Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers
By Jon Weisman
It’s a long season as you know, and the Dodgers can benefit tremendously from the return of Hyun-Jin Ryu, even if he’s not on the active roster Opening Day.
So it’s all good that Ryu had a strong bullpen session today, as Ken Gurnick of MLB.com writes …
Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers
By Jon Weisman
Jimmy Rollins will start at shortstop in place of Corey Seager in Game 3 of the National League Division Series tonight in New York.
Rollins will team with second baseman Howie Kendrick up the middle. With the appeal of his suspension yet to be heard, Chase Utley is eligible off the bench for the Dodgers.
Seager has a double and four strikeouts in eight at-bats for the Dodgers in the NLDS. He has fielded solidly, including an over-the-shoulder catch in Game 2, but no doubt has never played in as heated an atmosphere — on the field or in the surrounding stands — as is likely to be present at Citi Field this evening.
No, that's not @TommyLasorda, it's today's #Dodgers manager @JimmyRollins11. With some, er, padding. pic.twitter.com/2X1UvmTLuF
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) October 4, 2015
By Jon Weisman
Jimmy Rollins will be the guest manager for today’s regular-season finale, and Kenley Jansen will be the guest pitching coach, Don Mattingly told reporters today. The opportunity arose when the Dodgers clinched home-field advantage for the National League Division series, which will now begin Friday at Dodger Stadium (game times to be announced).
Clayton Kershaw is expected to throw roughly 50-60 pitches in his final start. Kershaw needs six strikeouts to become the first pitcher since 2002 with 300, and needs 3 1/3 innings to lead the Majors in innings (which he probably cares more about).
Kershaw lost one milestone Saturday, when Max Scherzer surpassed him with most strikeouts (17) ever in a no-hit, no-walk MLB game.
The Dodgers have not set their NLDS rotation yet, Don Mattingly told reporters today, and will wait until after this week’s workouts to finalize their NLDS roster — including the number of pitchers vs. position players that they will include. Rosters aren’t due until the morning of the first game.
Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers
By Jon Weisman
When the torch passes, it can burn. But the Dodgers are hoping when it goes from Jimmy Rollins to Corey Seager, it is warm and fuzzy — and winning.
Reports from Don Mattingly’s pregame session with reporters today indicated that Seager has become the Dodgers’ starting shortstop, seizing his September callup when Rollins was injured and supplanting the veteran.
Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers
By Jon Weisman
After weeks of preparation for this potentiality, Justin Turner’s knee soreness and Howie Kendrick’s return from the disabled list have launched Chase Utley into his first career game at third base.
More than 300 people have played third base for the Dodger franchise. Utley, who is 36 years and 278 days old, is the oldest Dodger ever to play his first career game at third, according to the Baseball-Reference.com Play Index.
Bill Russell was 36 years, 239 days old when he played third base for the initial time in his Dodger career, on June 17, 1985.
“We’ve been working towards this,” Don Mattingly said of Utley, adding that coach Tim Wallach felt that Utley’s latest workout at third was his best. “We don’t worry about him — he knows how to play, he knows where to be. … So tonight’s the right night.
Turner was to have an MRI today to get more definitive information about his condition, but results weren’t immediately available. With shortstop Jimmy Rollins nearing a return to availability on defense, Corey Seager could also pick up time at third base if Turner remains sidelined. Kiké Hernandez is also progressing, and will go to Camelback Ranch to get some at-bats.
By Jon Weisman
Two weeks since Jimmy Rollins has been able to play shortstop, one day after Howie Kendrick returned to second base from a five-week absence, the Dodgers also face renewed health concerns at first and third base.
Adrian Gonzalez is day to day with back stiffness, Don Mattingly told reporters today, and Justin Turner is hobbled by soreness in his left knee. Steve Bourbon of MLB.com has more on Turner.
Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers
By Jon Weisman
A quick note before we get to today’s lengthy health recap: Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta lowered his ERA to 1.99 this afternoon. If he and Zack Greinke stay below 2.00, they’ll be the first duo to do so in the same year since Dwight Gooden (1.53) and John Tudor (1.93) in 1985.
