Pregame – Page 16 – Dodger Thoughts

Tiffany Billingsley (left) has been quietly going through chemotherapy to beat a rare but aggressive form of cancer called gestational choriocarcinoma. (MLB.com)

Dodgers at Phillies, 10:05 a.m.
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Andre Ethier, RF
Carl Crawford, LF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Joc Pederson, CF
Zack Greinke, P

By Jon Weisman

Before the first of three midweek day games this month, followed by August 19 at Oakland and August 27 at Cincinnati, here is some quick news, led by a life-and-death story …

Tiffany Billingsley, the wife of former Dodger pitcher Chad Billingsley, revealed this week that she had a major cancer scare this year but is now cancer-free, as Todd Zolecki reports in a harrowing piece for MLB.com.
Jimmy Rollins has a .400 on-base percentage and .650 slugging percentage in his past 11 games, while Howie Kendrick is at .406/.600 in his past seven games.
Zack Greinke has pitched at least seven innings in six consecutive games. Other than Clayton Kershaw, the last Dodger to do that was Hiroki Kuroda in 2010. (Kershaw pitched at least seven innings in 17 straight games last year.)
If Greinke goes at least seven innings today without allowing more than two runs, that would be the longest streak of its kind by a Dodger since Tom Candiotti in 1995. The franchise record is 10 games by Don Sutton in 1976.

Is Alex Guerrero up there swinging? Check out his homer-walk ratio

By Jon Weisman

On August 5, 2015

In Pregame

Dodgers at Phillies, 4:05 p.m.
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, LF
Yasiel Puig, RF
Joc Pederson, CF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
A.J. Ellis, C
Brett Anderson, P

By Jon Weisman

Just out of curiosity, I took a look at Baseball Reference to see if the Dodgers had ever had a player hit double-digit homers in a season without having double-digit walks. Sure enough, Alex Guerrero has a chance to be the first.

Guerrero has 11 homers and five walks this year. The fewest walks by any Dodger with at least 10 homers belong to Glenn Wright, who had 11 homers and 12 walks in 1932.

Marquis Grissom is the lone Dodger this century to hit at least 10 homers in a season and have more homers than walks: 21 homers, 16 walks in 2001.

The only other Dodger to fit this description is Don Demeter, who had 18 homers and 16 walks in 1959. Raul Mondesi had 16 homers and 16 walks in 1994, as well as 30 homers and 30 walks in 1998.

If you think Guerrero’s numbers are unusual, just keep this in mind: He’s no Todd Greene. With the Texas Rangers, Greene had 10 homers and two walks — twice. First in 2002, then again in 2003.

Dodger catching goes from worst to first

By Jon Weisman

On August 4, 2015

In Catching, Pregame, Transactions

Yasmani Grandal has a .997 OPS since May 1. (Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

Dodgers at Phillies, 4:05 p.m.
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, LF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Yasiel Puig, RF
Joc Pederson, CF
Alex Guerrero, 3B
Alex Wood, P

By Jon Weisman

How’s this for a transformation?

Last year, Dodger catchers were 29th in the Major Leagues with a .544 OPS. This year, they’re first, with an .853 OPS.

For the most part, you can thank Yasmani Grandal, who leads all MLB starting catchers with a .928 OPS behind the plate. (His .401 on-base percentage also is No. 1, while his .527 slugging is best in the National League.)

In smaller doses, A.J. Ellis and Austin Barnes have chipped in.

Ellis, activated from the disabled list today, has a .429 on-base percentage and .511 slugging percentage in 57 plate appearances since May 26. Overall, his OPS behind the plate is .667 in 105 plate appearances.

Barnes, who is returning to Triple-A Oklahoma City, went 3 for 10 with a double, walk and a hit-by-pitch in his second Dodger stint, for a .817 OPS. His overall OPS for the Dodgers is .722 in 18 plate appearances.

Add in Grandal’s MLB-leading pitch-framing numbers, according to Baseball Prospectus, and the team’s above-average rate of throwing out would-be basestealers, and it’s clear how dramatically improved the Dodgers are behind the plate.

(In wins above replacement, Fangraphs lists the Dodgers as No. 2 in the big leagues behind the Giants, though this includes Buster Posey’s 91 plate appearances as a first baseman, in which he has a .429 OBP and .600 slugging. In any case, this is heady company to be in.)

