Jan 28

Almost time for the Ps and Cs to report

MLB released its Top 100 Prospectslist and the Dodgers placed five guys on it. Only two are in the top fifty; 1B Bellinger at #13 and RHP Yadier Alvarez at #49. Bellinger is up 19 spots since the last list was released at mid-season last summer, while Alvarez is up 49.

Logan Forsythe is glad to be on a winning team. “I’m happy to just come over to a winning ballclub, organization and help some young guys if I can, jump in with the core guys and try to help these guys anyway I can,” Forsythe said.

The Dodgers have a ton of starting pitching.

Veterans Scott Kazmir, Brandon McCarthy, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Alex Wood — each on the rebound from injuries last year — are on the outside of the starting rotation looking in, barring injury or a trade.

Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill, Kenta Maeda and Julio Urias are the top four, with the fifth spot up for grabs among Kazmir, McCarthy, Ryu, Wood and young starters Brock Stewart and Ross Stripling.

Sep 20

Game 151, 2016

Giants at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: ESPN2, SPNLA, CS-BA

The Dodgers ask Rich Hill (12-4, 2.06 ERA) to continue the excellent work he’s done in his first four starts for the team, although he did stumble his last time out when he gave up four runs in 5 1/3 innings against the D-Backs. Those were the first four runs he’d given up since he came to the Dodgers, so they can be forgiven. He’ll face Johnny Cueto (16-5, 2.86 ERA), who’s been a horse for the Giants all year long. This will be his fifth start against the Dodgers this season. He gave up six runs to them in April but has given up two runs or fewer in each of the last three times he’s faced them.

Turner on Cueto:

“He only throws three pitches, but with the slide-step and hesitation, it feels like nine or 10 pitches,” said Turner. “He changes the tempo, and it messes with my timing. For me, it’s a fight because of my leg kick. That quick pitch, it makes it hard for me to get the leg kick. I try to anticipate the quick pitch every time and be ready to go. It’s a cat-and-mouse game every time. He’s one of my favorite guys to face.”

Personnel news: Wood activated from DL, Norris DFAed to make room on the 40-man roster.

The Dodgers’ record after 150 games this season is identical to their record after 150 games last season.

Lineup when available.

Jul 20

Game 96, 2016

Dodgers at Nationals, 4:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, MASN-2

Bud Norris (5-7, 4.17 ERA) will make his fourth start for the Dodgers; he’s given up seven runs in 16 innings in the first three. He’ll face Gio Gonzalez (5-8, 4.70 ERA), whose July has been an improvement over his June; in his last start he went 5 2/3 innings against the Mets and gave up two runs, the fewest he’d allowed in any start since May.

Rumors have it the Dodgers are hunting a front-line pitcher like the Rays’ Chris Archer, now that Kershaw’s return is delayed, Ryu is back on the DL and Alex Wood’s elbow needed surgery which puts him out for eight weeks.

The team is obviously very highly-strung as we head down the stretch of the season:

Lineup:

Jun 02

Game 55, 2016

Dodgers at Cubs, 11:20AM PT, TV: SPNLA, CSN

Julio Urias (0-0, 10.13 ERA) gets the start which would normally be Kenta Maeda’s, but Maeda’s hand is still a little sore from getting hit with a line drive his last time on the mound. He’s expected to start Friday against the Braves in Los Angeles. Urias’s opponent today will be right-hander Kyle Hendricks (3-4, 2.93 ERA), who got a complete game win over the Phillies on May 28. Urias lasted only 2 2/3 innings in his major league debut against the Mets May 27.

Alex Wood has a posterior impingement of his elbow and will need four weeks of rest. After that he’ll start a throwing program and then pitch in a rehab assignment. Hyun-Jin Ryu threw a 90-mph fastball in Fresno last Wednesday and woke up with shoulder soreness, so the team has slowed his rehab down. Brandon McCarthy threw 45 pitches in two innings of bullpen work and hit 89 mph. Scott Van Slyke is expected to come off the 15-day DL this weekend in LA.

Lineup when available.