If Clayton Kershaw (2.15) joins them, we would have the first sub-2.00 trio since Luis Tiant (1.91), Gaylord Perry (1.92) and Gary Nolan (1.99) in 1972.
Kershaw, who is next scheduled to start Monday against the Rockies, most likely has four starts left in the 2015 regular season. If he pitched a total of 24 1/3 to 28 1/3 innings, he would need to allow no more than two earned runs (0.64 ERA) to get his ERA below 2.00. If he pitched 28 2/3 to 33 innings, he could allow three runs, and if he pitched at least 33 1/3, he could allow four runs.
And now, to the Web (Gem) MD report, via manager Don Mattingly to reporters:
By Jon Weisman
Don Mattingly told reporters today that Yasmani Grandal’s shoulder is bothering him again, and that Jimmy Rollins is having X-rays on a finger on this throwing hand that was hurt in a slide during Sunday’s 5-1 victory over San Diego.
Grandal was originally in tonight’s starting lineup against the Angels before being scratched. He will be examined anew, and A.J. Ellis will start.
Results from Rollins’ X-rays are hoped for by tonight. Corey Seager, 5 for 15 with two doubles and a stolen base as a Dodger, will make his fourth Dodger start.
One piece of good injury news: Jose Peraza told Ken Gurnick of MLB.com that his hamstring was healed and he was able to play.
Mattingly also said that Mat Latos will start the third game of the series against the Angels, after Greinke tonight and Clayton Kershaw on Tuesday. Mike Bolsinger might get another start this weekend at Arizona.
The Dodgers enter tonight’s game with a season-high lead of eight games in the National League West, after San Francisco’s 6-1 loss at Arizona this afternoon.
By Jon Weisman
While leading the National League in home runs, it’s also getting back to the point where the Dodgers can slide with pride.
Though still not exactly a team of Rickey Hendersons, the Dodgers have turned things around as basestealers. The team that began the season 14 for 35 on stolen-base attempts through July 1 has gone 30 for 37 since — including 13 for 13 in its past seven games.
Here’s the breakdown of steals before and after July 1:
Carl Crawford has gone from a non-factor to the biggest factor. Jimmy Rollins and Howie Kendrick have been more successful. So even have Scott Van Slyke and Justin Tuner. Jose Peraza and, as of Friday, Scott Schebler have chipped in.
Since the All-Star Break, the Dodgers are seventh in the NL with 25 steals (in 31 attempts) and third in stolen-base percentage with an 80.6 percent success rate.
By Jon Weisman
With a dynamic offensive display tonight — five home runs, seven extra-base hits and three steals — the Dodgers drove down the Padres, 8-4, and with the seventh straight loss by the Giants, moved a season-high 7½ games ahead in the National League West.
No NL team has a bigger divisional lead than Los Angeles does.
Crawford &
Schebler &
Ruggiano &
Gonzalez &
Utley. pic.twitter.com/0PXjcn7FfZ— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 5, 2015
There were numerous heroes for the Dodgers tonight, but it’s hard not to start with right fielder Scott Schebler. In his second MLB start, Schebler went 2 for 5, took away extra bases from Justin Upton, and became only the third Dodger this century to have a home run (444 feet, in this case) and two stolen bases in the same game, after Shawn Green in 2000 and Matt Kemp in 2010.
Also homering in his third game as a Dodger was 33-year-old Justin Ruggiano, who followed Corey Seager’s RBI forceout* with a two-run, pinch-hit shot in the fifth inning put the Dodgers ahead to stay, 5-3. That’s three guys driving in runs who weren’t on the team five days ago.
Adrian Gonzalez and Chase Utley followed with homers before the inning was over, giving the Dodgers an NL record: six different innings this season with three home runs.
Utley also walked twice, and is now 11 for 47 with four doubles, a triple, two homers, five walks and three hit-by-pitches as a Dodger. That’s a .345 on-base percentage, .489 slugging percentage and .835 OPS since coming to Los Angeles.
Seager also doubled and singled, making him 4 for 9 in his MLB career, while Jimmy Rollins walked twice, stole a base, doubled and singled, making him 2,414 for 9,109 in his MLB career.