Mat Latos ready for Dodger debut, as Yimi Garcia is optioned

By Jon Weisman

On August 2, 2015

In Pitching, Pregame, Transactions

Angels at Dodgers, 1:10 p.m.
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, RF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Carl Crawford, LF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Joc Pederson, CF
Mat Latos, P

By Jon Weisman

For the first two days of August, none of the players acquired by the Dodgers at the non-waiver trade deadline have been used. That changes today, when Mat Latos makes his first start for Los Angeles.

Latos is pitching on six days’ rest. In his final start for Miami, on July 26, he allowed three runs in six innings of a 3-2 loss at San Diego.

One thing I spotted with Latos — and honestly, I hadn’t noticed anything like this before — is that he has thrown four consecutive quality starts without exceeding 90 pitches. If he does it again, he will tie an MLB record, held by Bob Tewksbury, Marvin Freeman and Greg Maddux.

In his past five starts, Latos has averaged 6.5 innings per start and 13.2 pitches per inning. He has struck out 26 and walked five in that time.

To make room for Latos on the active roster, the Dodgers optioned Yimi Garcia to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Garcia, who has a 3.99 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 38 1/3 innings for the Dodgers this year, returned July 26 from a mid-July trip to Oklahoma City and pitched a shutout inning against Oakland on Tuesday. With 12.7 strikeouts per nine innings this season, Garcia still has great promise.

The revamped Dodger bullpen now features Kenley Jansen, Jim Johnson, Pedro Baez, Juan Nicasio and Joel Peralta from the right side, and J.P. Howell and Luis Avilan from the left. Jansen, who has allowed runs in his past three outings, has been battling a virus for the past week, as Steve Bourbon of MLB.com notes.

If a save situation were to arise today, Jansen would likely get the day off after throwing 50 pitches over the past two games. Conceivably, the Dodgers could use all newcomers on the mound, with Latos, Avilan and Johnson. (Neither Johnson nor Avilan have pitched since Monday.)

By the time Alex Wood starts for the Dodgers on Tuesday, he could be the Dodgers’ 50th player of the season. The team record is 53, set in 1944 and 1998.

Greinke faces Trout again, as Kershaw rests one more day

By Jon Weisman

On July 31, 2015

In Pregame

Angels at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Scott Van Slyke, LF
Yasiel Puig, RF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Alex Guerrero, 3B
Kiké Hernandez, CF
Zack Greinke, P

By Jon Weisman

After delaying his scheduled Wednesday start because of a sore hip, Clayton Kershaw threw a bullpen session Thursday and was pronounced fit.

But with the luxury of having Zack Greinke available on four days’ rest tonight, the Dodgers are giving Kershaw one more day of rest before bringing him back the mound Saturday.

Greinke will be starting for the first time since Sunday, when his 45 2/3-inning scoreless streak ended. The third batter he faces will be Angels star Mike Trout, who himself missed time this week with a sore wrist. The two faced each other July 14 in the first inning of the All-Star Game, when Trout hit a leadoff home run.

Kershaw and Greinke have a chance, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, to become the teammates with the lowest ERA in a calendar month ever. The record is 0.49 by Orel Hershiser and Tim Belcher in (surprise) September 1988. Greinke basically needs to pitch shutout ball, because even if he allows only one run in a complete game, the duo’s ERA would rise to 0.50.

Southern California’s other 23-year-old center fielder, Joc Pederson, is resting tonight, and Don Mattingly said that Pederson might sit out one or two more games this weekend to get him some rest and allow him to regroup mentally from a July in which he has had a .488 OPS. Mattingly made clear that it was not a punitive benching.

Kershaw start delayed until Friday — Bolsinger to start tonight

By Jon Weisman

On July 29, 2015

In Pregame

A’s at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Andre Ethier, LF
Yasiel Puig, RF
Joc Pederson, CF
Alex Guerrero, 3B
Mike Bolsinger, P

By Jon Weisman

Clayton Kershaw’s scheduled start tonight has been moved to Friday by the Dodgers, amid reports of a sore left hip or glute muscle.

