Apr 23

Game 19, 2017

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Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 1:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-A

RHP Brandon McCarthy (2-0, 2.12 ERA) takes the mound for the Dodgers and RHP Shelby Miller (2-1, 3.50 ERA) does so for the D-Backs. Both pitchers had forgettable 2016 seasons — McCarthy with Tommy John surgery and Miller with poor performances all round (3-12, 6.15 ERA for the year with no wins at Chase Field).

McCarthy, 33, has bounced around the big leagues — the Dodgers are his sixth team. He’s never had a brilliant season but has been serviceable when healthy. His career record is 59-68 with a 4.13 ERA in 1069 innings.

Miller, 26, was a 15-game winner in 2013 and 2014 with the Cardinals before going to the Braves in exchange for outfielder Jason Heyward. He had a horrible W-L record (6-17) but a good ERA (3.02) in 2015 with the Braves. He was traded to the D-Backs following that season. For his career he’s 37-48 with a 3.68 ERA in 694 innings.

The Dodgers’ Adrian Gonzalez, Joc Pederson, Corey Seager, Justin Turner, Andrew Toles and Yasiel Puig are a combined 16-for-33 (.485) against Miller. On the other hand, before Saturday’s game Goldschmidt was a career .313 hitter (121-for-386) with 24 homers and 80 RBIs vs. the Dodgers.

Lineup when available.

Apr 22

Game 18, 2017

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Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 5:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-A

Kenta Maeda (1-1, 7.07 ERA) goes for the Dodgers, YALHP Robbie Ray (1-0, 1.96 ERA) for the D-Backs. If you’re counting, Ray is the 10th lefty to start against the Dodgers in 18 games.

Maeda pitched against the Diamondbacks Saturday night, giving up four runs on four hits in four innings. He has yet to settle in this season; the Dodgers are hoping extra bullpen and two extrad days of rest will get him on the right track. Ray faced the Dodgers Monday night, went six innings, gave up two runs, walked four, struck out ten and got no decision for his trouble.

Lineup when available.

So apparently Joc’s deemed not likely to succeed as well against the lefty Ray as he did leading off against the righty Walker last night. No Toles, no Utley, no Seager: I don’t quite understand Dave Roberts’ reasoning here.

Apr 21

Game 17, 2017

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Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 6:40PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-A

There’s another lefty on the hill in this game, but for a change it’s the Dodgers’ pitcher. Alex Wood (1-0, 1.00 ERA, 8K) takes the injured Rich Hill’s spot tonight against the D-Backs’ righty Taijuan Walker (2-1, 3.94, 16K). Wood has made one previous start this season. He went 3 2/3 innings against the Cubs on April 10, walked five, struck out four and gave up only one earned run. He’s pitched an additional 5 1/3 innings of relief this year. Walker allowed one run in five innings with seven strikeouts against the Dodgers on April 16 and got the win.

Lineup when available.

Apr 19

Game 16, 2017

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7-8. Bleargh.

Rockies at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, ROOTRM

Ah well. Redemption is the word of the day.

YALHP (Yet Another Left-Handed Pitcher) goes for the Rockies. In today’s case it’s Tyler Anderson (1-2, 8.59 ERA), who allowed five runs over five innings on April 9 against the Dodgers at Coors Field. He’ll face LHP Clayton Kershaw (2-1, 2.53 ERA), who allowed four runs — including three homers — on eight hits on April 8 at Coors Field.

Lineup when available.

Apr 18

Game 15, 2017

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The Los Angeles Dodgers once again want you to forget everything you think you knew about starting pitching. So writes Tom Verducci at Sports Illustrated this morning.

Hill has a “hot spot” on his finger? Shut him down (twice) so it doesn’t become a blister. Urias is perfectly healthy but is only 20 years old and needs to be protected so that he throws only about 165 innings during the regular season? Stash him in Oklahoma City and conserve his innings. (His starts have lasted 3 2/3 and 4 2/3 innings. He should join the Dodgers at the end of this month, with occasional rests during the season.) Kazmir has a bad hip? Let him take his time in extended spring.

I emailed a link to this newsletter from the LA Times’ Houston Mitchell to those of you on my mailing list earlier. If you like it and want to subscribe, there’s a box at the bottom of that page where you can sign up to get it directly.