Carl Crawford actually hit the longest homer of the night for the Dodgers. Measured at 454 feet, it was the fourth-longest blast by the Dodgers in 2015, and longest by anyone not named Joc Pederson.
Mike Bolsinger had a bit of a weird night in his first start for the Dodgers since July 29. He walked two, struck out six and allowed only two hits, but both were homers, good for three runs in five innings. In all, the teams combined for eight home runs, tying a Petco Park record.
Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers
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 …
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.
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By Jon Weisman
One month ago, the night he broke a 7-7 tie with the game-winning RBI in a 10-7 victory over his former Philadelphia team, Jimmy Rollins described the changes he was attempting to revitalize a difficult season.
“I’ve been working on hitting the ball the other way,” Rollins said. “It’s a new swing, so it has its ups and downs, but tonight on the last hit, it worked out for me.”
Things have been working out pretty well for Rollins ever since. Dating back to that night, Rollins has a .333 on-base percentage, .505 slugging percentage and .839 OPS. In 55 plate appearances since July 23, Rollins has a .418 OBP, .653 slugging and 1.071 OPS.
The defense, which has been there all season, hasn’t suffered, illustrated most recently by his snap throw to first base Friday to catch Gregory Polanco taking a wide turn after a base hit. And one of the great, smart hustle plays of the year, Rollins scored from second base in the second inning on Howie Kendrick’s infield single in the third inning. (Rollins had just stolen second base to get into scoring position.)
Rollins predicted a month ago that he would heat up in the second half, and so far he has been good to his word. Since the All-Star Break, Rollins is third among Dodger position players in wins above replacement, behind Adrian Gonzalez and Justin Turner.
Tiffany Billingsley (left) has been quietly going through chemotherapy to beat a rare but aggressive form of cancer called gestational choriocarcinoma. (MLB.com)
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 …
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By Jon Weisman
Alex Wood had a solid Dodger debut for six innings, with eight strikeouts (tying a season high), no walks and one run allowed, when things went in the wrong direction — figuratively with a single by Carlos Ruiz (followed by an intentional walk to Cesar Hernandez), then literally with a still-not-sure-how-that-happened, slipped-pitch balk.
As it turned out, the balk actually had no direct effect on the game’s outcome, but the Dodgers never rediscovered their magnetic north.
Wood left the game after another walk, and reliever Joel Peralta served up a grand slam to Maikel Franco that lifted the Phillies to a 6-2 victory over the Dodgers.
Los Angeles relievers have allowed runs in five straight games and eight of their past nine, though this was only the second of those nine games that led directly to a loss.
Offensively, the Dodgers had 16 baserunners in the game, but it was one of those nights when they couldn’t cash them in. Los Angeles is third in the National League this season in OPS with men on and with runners in scoring position.
Besides Wood’s first six innings, silver linings for the Dodgers included Joc Pederson’s three walks (his first of any kind since July 18) and Jimmy Rollins’ two hits, maintaining his on-base percentage in his past 10 games at .400.
Rollins also received a lovely bit of brotherly love while stepping in for his first at-bat as a visiting player in Philadelphia after 14 seasons there.
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By Jon Weisman
For the first time since 2008, the Dodgers have seven players with at least 10 home runs, thanks to Jimmy Rollins hitting his 10th in tonight’s 7-2 victory over the Mets.
Yasiel Puig, who hit his sixth tonight, and Howie Kendrick (seven) are also on pace to reach double digits, which would give the Dodgers a franchise record-tying nine players with at least 10 homers.
The 2004 Dodgers are the only such team, with Adrian Beltre, Milton Bradley, Alex Cora, Juan Encarnacion, Steve Finley, Shawn Green, Jose Hernandez, Paul Lo Duca and Jayson Werth.
Justin Turner hit his 13th home run tonight, along with two doubles, to tie a career high with eight total bases. The Dodgers had at least 25 total bases for the 10th time this year.
What happens when three old friends in crisis fall into an unexpected love triangle? In The Catch, Maya, Henry and Daniel embark upon an emotional journey that forces them to confront unresolved pain, present-day traumas and powerful desires, leading them to question the very meaning of love and fulfillment. The Catch tells a tale of ordinary people seeking the extraordinary – or, if that’s asking too much, some damn peace of mind.
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