Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers
By Jon Weisman
Tomorrow really is just a day away. Friday’s opening game of the National League Division Series between the Dodgers and Nationals comes in about 24 hours, depending on when exactly you’re reading this.
Here’s what been percolating …
Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers
By Jon Weisman
The Dodgers faced several hard choices in coming up with their 25-man roster for the National League Division Series — and to some extent, the specific matchup with the Washington Nationals served as a tiebreaker.
By Jon Weisman
In a game that prioritized roster reconnaissance over home-field hunting, the Dodgers got more information than they bargained for.
With the Dodgers leading 3-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth, Brandon McCarthy entered for a relief tryout and faced six batters — all of whom scored — in a 9-3 loss to the Giants.
Though Washington lost to Miami tonight, the Dodgers remain two games behind the Nationals with two to play, meaning that unless Los Angeles sweeps and Washington gets swept Saturday and Sunday, the Dodgers will open the National League Division Series in the nation’s capital October 7.
By Jon Weisman
Clayton Kershaw, Corey Seager, Rich Hill and Justin Turner are finalists in four categories of the MLB Players Choice Awards, which will be announced November 9 on MLB Network.
Sandy Koufax speaks with Rich Hill, Julio Urías and interpreter Jesus Quinonez before the Vin Scully Appreciation Day ceremony September 23. Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers
By Jon Weisman
The Dodgers have announced their starting pitchers for the regular season’s remaining six games, and while it is (as always) subject to change, there are some interesting tea leaves to read.
Fresh off a recent conversation with Sandy Koufax (above), Julio Urías has been pegged to start Thursday for the Dodgers, following — in a switch — Kenta Maeda tonight and Jose De León on Wednesday.
With Rich Hill, Clayton Kershaw and Maeda slated for the final series against the Giants, that means veterans Brett Anderson, Scott Kazmir and Brandon McCarthy would appear to be all but out of consideration for the National League Division Series.
In their only appearances of the month, Anderson threw five innings September 22, Kazmir a single inning September 23 and McCarthy — most encouragingly — six innings of two-run ball September 25.
There’s never been any shortage of surprises with these Dodgers, but you’d be asking any of those pitchers to start on 2 1/2 weeks of rest, simulated innings aside. Game 4 of the NLDS would be played October 11.
Aside from the implications for finalizing the NLDS roster, the main question now is whether Urías, who has a 3.53 ERA this season but has thrown only two innings since September 13, is in a competition with De León to be positioned as No. 4 starter in the playoffs, or whether this is all a backup plan.
Based on Dodger playoff history from 2013-15, Clayton Kershaw would come back on three days’ rest to pitch in Game 4. His recovery from a disk herniation has mostly tabled that concept, but if Kershaw is feeling 100 percent, would you count him out?
Essentially, the Dodgers can start Kershaw in Game 4, turn to one of the rookies, or treat it as a glorified bullpen game, with Urías or De León combining with Ross Stripling to take the starter innings.
We’ll find out soon enough, won’t we?
Meanwhile, Hill pitching before Kershaw this weekend in San Francisco shouldn’t necessarily be interpreted as a change in the pecking order. It’s far more likely to give Hill an extra day of rest before he takes the mound in the playoffs. By pitching Saturday, Kershaw would open the NLDS on five days’ rest, with Hill on seven days’ rest.
However, if you want to mull something off the wall, consider this: There are three days’ rest between NLDS Game 1 (October 7) and Game 4, but four days’ rest between NLDS Games 2 (October 8) and Game 5 (October 13). So if you wanted Kershaw to pitch on normal rest for two games, a Game 2 start would be the way to go. In that case, though, you’re guaranteeing the need for a fourth starter in the series.
Update: Dave Roberts confirmed tonight that it would be Kershaw, Hill and Maeda to begin the playoffs, in that order.
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By Jon Weisman
I guess my wife and I picked the wrong day to take the family to Disneyland.
Exactly 51 years and one day after Sandy Koufax threw the last perfect game by a Dodger pitcher, Rich Hill nearly did the same (in a 5-0 Dodger victory). And in the process, he became the first Dodger pitcher since Hiroki Kuroda in 2008 to throw seven perfect innings — and the first ever to do so without facing another batter.
The controversy arose from the latter fact. In the overnight chatter since Hill was removed, many have had a chance to weigh in, and so with the Dodgers’ next game already about to start, I’m just going to highlight a few points …
By Jon Weisman
Two games in the National League West separate the Dodgers and Giants, who each have 29 games remaining in the regular season — six against each other — and nearly identical schedules.
Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers
By Jon Weisman
Bud Norris has officially replaced Rich Hill as the starting pitcher for the Dodgers’ second game at Colorado tonight.
Norris, who allowed two runs in five innings in his last start August 26 against the Cubs, will be pitching on four days’ rest. Dave Roberts told reporters he was viewing this series finale as a bullpen game (the last before Thursday’s off day and ensuing roster expansion).