Mike Bolsinger, who threw seven innings and allowed no earned runs seven days ago in Atlanta, will start in Kershaw’s place. Bolsinger has a 2.79 ERA this season — 1.59 in his past three starts.

Kershaw will bring his 29-inning scoreless inning streak up against the Angels on Friday.

Justin Turner, who is suffering from a leg infection, remains sidelined. Alex Guerrero is scheduled to make his first start at third base since May 19.

Joc Pederson is batting seventh, his lowest spot in the order since July 5. Pederson has a .239 on-base percentage and .271 slugging percentage in July, with one homer and four walks against 28 strikeouts.

“He’s working on different things,” Don Mattingly said after Tuesday’s 2-0 loss to Oakland, according to Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A. “It’s not like he’s just going up there, I know it looks like he’s swinging for the fences all the time. That’s not what he’s trying to do. … He’s trying to get inside the ball a little bit using his bottom hand. He’s frustrated.

“At some point Joc’s going to get that front side thing, and he’s going to be a monster. He’s going to be tough to get out.”

Leg infection slows Justin Turner

By Jon Weisman

On July 28, 2015

In Health/injuries, Pregame

A’s at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Yasiel Puig, RF
Andre Ethier, LF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Brett Anderson, P

By Jon Weisman

Justin Turner is out of tonight’s starting lineup after having to go to the emergency room today to address a worsening infection in his leg.

The problem began with something “like a pimple” while Turner was in New York, according to Dodger manager Don Mattingly. He was given antibiotics, but the condition continued to worsen over Monday’s off day.

“He came in today, and it was a lot worse,” Mattingly said. “We should know more by the end of the night. It had kind of blown up — it wasn’t very pretty.”

Turner hit .424/.457/.727 with four doubles and two homers on the recently completed road trip, capped by his two-base hit in the Dodgers’ ninth-inning rally Sunday in New York. Turner went out for a pinch-runner after that double, but that was not health-related.

Among all Major Leaguers with at least 250 plate appearances, Turner is fifth in weighted runs created, behind only Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, Paul Goldschmidt and Miguel Cabrera. He is 16th among big-leaguers in Wins Above Replacement.

Zack Greinke zeroing in

By Jon Weisman

On July 26, 2015

In Pregame

Dodgers at Mets, 10:10 a.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Justin Turner, 3B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Yasiel Puig, RF
Andre Ethier, LF
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Zack Greinke, P
Notes: The Dodgers have activated Greinke and recalled Yimi Garcia, taking the roster spots of Chih-hui Tsao and Josh Ravin, who have been optioned to Oklahoma City.

By Jon Weisman

Closer and steeper. Zack Greinke can move within tantalizing range of Orel Hershiser’s all-time consecutive scoreless inning record today, if he can withstand the pressurized attention that comes with the approach.

Actually, I’m just imagining that last part. We’ll all be tense, but Greinke will probably be the most relaxed person out there today. (That includes the rest of the Dodgers, who will be facing the National League pitcher with the lowest ERA besides Greinke’s: Jacob deGrom.)

Greinke enters today’s game with his streak at 43 2/3 innings (see the inning-by-inning breakdown here). Recapping some of the highlights:

Greinke has retired 59 of the past 64 batters he has faced.
No runner has reached third base against Greinke since the first inning June 23 — a streak of 35 2/3 innings.
No runner has reached second base against Greinke since the third inning July 4 — a streak of 20 innings.

Here are the targets left for Greinke:

43 2/3 Rube Waddell (1905)
44 Ed Reulbach (1908)
45 Sal Maglie (1950)
45 Doc White (1904)
45 Cy Young (1904)
45 1/3 Carl Hubbell (1933)
47 Bob Gibson (1968)
53 Jack Coombs (1910)
55 2/3 Walter Johnson (1913)
58 Don Drysdale (1968)
59 Orel Hershiser (1988)

Here are some links to check out before today’s game:

Joe Posnanski tells a classic Greinke story at his website.
A deep analytical dive on Greinke and Clayton Kershaw from Scott Spratt of Baseball Info Solutions.
Orel Hershiser’s take, via Mark Saxon at ESPN Los Angeles: “In my whole career, I never threw the ball better than Zack Greinke. Never,” Hershiser said. “I never threw with his velocity, I never threw with his change of speeds, I never was able to execute as many pitches as he can on any given night to both sides of the plate. On any given night in my career, I haven’t ever thrown the ball better than Clayton Kershaw. These guys are just better.”
Hershiser also spoke to Bill Plunkett of the Register. “Yeah, it’s kind of interesting that it’s come full circle, that there’s a possibility I’ll be sitting in the same chair that he (Drysdale) was sitting in during my streak,” Hershiser said. “Things have changed. It’s a completely different culture when it comes to media. It’s a different generation we’re living in.
We’re 111 days into the regular season. Only Bob Gibson in 1968 had a lower ERA at a similar point than Greinke’s 1.30, notes David Pinto of Baseball Musings.
Greinke is bucking conventional wisdom by reducing the difference in speed between his fastball and changeup, writes Jeff Sullivan of Fangraphs.
Yasmani Grandal’s impact on Greinke’s streak is studied by Mike Petriello at MLB.com.

Healing (and dealing?) Dodgers use rotation cushion as flotation device

By Jon Weisman

On July 25, 2015

In Pitching, Pregame

Zack Greinke reunites with Clayton Kershaw and Jimmy Rollins in New York today (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

New dad Zack Greinke reunites with Clayton Kershaw and Jimmy Rollins in New York today.

Dodgers at Mets, 4:10 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Justin Turner, 1B
Andre Ethier, RF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Carl Crawford, LF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Zach Lee, P
Notes: Ian Thomas was optioned to Oklahoma City to make room for Lee. Also, Adrian Gonzalez has had a stiff neck but might be able to play tonight.

By Jon Weisman

When only moments ago, it seemed, the Dodgers couldn’t find a starting pitcher to save their lives, they might get to enjoy a bit of an overflow over the coming 10 days.

And that’s before entertaining the possibility of whom they might acquire in trade before the July 31 non-waiver deadline.

Zack Greinke has arrived in New York and is set to put his 43 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings on the line in Sunday’s game, with Brett Anderson — who had a successful bullpen session today — lined up after Monday’s off day for Tuesday’s homestand opener against Oakland.

Clayton Kershaw (29 consecutive scoreless innings) will pitch Wednesday against the A’s on five days’ rest. Then, after another off day, the Dodgers could come back with Greinke on Friday — hours after the trade deadline — against the Angels on four days’ rest.

But the Dodgers also have Mike Bolsinger, who last pitched July 22 in Atlanta, to mix in.

With yet another off day August 3, the Dodgers don’t really need a fifth starter again until August 8. By that time, if they were to still need someone, Carlos Frias could be ready to come off the disabled list, or the Dodgers could turn back to Zach Lee, Ian Thomas, Brandon Beachy or another minor-leaguer.

In any case, by August 8, the current setup might already be a distant memory.

In short, the dark times in the rotation might soon be a thing of the past. Bolsinger, Kershaw and Thomas built a bridge over the storm waters, and Lee today could finish the job.

Zack Greinke expected to pitch against Mets this weekend

By Jon Weisman

On July 24, 2015

In Pregame

[mlbvideo id=”286376483″ width=”550″ height=”308″ /]

Dodgers at Mets, 4:10 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Justin Turner, 3B
Scott Van Slyke, 1B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Kiké Hernandez, LF
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Austin Barnes, C
Ian Thomas, P

By Jon Weisman

It’ll soon be back to work for Zack Greinke.

The new dad (though not this kind of new dad) is expected to be back in New York this weekend to start for the Dodgers either Saturday or Sunday, manager Don Mattingly told reporters today.

In other starting-pitching news for the Dodgers, Brett Anderson passed all his tests today to avoid the disabled list. Mattingly indicated that the Dodgers still might give Anderson extra rest for his left Achilles tendon and delay his next start until Tuesday.

Either way, assuming Greinke has no issues with returning to the Large Apple, the Dodgers would only need to call up at most one starter for this weekend’s games against New York. Speculation is strong that Zach Lee will be that pitcher.

