May 26

Game 49, 2017

Cubs at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PT, TV: SPNLA, ABC 7, MLBN (out-of-market only)

The Cubbies come to LA for the only time this season. Tonight’s opener of the three-game series features the Cubs’ RHP Jake Arrieta (5-3, 4.80 ERA) returning to the scene of his first no-hitter in August of 2015. He’ll face the Dodgers’ LHP Alex Wood (5-0, 1.88 ERA), who’s been far better than anyone thought he’d be going into the season.

Arrieta is 1-2 with a 3.24 ERA in four career starts against the Dodgers, but in his last 16 innings he’s shut them out. Wood started against the Cubs in April, giving up two runs in 3 2/3 innings.

The Dodgers claimed infielder Mike Freeman and RHP Chris Heston from the Mariners and transferred Andrew Toles & Scott Kazmir to the 60-day DL.

Today in Dodgers’ history: Nothing unusual happened. In the pennant-winning year of 1974 the Dodgers beat the Giants 9-5 behind Doug Rau, with Mike Marshall going 3 1/3 innings to get his sixth save of the year. Elsewhere:

  • 1959 Pirates’ hurler Harvey Haddix pitches 12 perfect innings, but loses 1-0 to the Braves in the 13th inning. The heart-breaking winning run scores on a Don Hoak error, a sacrifice, a walk, and a two-bagger by Joe Adcock. A subsequent rules change stupidly removes this game from baseball’s list of no-hitters (Ed.).
  • 1993 Carlos Martinez hits a fly ball to Jose Canseco that caroms off the Ranger outfielder’s head over the fence for a home run. The fourth inning solo homer will prove to be the difference when the Indians edge Texas at Cleveland Stadium, 7-6. (Video)

Lineup when available.

May 19

Game 43, 2017

Marlins at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-F

The Marlins have caught on too: they’re trotting out YALHP Justin Nicolino (0-0, 1.50 ERA). He was just promoted from AAA and gave up one run in six innings against the Braves last week. On April 27, 2016 he threw 7 1/3 shutout innings against the Dodgers in his first start of the year. He’ll face the Dodgers’ Alex Wood (4-0, 2.27 ERA), the reigning NL Player of the Week. Part of Wood’s success can be attributed to a 37.4-percent strikeout rate over the last 30 days, second only to Red Sox ace Chris Sale.

This day in Dodgers history:

  • Nothing involving the Dodgers was very notable, but a future Dodger made his MLB debut on this date in:
  • 1984 Joining the club in St. Louis, Eric Davis makes his major league debut, grounding out to short as a pinch-hitter in the fifth inning of the Reds’ 9-1 loss to the Redbirds. The 22 year-old rookie is forced to wear a numberless jersey when Cincinnati forgets to pack an extra road uniform. That seems emblematic of all the good he did the Dodgers when he played for them in 1992-1993

The Dodgers and JT dodged a serious bullet: his hamstring is merely strained. They’ve put him on the 10-day DL and brought up Eibner.

Lineup when available.

May 10

Game 34, 2017

Pirates at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PT, TV: SPNLA, ROOTPIT

The visitors send RHP Chad Kuhl (1-2, 5.54 ERA) out to face the Dodgers’ Kenta Maeda (2-2, 5.81 ERA). Kuhl managed to beat the Dodgers twice last year despite posting a 4.09 ERA while doing so. Maeda’s last two starts were his best of the season (12 innings, three earned runs, 16 Ks).

Here’s a scheduling quirk: today’s game will be the third of 35 consecutive games the Pirates will play outside of the National League Central.

Today in Dodgers history:

  • 1953 With a double and home run, Roy Campanella drives in all the runs in the Dodgers’ 5-0 victory over the Phillies at Ebbets Field. Campy’s total of 40+ RBIs in the first 30 games will not be matched until Tino Martinez accomplishes the feat in 1997 with the Yankees.
  • 1955 Dodger right-hander Don Newcombe faces only 27 batters when he one-hits Chicago at Wrigley Field, 3-0. Newk’s bid for perfection is ruined by a fourth-inning single hit by Gene Baker, who will be thrown out trying to steal second base.

Injury update:

Lineup:

We see the immediate impact of Toles’s injury, as Bellinger moves to left field and Utley plays 1B.

May 09

Game 33, 2017

Pirates at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PT, TV: SPNLA, ROOTPIT

RHP Ivan Nova (3-3, 2.14 ERA) will take the mound for the Pirates versus LHP Julio Urias (0-0, 0.84 ERA). Nova has gone six innings in each of his six starts this year, but his last time out he lost to the Reds when he allowed four runs on a season-high 10 hits. Urias will be making his third start of the year; he’s gone 10 2/3 innings and walked eight while striking out five.

Each pitcher has faced the other team once: Nova gave up one run in 5 1/3 innings to the Dodgers last August 12, while Urias threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief against the Pirates the following night.

This day in Dodgers history:

  • 1947 After leading his team in verbally abusing Jackie Robinson with racial slurs during yesterday’s game at Shibe Park, Philadelphia manager Ben Chapman, who admits he had been ‘kinda loud’, sends word to the Brooklyn clubhouse that he would like to make amends by posing with the Dodger first baseman for the newspaper photographers. The orchestrated gesture, which Robinson agrees to, admitting later that is one of the hardest things he ever had to make himself do, is prompted by the bad press created by the Phillies manager’s intolerance and the wrath of Commissioner Chandler.

Bad news for André Ethier and the Dodgers:

Lineup:

May 02

Game 28, 2017

Injury news:

The Dodgers are getting Pederson ready to return to the club Friday for the series opener against the Padres in San Diego.