The hope for Hill is that he slots in this weekend when the Dodgers host San Diego. Julio Urías is currently scheduled to take the mound Friday, but the next two starters haven’t been announced.
Jill Weisleder/Los Angeles Dodgers
By Jon Weisman
With a rainy day off Tuesday after his scary hit-by-pitch Monday, Corey Seager is back in action and expected to play in both ends of today’s impromptu doubleheader, along with Adrián González and Justin Turner.
The bigger immediate concern for the Dodgers is Rich Hill, who threw about 40 pitches warming up for Tuesday’s non-game. Roberts said Hill is “adamant” about pitching in tonight’s second game, but the coaching and medical staff might call for him to be scratched because of his past blister problems. Bud Norris would likely succeed Hill in that case.
Though playing a doubleheader at toxic-to-pitching Coors Field sounds poisonous on its face, the consolation is that in addition to resting Tuesday, the Dodger bullpen has an off day Thursday.
In addition, per MLB rules for sudden doubleheaders, they’ll have a 26th man on the roster. Luis Avilan is with the club in Colorado and prepared to take that spot.
So basically, today’s lunchtime game is the last the Dodgers will play with only 25 guys. The active roster limit expands to 40 beginning Thursday, and Roberts said the Dodgers will immediately take advantage by adding at least Avilan, Louis Coleman and Josh Ravin, along with catcher-infielder Austin Barnes. Others, including Yasiel Puig, remain under discussion.
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By Jon Weisman
Sweetly, sometimes softly, Rich Hill mixed his pitches, his curveball surveying the scenic route, his fastball sufficiently startling.
And a team starved for starting pitching suddenly has had two superb outings this week from left-handers.
With six shutout innings, Hill duplicated the Sunday feat of Julio Urías — not to mention Hill’s only previous appearance at Dodger Stadium, in 2007 — and the Dodgers edged the San Francisco Giants, 1-0.
Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers
By Jon Weisman
The moment has arrived for Rich Hill, who has officially been activated from the disabled list to start tonight for the first time as a Dodger.
Mike Petriello of MLB.com has a good piece today outlining Hill’s virtues and why the Dodgers sought him out, even though they knew his debut would be delayed.
Rob Segedin’s placement on the paternity list created the roster opening for Hill’s activation. MLB paternity leave lasts from one to three games.
Hill’s only career appearance at Dodger Stadium came on May 27, 2007, when he threw six shutout innings for the Cubs, who lost in 11 innings, 2-1 (on Juan Pierre’s bases-loaded hit-by-pitch).
By Jon Weisman
Josh Reddick was a late scratch from today’s early game at Cincinnati, and the reason instantly came across like a taunt to his detractors — a jammed right middle finger.
Reddick is available off the bench, according to Dave Roberts, though it could be until at least Wednesday when he starts next, considering that lefty ace Madison Bumgarner is starting Tuesday for the Giants at Dodger Stadium.
But in the meantime, it’s another setback in what has been anything but a storybook chapter in Los Angeles for Reddick. Three weeks into his Dodger career, Reddick has one extra-base hit and a .211 on-base percentage. Combined with the absence of fellow former Oaklander Rich Hill from the starting rotation, judgment has rained down on the trade that sent Grant Holmes, Jharel Cotton and Frankie Montas to the A’s for the pair.
It’s reasonable to expect more immediate impact from a trade specifically designed to boost the Dodgers’ pennant chances, particularly when the two players are free agents at the end of the year, than the Dodgers have gotten. But consider these counterpoints:
Clayton Kershaw, Scott Kazmir and Rich Hill jog during batting practice August 9. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
By Jon Weisman
Rich Hill threw 75 pitches in a simulated game Thursday at Camelback Ranch that “went well,” according to Dodger manager Dave Roberts, and is likely to start for the Dodgers in their August-23-25 series against San Francisco.
Roberts also said that Julio Urías will make a spot start Sunday, with Kenta Maeda getting extra rest and going either Monday in Cincinnati or Tuesday against the Giants. Roberts noted that the team has enough bullpen coverage to avoid using Urías tonight (behind Bud Norris) or Saturday (behind Brett Anderson), even if either makes an early exit.
Obviously, never say never — you never know when an 18-inning game is around the corner — but that’s the plan.
Clayton Kershaw threw on flat ground today in advance of his scheduled bullpen session Saturday, consisting of 20-25 pitches. Kershaw is then penciled in to follow that with a 40-45 pitch session Tuesday. Roberts told reporters that Kershaw was in “good spirits.”
By Jon Weisman
Some quick Dodger pitching updates for before the game:
By Jon Weisman
Here’s a recap and look ahead at the state of Dodger pitching, based on Dave Roberts’ comments to reporters today:
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