If so, Lee would become the Dodgers’ 14th starting pitcher this year, after Ian Thomas becomes No. 13 tonight while making his first MLB start. Not since 1964 have the Dodgers used 13 starting pitchers, and not since 1952 have they used 14. Given the possibility of a trade before the season’s over, it seems likely that the 2015 Dodgers will use more starting pitchers than any team in franchise history except the World War II-era 1944 team, which used 19.

For a while today, it appeared that both scheduled starting pitchers would be scratched because of babies being born, but even though his wife reportedly went into labor, left-hander Jon Niese remains tonight’s scheduled starting pitcher for the Mets.

Alex Guerrero is making his first start for the Dodgers since July 10. Guerrero has reached base once in his past 18 plate appearances and hasn’t homered in 61 at-bats since his game-winning grand slam June 2 in Colorado. He has a .175 on-base percentage and .180 slugging percentage in that span.

Update: Kiké Hernandez has replaced Guerrero in the lineup. Guerrero was scratched because of back stiffness.

Clayton Kershaw: 0.96 ERA in past 15 July starts

By Jon Weisman

On July 23, 2015

In Pregame

Dodgers at Mets, 4:10 p.m.
Kershaw CCXXIX: Kershawnt-Man
Joc Pederson, CF
Justin Turner, 3B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, RF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Yasiel Puig, RF
Kiké Hernandez, 2B
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Clayton Kershaw, P

By Jon Weisman

When the weather gets hot, so does Clayton Kershaw.

The big lefty not only brings a 20-inning scoreless streak into tonight’s game against the Mets, but also an awesome recent history of July dominance.

Kershaw has made 15 consecutive quality starts in the month of July, dating back to his last July outing of 2012, and they’ve hardly been cheap. It’s been a day short of three years since Kershaw didn’t go seven innings in a July start, and he has allowed three runs in only two of the 15 games.

He has pitched shutout ball in seven of his past 15 July starts, and overall has an ERA of 0.96 in 122 innings across that set of games. (In his past 10 July starts, his ERA is 0.68 in 82 innings.)

Here’s the score by innings against Kershaw in those 15 games combined:

221 113 201 — 13

With 14 and 13 strikeouts in his past two games, Kershaw has a chance to become the first National League pitcher ever to strike out at least 13 in three games in a row. Pedro Martinez did this twice for the Boston Red Sox in 1999 (May 1-7-12, September 4-10-15).

Kershaw is the first Dodger to strike out at least 13 this two times in a row since Chan Ho Park in 2000, and he is the first MLB player to do this with no walks since Dwight Gooden in 1984. He is already the only pitcher in more than 100 years to strike out at least 13 in a game twice in a row with no walks or runs allowed.

Tonight’s opponent, the Mets, is the last team to score on Kershaw — on Wilmer Flores’ RBI single in the fourth inning July 3, following a John Mayberry double and a wild pitch. That is the only RBI against either Kershaw or Zack Greinke this month.

Dodgers option Liberatore, recall Thomas, ponder pitching

By Jon Weisman

On July 22, 2015

In Pregame, Transactions

[mlbvideo id=”278026483″ width=”550″ height=”308″ /]

Dodgers at Braves, 9:10 a.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, RF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Carl Crawford, LF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Mike Bolsinger, P

By Jon Weisman

Brett Anderson has avoided the disabled list for now and has an outside shot at taking his next turn in the Dodger starting rotation Sunday after leaving Tuesday’s 4-3 loss to Atlanta in the third inning with irritation in the left Achilles’ tendon area.

Dodger manager Don Mattingly told reporters before today’s early game against Atlanta that Anderson is getting tests, but that he showed up to work today in better condition than Dodger vice president of medical services Stan Conte expected he would be. So an expected move to the disabled list for Anderson is on hold.

Anderson initially felt discomfort in the first inning during a grounder by Atlanta’s Andrelton Simmons, then decided enough was enough after attempting to field a Jonny Gomes swinging bunt, according to Carlos Collazo of MLB.com:

“(It) just kind of kept getting tired and more sore,” Anderson told Collazo. “I wasn’t able to push off the rubber like I normally was, and it was affecting my command. … Even with all the other (injuries), I’ve never taken myself out, but it was one of those things where I felt like if it got worse then it would make it worse in the long run.”

