Tag Archives: James Paxton

Apr 29

Game 31, 2024

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Dodgers at Diamondbacks, Time: 6:40 PM PDT, TV: Arizona Diamondbacks, MLBN (out-of-market only), SPNLA

LHP James Paxton (2-0, 2.61 ERA) goes for the Dodgers and LHP Tommy Henry (1-1, 5.55 ERA) goes for the D-Backs.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1978 The Cardinals tie a franchise record for the quickest nine-inning game played in their history, taking only one-hour and thirty-three minutes to beat the Dodgers at Busch Stadium, 1-0. The contest marks the managerial debut of Ken Boyer, replacing Vern Rapp, the Redbird skipper fired four days ago.
  • 1994 Kirk Rueter becomes the first pitcher in 13 seasons to begin his major league career with a 10-0 record when the Expos beat San Diego at Olympic Stadium, 3-2. In 1981, Dodgers southpaw Fernando Valenzuela started the year with eight victories to improve his overall record to 10-0 for the Dodgers, somewhat similar to the Montreal left-hander, who started his streak last season with an 8-0 mark before winning his first two decisions this year.
  • 2005 Although Eric Gagne is on the disabled list and hasn’t thrown a pitch this season, he is suspended for two games and fined. The action is taken because after being ejected on April 6 for heckling home plate umpire Bill Hohn, MLB warned the Dodgers closer he was in violation of Rule 3.17, which states players on the disabled list may not take part in any activity during the game, the former Cy Young winner continued to dress and participate in game activities.

Here’s a terrifying note: on this day in 1930 (which should be called the Year of the Hitter — look it up) an average of 17+ runs a game is scored in the seven major league games played today. After the dust settles, players from 14 teams will cross the plate 123 times. On a sadder note, on this day in 1939 on a chilly Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium, Lou Gehrig comes to the plate in the fourth inning and singles off Washington hurler Ken Chase for his 2,721st and last hit, the most ever in franchise history. The ‘Iron Horse’s’ record will stand for over 70 years until Derek Jeter, another 35 year-old team captain, surpasses the mark in 2009.

Lineups when available.

Apr 23

Game 25, 2024

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Dodgers at Nationals, 3:45 PM PDT, TV: MASN, SPNLA

LHP James Paxton (2-0, 2.81 ERA) goes for the Dodgers and LHP Patrick Corbin (0-3, 8.06 ERA) goes for the Nationals. Paxton has been a good off-season pickup by the Dodgers so far, and Corbin has continued his now four-year slump for the Nats. His last good year was 2019, when he went 14-7 with a 3.25 ERA.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1958 In a 7-6 loss to Chicago at the LA Coliseum, two Dodger mainstays from Brooklyn reach career milestones. First baseman Gil Hodges, who will finish his 18-year major league tenure with 370 home runs, hits his 300th career round-tripper, and Captain Pee Wee Reese, a future Hall of Fame shortstop, plays in his 2000th game.
  • 1995 In the Dodgers’ 8-4 victory over the Mets at Holman Stadium, Henry Rodriguez becomes the first to hit four homers in a spring training game. The LA right fielder sends a 3-0 fastball from Josias Manzanillo over the fence, capping a perfect 4-for-4 performance at the plate, much to the delight of the Vero Beach (FL) crowd.
  • 1999 Fernando Tatis becomes the only player in baseball history to hit two grand slams in one inning when he collects eight RBIs in one frame to breaks the old record of six. The Cardinal third baseman hits both off Dodger starter Chan Ho Park in an 11-run third of the team’s 12-5 victory at Chavez Ravine.
  • 2000 The Dodgers complete a sweep of the Reds to notch their 1,000th win over baseball’s oldest professional franchise. Since 1970, Los Angeles is the only National League franchise to play over .500 ball (120-115) in Cincinnati (Riverfront Stadium/Cinergy Field).

Lineups when available.