Rockies at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, ROOTRM

LHP Kyle Freeland (1-1, 5.91 ERA) goes for the Rockies, LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (0-2, 5.79 ERA) goes for the Dodgers. Freeland gave up one run in six innings and beat Ryu and the Dodgers earlier this month. Ryu’s velocity hasn’t gotten back to what it was in 2014 before his injuries and rehab, which may explain why he’s not gotten past the fifth inning and given up 12 hits and six runs including three HRs in his first two starts.

Lineup when available.

Apr 17

Game 14, 2017

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Rich Hill spoke to Alanna Rizzo about his recurring blister problem.

Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-A

I think the other National League teams have concluded that the Dodgers are vulnerable to left-handed pitching, and until proven otherwise they’re going to keep starting them. Thus today the Diamondbacks send LHP Robbie Ray (1-0, 2.19 ERA) out for the finale of this four-game series. He’ll be opposed by RHP Brandon McCarthy (2-0, 1.50 ERA) for the Dodgers.

Ray has a 2.96 ERA in his career against the home team. Among current team members only Kiké Hernandez and Yasiel Puig have had great success against him.

McCarthy has been a very pleasant surprise for the Dodgers since coming off last year’s surgery. He held the Padres to two runs over six innings in his first start and last time out he blanked the Cubs for six innings. Only one of the current D-Backs has even 10 at-bats against him in his career. He pitched for the D-backs in 2013-2014 and went 8-21 with a 4.75 ERA in 40 starts.

Lineup when available.

Apr 16

Game 13, 2017

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Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 1:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-A

RHP Taijuan Walker (1-1, 4.91 ERA) takes the mound for the D-Backs and LHP Rich Hill (1-0, 1.80 ERA) comes off the 10-day disabled list to pitch for the Dodgers. Walker lost his grip on his last start against the Giants when he threw away (video) a comebacker with the bases loaded in the 4th:

With the bases loaded and one out, Moore tapped a dribbler that Walker fielded halfway up the first-base line. He threw wildly past home, enabling Brandon Crawford to score. Catcher Jeff Mathis scooped up the ball but misfired past Walker, who was covering home. Joe Panik scored on that play. First baseman Paul Goldschmidt caught up with the ball and threw home, but Jarrett Parker slid under Walker’s tag.

Hill missed his last start with a blister on his pitching hand. His curve is devastating to hitters but it hurts him as well, apparently. In his first and only start so far he was very effective, giving up only two hits and one run over five innings to the Padres on April 5.

The Dodgers will have to option someone to make room for Hill on the roster. Trayce Thompson goes down. Forsythe’s hammy leaves him available for pinch-hitting duty today. He’s expected to be back in the lineup tomorrow.

Lineup when available.

Apr 15

Game 12, 2017

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Wait a minute. After 11 games of the season Andrew Toles and Yasiel Puig lead the Dodgers in home runs with three each?

Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 6:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-A, MLBN (out-of-market only)

Lefty Patrick Corbin (1-1, 1.80 ERA) goes for the D-Backs and righty Kenta Maeda (1-1, 6.30 ERA) goes for the Dodgers. In Corbin’s last appearance he went six scoreless innings and gave up just four hits against the Indians. Maeda hasn’t gotten past the fifth inning in either of his outings so far this season but got the win last time out despite giving up four runs.

Today’s big event won’t be the ball game, really. It will be the unveiling of a statue of Jackie Robinson at the Left Field Reserve Plaza entrance, where nearly 20% of all fans enter the stadium.

Jackie’s widow, Rachel, and children, Sharon and David, will attend the ceremony. Hall of Famer Frank Robinson will also be there, along with Dodgers icons Tommy Lasorda, Sandy Koufax, Vin Scully and Jaime Jarrin.

Lineup when available.

Apr 14

Game 11, 2017

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Epitaph for the Cubs series from the LA Times:

On 24 occasions during these 27 innings, a Dodger came to bat with a runner in scoring position. Only once did a Dodger supply a hit. The team stranded 26 runners and managed only four runs in all.

Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-A

Today it will be a treat: Clayton Kershaw v. Zack Greinke, two guys who were 1-2 in the Dodgers’ rotation in 2013-2015.

The duo went 104-34 during their three seasons together. Greinke finished second in National League Cy Young award voting in 2015, while Kershaw finished third. Kershaw won the award in 2013 and 2014.

Other info:

Kershaw has started 24 games in his career against Arizona and is 12-8 with a 2.75 ERA in those contests. Last season, he faced the D-backs once and struck out 11 in 7 1/3 innings.

Greinke has started seven games against the Dodgers and is 3-2 with a 3.80 ERA.

Lineup when available.