“He’s going to DH tonight [at Rancho Cucamonga], go through that progression and hopefully if things go well we’ll see him on Friday,” Robert said. “He’ll take three at-bats tonight, so that’s exciting.”

The other walking wounded that we’ll see soon include:

Outfielder Franklin Gutierrez (hamstring) is scheduled to be activated before Tuesday’s game, Roberts said. Second baseman Logan Forsythe (broken toe) is expected to begin a Minor League rehab assignment with Rancho Cucamonga on Wednesday or Thursday.

Kazmir, Ravin and Segedin will be a while yet.

Ravin made his first rehab appearance with Rancho Cucamonga on Monday, striking out one and allowing one hit in a scoreless inning. He’s essentially starting Spring Training, Roberts said.

Kazmir threw a bullpen session over the weekend and is scheduled to remain in Los Angeles and throw again when the Dodgers leave for San Diego.

[snip]

Segedin is working out in Arizona at the Dodgers’ complex at Camelback Ranch Glendale. Roberts said a date for a rehab assignment for Segedin has not been set yet.

“He’s in Arizona right now doing some baseball activities, but he still says that it’s not right,” Roberts said. “I know, obviously, every day he’s getting better, but I think that with the time he’s missed, it’s still, once he starts, it’s going to be certainly a week of games at least to show that he’s healthy.”

If you’ve forgotten, Segedin injured a big toe and ligament in his very first plate appearance with the Dodgers on April 17.

Giants at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, NBCS-BA

It’s a lefty matchup between the Giants’ Matt Moore (1-3, 4.80 ERA) and the Dodgers’ Alex Wood (1-0, 2.29 ERA). Moore held the Dodgers to one run on two hits over seven innings last Thursday and came up with no decision. He’s made 18 starts in his career with the Giants, and five of them have been against the Dodgers.

Wood pitched six shutout innings and allowed one hit Wednesday in San Francisco, also getting no decision. In his three starts this season he’s got a 3.14 ERA, and he’d no doubt like to have another good outing to persuade the Dodgers to keep hi in the starting rotation.

Lineup when available.

Note that Bellinger is at first base.

Apr 12

Game 9, 2017

After the first ten days of the season we can say the NL West is showing depth beyond the Dodgers and Giants. Whether the D-Backs and Rockies can keep up their good play remains to be seen, but so far the division looks more competitive than anticipated.

Dodgers at Cubs, 5:05PM PT, TV: SPNLA, MLBN (out-of-market only)

Brandon McCarthy (1-0, 2.00 ERA) goes for the Dodgers against John Lackey (1-0, 4.50 ERA) of the Cubs. McCarthy allowed two runs on four hits in six innings last Thursday against the Padres. Lackey went 7-4 with a 2.62 ERA at home last season; this is his first start at Wrigley this year.

The Cubs got their banner Monday; tonight they’ll get their rings.

Late news: Franklin Gutierrez goes on the 10-day DL with a strained left hamstring.

Lineup when available.

Sep 27

Game 157, 2016

Dodgers at Padres, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FSSD

The Dodgers switched starters around for tonight’s game. They had scheduled Kenta Maeda (16-9, 3.20 ERA) to pitch Wednesday and Jose De Leon tonight, but they reversed the order. It may be that they want Maeda to pitch the last game of the season in San Francisco if home-field advantage for the playoffs is still undecided.

His opponent will be Paul Clemens (3-5, 4.48 ERA), who hasn’t given up a run in his last two starts but who has had trouble going deep into games; his last outing was his longest of the year at 5 2/3 innings.

In playoff opponent news, the Nationals’ All-Star catcher Wilson Ramos is out for the season; he suffered a torn ACL in his right knee in Monday night’s game.

Lineup when available.

Sep 10

Game 141, 2016

Dodgers at Marlins, 4:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-F

Lefty Rich Hill (11-3, 1.94 ERA) makes his third start for the Dodgers. In his first two he’s thrown 12 scoreless innings. He’ll face RHP Tom Koehler (9-10, 3.87 ERA), who hasn’t won since August 9 but whose last outing was six shutout innings against Cleveland on September 4.

Personnel move:

“Manager Dave Roberts said Ethier will get an occasional start, but with the club’s outfield depth, Ethier will mostly be used coming off the bench as a late-innings pinch-hitter.”

Lineup:

Hmm. Utley gets the day off and Kendrick is back at 2B for the first time in a while. His LF slot will be taken by Puig.

Sep 03

Game 135, 2016

Padres at Dodgers, 6:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FSSD

The Dodgers ask lefty Rich Hill (10-3, 2.09 ERA) to make his second start for them. Lingering blister troubles kept him off the mound for a month after he was acquired at the trade deadline. He’ll face RHP Luis Perdomo (7-7, 5.84 ERA). The rookie pitched his first complete game his last time out and got six double plays in the game to help him do it. That shouldn’t have been a surprise; his ground ball rate is 60%, the highest in the NL.

Kershaw is pitching a three-inning or 50-pitch rehab start for Rancho Cucamonga today.

Lineup when available.

Sep 02

Game 134, 2016

Padres at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FSSD

Young Julio Urias (5-2, 3.71 ERA) pitches for the Dodgers and Clayton Richard (1-3, 3.51 ERA) does so for the Padres. Urias is probably nearing his last start for the Dodgers because of a desire to limit his work and save his arm this season (he’s never thrown more than 87 innings in a single season before, and he’s thrown 108 thus far this season), but he’s been getting better with every start. Richard has done the same for the Padres; after signing with them in early August he’s made three starts and given up only two earned runs in 18 innings.

Here’s some news: among the other callups and activations today (Barnes, Coleman and more)

Lineup when available.