Apr 14

Game 18, 2024

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Padres at Dodgers, 4:10 PM PDT, TV: ESPN

RHP Yu Darvish (0-1, 3.86 ERA) pitches for the Padres and LHP James Paxton (2-0, 1.64 ERA) takes the hill for the Dodgers.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1931 At Braves Field, Jack Quinn becomes the oldest pitcher to start an Opening Day game. The 47 year-old Robin right-hander gives up six runs on nine runs in six innings of work, taking the loss when Brooklyn bows to Boston, 7-4.
  • 1968 Jim Bunning becomes the first pitcher since Cy Young to collect a thousand strikeouts in each league when he whiffs eight Dodgers during his first win for the Pirates, a 3-0 complete-game victory in Chavez Ravine. The 37 year-old right-hander, acquired from the Phillies in December, sent 1,406 American League batters back to the bench with a bat in their hands for nine seasons while pitching for the Tigers at the start of his Hall of Fame career.
  • 1993 After establishing the all-time career major league record last night with his 358th save, Cardinal reliever Lee Smith breaks the National League mark, recording his 301st in the Senior Circuit when he tosses a perfect 15th frame in the Cardinals’ 2-1 victory at Dodger Stadium. The right-handed reliever will extend the big league mark to 478, pitching for the Cubs (1980-1987), Red Sox (1988-1990), Cardinals (1990-1993), Yankees (1993), Orioles (1994), Angels (1995-1996), Reds (1996), and Expos (1997).
  • 2004 In the game played after Yankees’ teammate Mike Mussina earns his 200th career victory, Kevin Brown, who was obtained from the Dodgers for Jeff Weaver and two minor-leaguers in an off-season trade, reaches the same plateau, beating the Devil Rays, 5-1. It is the first time in baseball history members of the same pitching staff have won their 200th career victory in consecutive starts.

Lineups when available:

Apr 08

Game 13, 2024

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Dodgers at Twins, 3:40 PM PDT, TV: Bally Sports North, SPNLA

LHP James Paxton (1-0, 0.00 ERA) starts for the Dodgers and RHP Bailey Ober (0-1, 54.00 ERA) does so for the Twins.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1966 At the Astrodome, the Astros and Dodgers play baseball’s first game on synthetic grass. Thanks to the Monsanto chemical company, which proposed using an experimental playing surface of nylon grass, the plan to play on an all-dirt field, necessitated by the need to paint the dome’s glass panes to reduce the glare which prevented natural grass from growing, was alleviated by the use of ‘AstroTurf’.
  • 1974 Braves outfielder Hank Aaron passes Babe Ruth as the all-time home run leader with his 715th, going deep in the fourth inning off Dodger hurler Al Downing in Atlanta’s home opener. ‘Hammerin’ Hank’ equaled the Bambino’s mark on Opening Day in Cincinnati.

  • 1994 Kent Mercker no-hits Los Angeles, 6-0 at Dodger Stadium. The Braves left-hander was one of the three Atlanta pitchers, along with Mark Wohlers and Alejandro Pena, in 1991 to also no-hit the Padres, but this victory is his first complete game in the major leagues.
  • 1994 Chan Ho Park becomes the first Korean to play in the major leagues when he makes his pitching debut at Chavez Ravine. In one inning of work, the 21 year-old Kongju City native gives up two runs on one hit, walking two and striking out two batters in the Dodgers’ 6-0 loss to Atlanta.
  • 2015 Adrian Gonzalez becomes the first major league player to hit five home runs in the first three games of the season when he goes deep three times in the Dodgers’ 7-4 victory over San Diego at Chavez Ravine. The Los Angeles first baseman joins Carl Furillo (1955) and Jimmy Wynn (1974) as the only players in franchise history to have homered in the first three games of a campaign.

Lineups when available.