May 31

Game 53, 2016

Dodgers at Cubs, 5:00PM PT, TV: SPNLA, ESPN (out-of-market only), ABC7

The last time the Dodgers saw Jake Arrieta it was a Sunday Night Baseball game on ESPN in which Jessica Mendoza made her second ESPN appearance and he threw a no-hitter against them. That was last August 30. Since then he’s thrown another no-hitter, hasn’t lost a game yet this season, and is currently 9-0 with a 1.72 ERA. Scott Kazmir (4-3, 4.84 ERA) has been improving (he’s 3-1 in May with a 4.13 ERA) since a poor start, but he’s got his work cut out for him. He’ll need to hold the Cubbies at bay and hope the Dodgers can get a couple of runs off Arrieta.

Oh, the Cubs have won all of the last 23 starts Arrieta has made. That ties a Major League record.

Lineup when available.

Personnel news: Julio Urias will be brought back up to replace Alex Wood, who’s been placed on the 15-day DL with elbow soreness. Yasiel Puig has been scratched from today’s game with a sore left hamstring and Alex Guerrero has been designated for assignment.

May 30

Game 52, 2016

Dodgers at Cubs, 2:05PM PT, TV: SPNLA, WGN

Alex Wood (1-3, 4.03 ERA) pitches for the Dodgers while Jason Hammel (6-1, 2.17 ERA) goes for the Cubs. Those are gaudy numbers, but in his career he’s 2-6 with a 4.93 ERA in 16 games (12 starts) against the Dodgers. Wood is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in five games (two starts) against the Cubs.

Lineup:

May 21

Game 44, 2016

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

Starting for the Dodgers today is lefty Alex Wood (1-3, 4.17 ERA), who has been pretty successful recently: in his last four starts he’s gone 24 1/3 innings, striking out 30 and posting a 2.59 ERA. The Padres send out righthander Cesar Vargas, who’s 0-2 with a 3.55 ERA and may be pitching to stay in the big leagues, as Andrew Cashner will come off the DL this week and the Padres will have to make room for him.

Adrian Gonzalez is expected to return to the Dodgers’ starting lineup tonight after several days off with back tightness. Matt Kemp has made trouble for Wood in the past, going 5-for-9 with a home run and double against him.

Lineup when available.

May 15

Game 38, 2016

Cardinals at Dodgers, 5:05PM PT, TV: ESPN

It’s Sunday Night Baseball! If ESPN’s producers were smart they’d go back to something the network did years ago; it would pick up the local TV feed (if there is one) or ask the team broadcaster to come into the booth and do play-by-play so the national viewer could get a taste of what the home teams’ fans hear every day. Baseball lovers all over the country should get a half-inning of Vin Scully, particularly in his last year.

The Cardinals send out Mike Leake (1-3, 5.10 ERA) to try for his second win as a Redbird. It took him six starts to get his first, which he did his last time out. He’ll face the Dodgers’ Alex Wood (1-3, 4.58 ERA), who’s been a much better pitcher at home than on the road so far this season, posting a 1.33 ERA at Dodger Stadium and a horrible 8.05 ERA elsewhere.

In other baseball news and notes, congratulations to Marcus Stroman of the Blue Jays, who graduated and took part in the customary ceremonies at Duke today.

And then there’s this amazing scoring play in a softball game between Notre Dame and Army yesterday:

Lineup when available.

May 10

Game 33, 2016

Link to Scully interview accompanying above

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

The Mets’ Jacob deGrom (3-1, 1.99 ERA) of the Flowing Locks starts against the Dodgers’ Alex Wood (1-3, 5.18 ERA) of the Moussed Pompadour. The right-handed deGrom only has 16 strikeouts in his four starts, which seems low. Lefty Wood would undoubtedly trade his 28 Ks for a couple of wins; he hasn’t had one in his last five starts.

Lineup when available.

May 04

Game 28, 2016

Dodgers at Rays, 4:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA

Alex Wood (1-2, 4.82 ERA) goes against Drew Smyly (1-3, 2.60 ERA). The two lefties are both coming off good starts their last times out.

Manager Roberts says we should expect to see Justin Turner at DH and someone other than Pederson in CF. He thinks Smyly’s rising fast ball might be tough on the young lefthanded hitter.

Lineup when available.