | ||
| CF | Robles | RF | Betts |
| 2B | C. Hernandez (S) | SS | T. Turner |
| RF | Soto (L) | 1B | Freeman (L) |
| 1B | Bell (S) | C | Smith |
| DH | Hernandez (L) | DH | Lamb (L) |
| C | Ruiz (S) | 3B | Muncy (L) |
| SS | Garcia (L) | 2B | Lux (L) |
| 3B | Franco | CF | Bellinger (L) |
| LF | Thomas | LF | Thompson |
| P | Gray (R) | P | White (R) |
The lineup for the Dodgers remains the same as yesterday, while the Nationals will start Maikel Franco and Lane Thomas today.
Overall, the Dodgers own one of the best offenses in baseball while the Nationals have a very poor one, except for having Juan Soto (151 wRC+, .895 OPS), and Josh Bell (144 wRC+, .879 OPS).
Not particularly close.
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Here’s how White and Gray matchup.
Gray took the loss last Wednesday against the Mariners, surrendering five runs on six hits, including three home runs and three walks over five innings. He struck out seven, and that’s pretty much been the story of his young career thus far. He’s been great at generating whiffs and strikeouts but also very susceptible to walks and the long ball. Once he gets either the walks or the homers or both under control, he’ll be really good. He tossed only 57 of 97 pitches for strikes before exiting, and all five of the runs off him came via homer, a three-run blast by Eugenio Suarez in the first inning, and a pair of solo shots by Jesse Winker and Adam Frazier in the fourth. Gray has been tagged for seven homers over his last four starts and 21 in 92 innings on the season, leading to a 4.40 ERA despite an otherwise palatable 1.27 WHIP and 106 strikeouts to 39 walks.
White didn’t factor in the decision against San Francisco last Thursday despite allowing just one hit and two walks over five-plus scoreless innings with just one strikeout. He certainly pitched well enough to earn a win for the first time since mid-May, not giving up his first hit until the opening batter of the sixth inning. He was in line for the victory until the bullpen surrendered five runs in the seventh. White isn’t certain to stick in the rotation once Andrew Heaney (shoulder) returns to action, which will happen tomorrow, but he’s fared well when called upon this season, logging a 3.78 ERA and 1.22 WHIP over 50 innings. Very solid.
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Good to see Chris Taylor making progress, it’s also beneficial to see more of what Trayce Thompson is capable of.
The bullpen will receive a huge boost whenever Blake Treinen does return. They’ll need him come October.
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Makes sense. Garrett Cleavinger has been great in AAA and Reyes Moronta has been less than stellar as of late.
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First pitch.