Apr 01

Game 7, 2024

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Giants at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PDT, TV: MLBN (out-of-market only), NBCS BA, SPNLA

RHP Keeton Winn (0-0, 0.00 ERA) makes his first start of the year for the Giants; LHP James Paxton (0-0, 0.00 ERA) does the same for the Dodgers. Winn is a 26-year-old who made his debut last year and has a career record of 1-3 and a 4.68 ERA in nine games. Paxton is a 35-year-old crafty lefty with a lifetime record of 64-38 and a 3.69 ERA in 156 games, all starts.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1937 The Reds sell Babe Herman to the Tigers. The 34 year-old outfielder, batting .300 for his new team, will appear in only 17 contests with Detroit before effectively retiring from the game, although he will return to play briefly for the war-time Dodgers in 1945.
  • 1963 Former Brooklyn Dodger Duke Snider returns to New York when the Mets purchase him from LA for $40,000. The 36 year-old outfielder, who will represent New York in the All-Star Game, will be told at the end of the season by Buzzie Bavasi, his former GM, that the Yankees had asked for him to back up Mickey Mantle before he was dealt to the team the across the river.
  • 2008 On Opening Day in Los Angeles, Juan Pierre’s 434 consecutive game streak, the longest current one in the major leagues, comes to an end when the Dodger outfielder does not play in the 3-2 victory over the Giants. New skipper Joe Torre plays Andre Ethier in left field in place of the highly paid but light-hitting fly chaser.
  • 2013 Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers’ Opening Day pitcher, hits a leadoff home run off San Francisco’s George Kontos in the bottom of the eighth inning to break up a scoreless tie in the team’s eventual 4-0 victory. LA’s 25-year-old southpaw retires the side in the next frame, completing a 4-0 complete-game shutout against the Giants at Chavez Ravine.

Lineups when available.

Mar 26

Freeway Series, Game Three, 2024

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Dodgers at Angels, 6:07 PM PDT, TV: Bally Sports West, SPNLA. The series moves south to Anaheim to wrap up.

LHP James Paxton (0-0, 4.50 ERA Spring Training) will make his second start of the spring for the Dodgers; he’ll face RHP Chase Silseth (1-0, 1.08 ERA Spring Training), who will make his fourth appearance of the spring and his third start for the Angels.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1984 President Ronald Reagan awards Jackie Robinson, who broke baseball’s color line playing for the Dodgers in 1947, the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously. On behalf of her late husband, Rachel Robinson accepts the award, the highest civilian honor given in the United States.

Lineups when available.

Mar 24

Freeway Series, Game One, 2024

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Angels at Dodgers, 4:10 PM PDT, TV: Bally Sports West, SPNLA

RHP Griffin Canning (Spring Training 0-1, 2.25 ERA) goes for the Angels and RHP Bobby Miller (Spring Training 0-1, 4.32 ERA) goes for the Dodgers.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1947 During a four-hour hearing with Commissioner Chandler at the Sarasota Terrace Hotel, Dodger manager Leo Durocher admits to playing occasional card games for money with Kirby Higbe. Before Opening Day, Chandler will suspend the Brooklyn skipper for the 1947 season for “association with known gamblers.”
  • 1959 A photo of Pete Whisenant taken before an exhibition game played against the Dodgers in Havana, Cuba, shows the Reds outfielder toting a machine gun. The weapon shown in the posed picture belongs to a rebel from Fidel Castro’s revolutionary army.
  • 1982 When Fernando Valenzuela ends his three-week holdout, the Dodgers automatically renew the southpaw’s contract for a reported $350,000. The National League Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year Award recipient, after earning just $42,500 in his freshman season, still refuses to sign the deal that makes him the highest-paid second-year player in baseball history, having asked for a raise to $850,000.
  • 2006 At Mickey Mantle’s Manhattan restaurant, the U.S. Postal Service unveils the Baseball Sluggers postage stamps, to be issued before the game against the White Sox at Yankee Stadium on July 15. The four featured Hall of Famers all have roots in New York, with Mickey Mantle (Yankees), Mel Ott (Giants), and Roy Campanella (Dodgers) playing their entire careers in the Big Apple, and the fourth, Hank Greenberg, setting schoolboy records at James Monroe High School in the Bronx.

Lineups: