Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Yasiel Puig, RF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Justin Turner, 3B
Scott Van Slyke, LF
Chase Utley, 2B
A.J. Ellis, C
Kiké Hernandez, CF
Alex Wood, P
By Jon Weisman
Yasmani Grandal is not expected to start before Thursday at the earliest because of an ailing left shoulder, Don Mattingly told reporters today.
Grandal is third on the Dodgers with 140 weighted runs created (wRC+), but he is 3 for 30 with five walks and no extra-base hits in his past 35 plate appearances. Mattingly said there is worry the shoulder condition is altering Grandal’s swing.
The 26-year-old catcher isn’t expected to go on the disabled list, especially with rosters expanding one week from today. But it will mean more work than usual for A.J. Ellis, who is quietly posting his best averages at the plate (.356 on-base percentage, .360 slugging percentage) since 2012.
The Dodgers need improvement from several players as they look to win their first game since August 16. During the current five-game losing streak …
- Justin Turner is 1 for 18 with two walks and two errors.
- Jimmy Rollins has a single, double and homer in 22 plate appearances.
- Adrian Gonzalez has four singles and a walk in 20 plate appearances.
- Scott Van Slyke, Carl Crawford and Alex Guerrero are a combined 1 for 28 with one walk.
Rollins’ third-inning home run six days ago at Oakland is the Dodgers’ most recent four-base hit.
https://twitter.com/DodgerInsider/status/636271626946940928https://twitter.com/DodgerInsider/status/636274568764657664
Alex Wood, who takes the mound today for the Dodgers, has been charged with exactly three runs on five hits with three walks in each of his past three starts.
Mat Latos pitched a five-inning simulated game Monday, and is scheduled to start Saturday against the Cubs, with Brett Anderson, Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw taking the starts between now and then. Juan Nicasio, as noted Monday, has been activated from the disabled list.
jpavko
Why , wit Andre Ethier and Cael Ceawford healty is Scott Van Slyke starting? Speking of someone who needs to go, Scotty hasn’t had a meaningful hit since When?
Mark Hagerstrom
SVS has had a tough August, but it would be even tougher against lefties than it has been already without him. His OPS against southpaws is .785, whereas CC is at .564 and Dre at .473. Lefty going tonight. BTW, SVS actually leads the team in dWAR at 0.9.
jpavko
Amid all the doom and gloom predictions let it be noted that the last time the dodgers faced John Lamb they scored 5 runs in six innings