However, a bullpen that has thrown 11 1/3 innings in the past 40 hours does need some backup, so the Dodgers have optioned Adam Liberatore to Triple-A Oklahoma City and called up Ian Thomas.

Liberatore took a 1.29 ERA and .363 opponents’ OPS into June. Since then, however, those numbers have gone to 7.50 and .917. In July, nine of 19 batters have reached base against Liberatore, with no strikeouts.

This is Thomas’ fourth callup by the Dodgers this season, moving him within one of Daniel Coulombe’s team-leading five. In his most recent appearance, Thomas pitched two shutout innings July 7 against the Phillies, walking one and striking out two.

With Oklahoma City, Thomas had lowered his ERA to 3.16 on June 17, then allowed 10 runs in eight innings across two games (June 27-July 2). In his last two Triple-A appearances, he has pitched 3 1/3 shutout innings.

After Mike Bolsinger pitches today, Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke will take the Dodgers’ Thursday-Friday starts against the Mets. The Dodgers haven’t announced who will take Saturday’s start in place of Brandon Beachy, and a potential replacement if Anderson can’t go Sunday is also undecided.

Eric Stults, Zach Lee and Joe Wieland are the listed Friday-Saturday-Sunday starting pitchers for Oklahoma City. Trevor Cahill is today’s Triple-A starter.

Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles wrote about the Dodger front office’s pursuit of pitching.

“I don’t know that we could ratchet up our search for starting pitching any more than we already are,” general manager Farhan Zaidi told Saxon.

On the bright side for the Dodgers, Yasmani Grandal is back in the lineup for the first time since taking a hard foul ball off the jaw Sunday, and Carl Crawford (who pinch-ran Tuesday) is making his first start since April 27. Yasiel Puig and Justin Turner have scheduled days off.

Turner, who hit his first homer of July on Tuesday and is 12 for 22 since July 12, but the Dodgers believe that he needs rest every few days to avoid wearing down.

Dodgers activate Carl Crawford, option Beachy

By Jon Weisman

On July 21, 2015

In Pregame, Transactions

[mlbvideo id=”92347783″ width=”550″ height=”308″ /]

Dodgers at Braves, 4:10 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Justin Turner, 3B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Scott Van Slyke, LF
Yasiel Puig, RF
Kiké Hernandez, SS
Austin Barnes, C
Brett Anderson, P

By Jon Weisman

After nearly two months on the disabled list, Carl Crawford returns to active duty today for the Dodgers.

Los Angeles will have an extra position player for the next few games, having optioned right-hander Brandon Beachy to Triple-A Oklahoma City. The Dodgers likely to make at least one more move to bring back a starting pitcher for Saturday in New York, with Zach Lee (who pitched six shutout innings for Oklahoma City on Monday before allowing two runs in the seventh) among the possibilities.

Crawford had a .260 on-base percentage and .408 slugging percentage in 50 plate appearances before his sight oblique strain April 27. Last year, from August 10 through the end of the 2014 regular season, Crawford had a .463 OBP and .606 slugging in his final 135 plate appearances.

He is expected to fill the role of a fourth outfielder at the outset.

To re-open a vacancy on the 40-man roster for Crawford, the Dodgers designated right-handed pitcher Preston Guilmet for assignment. Guilmet, who was claimed by the Dodgers on July 10, allowed one run in three innings of relief for Oklahoma City.

Catcher to the DL is Ellis, not Grandal — with Barnes starting tonight

By Jon Weisman

On July 20, 2015

In Pregame, Transactions

Austin Barnes and A.J. Ellis in the Dodger video room before Barnes’ MLB debut May 24. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

Dodgers at Braves, 4:10 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Justin Turner, 3B
Andre Ethier, LF
Yasiel Puig, RF
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Austin Barnes, C
Brandon Beachy, P

By Jon Weisman

You might have seen Yasmani Grandal get clocked in the jaw by a foul ball Sunday, but he wasn’t the only Dodger catcher to come down wounded.

A.J. Ellis has right knee inflammation that has landed him on the 15-day disabled list.

It’s never a good time to lose a catcher, let alone two at once. And the injury to Ellis comes at a particularly unfortunate time, considering that the 34-year-old has had a .429 on-base percentage and .511 slugging percentage in 57 plate appearances since May 26.

Ellis has also thrown out six of 12 would-be basestealers in that time, with zero errors and one passed ball.

He was on the disabled list for 38 days last year because of surgery on his left knee in April, followed by a May trip to the disabled list after he sprained his ankle during the celebration of Josh Beckett’s no-hitter.

Dodger manager Don Mattingly told reporters today that Ellis could be ready to go before the week is out, but the Dodgers didn’t have the luxury of going with only one catcher while waiting. Ellis’ knee started getting tight on the plane ride to Atlanta and stiffened further in the middle of the night, according to Mattingly.

Grandal, of course, is six days removed from playing in the All-Star Game. He has a .399 OBP and .518 slugging percentage this season — .425/.594 since May 1. But he did not end up on the disabled list after all, and though he isn’t starting tonight, he is available, Mattingly said.

When Brandon Beachy makes his second MLB start of the season tonight, he’ll actually be throwing to the catcher who caught his last two minor-league rehab starts of 2015: Austin Barnes.

The 25-year-old Barnes, who went 1 for 5 with a walk while making his MLB debut with the Dodgers while Grandal was on the seven-day concussion disabled list, has a .385 OBP and .484 slugging percentage with Triple-A Oklahoma City, with 22 extra-base hits and 28 walks compared with 26 strikeouts.

Barnes was singled out for praise by another Dodger rejoining the team from Oklahoma City: Carl Crawford.

“I like him,” Crawford told Jacob Unruh of the Oklahoman. “He looked like a real good player. I think we’ll see him playing real good in the big leagues someday. They’ve got a lot of guys that can play, but he’s the guy that stood out the most to me.”

The expectation is that the Dodgers will activate Crawford from the 60-day disabled list Tuesday.

How hot? So hot …

By Jon Weisman

On July 19, 2015

In In case you missed it, Pregame

Dodgers at Nationals, 10:35 a.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, LF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Yasiel Puig, RF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Zack Greinke, P

By Jon Weisman

Hopefully, Zack Greinke’s Florida roots will come in handy today, because this is gonna be a steamy one.

Greinke has thrown 35 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings and retired 36 of his past 37 batters, but those numbers will be challenged not only by Bryce Harper and the Washington Nationals, but also by the triple digit heat index in Washington D.C. during today’s game.

Facing fellow All-Star righty Max Scherzer in today’s primo pitching matchup, Greinke would need six scoreless innings to move pass Clayton Kershaw for third place on the Los Angeles Dodgers all-time streak list, behind (as if I need to tell you) Orel Hershiser and Don Drysdale.

Here are some other pregame notes:

Carl Crawford will rejoin the Dodgers in Atlanta on Monday, with his activation from the disabled list imminent. Don Mattingly told reporters today that figuring out how to create a roster spot for Crawford is not an easy decision. Counting Alex Guerrero and Kiké Hernandez, Crawford’s return would give Los Angeles a surplus of seven outfielders, pending the next roster move. Alberto Callaspo could be vulnerable, though he is the team’s only infielder off the bench that can bat from the left side.
How did Clayton Kershaw strike out Harper three times Saturday? According to Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles, in conversation with Don Mattingly after the game, “Kershaw attacked Harper’s weaknesses by elevating hard fastballs just enough to get him to swing and getting into counts in which he could use either breaking ball to devastating effect.”
Brandon Beachy’s second start after his second Tommy John surgery will take place Monday at his first MLB home, Atlanta — but Beachy is trying not to think about that, he told J.P. Hoornstra of the Daily News.

Dodger Thoughts

Jon Weisman's outlet for dealing psychologically with the Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball and life

Category: Pregame (Page 16 of 32)

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Greinke faces Trout again, as Kershaw rests one more day

Kershaw start delayed until Friday — Bolsinger to start tonight

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Zack Greinke zeroing in

Healing (and dealing?) Dodgers use rotation cushion as flotation device

Zack Greinke expected to pitch against Mets this weekend

Clayton Kershaw: 0.96 ERA in past 15 July starts

Dodgers option Liberatore, recall Thomas, ponder pitching

Dodgers activate Carl Crawford, option Beachy

Catcher to the DL is Ellis, not Grandal — with Barnes starting tonight

How hot? So hot …

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