Apr 19

Game 16, 2017

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Apr 13

Game 10, 2017

Dodgers at Cubs, 11:20AM PT, TV: SPNLA, MLBN (out-of-market only), CSN-C

The Dodgers ask LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (0-1, 3.86 ERA) to defeat old friend and fellow LHP Brett Anderson (0-0, 1,89 ERA). Ryu went 4 2/3 innings last Friday and gave up two runs on six hits while keeping his velocity above 91mph.

This will be Anderson’s first start at home for the Cubs and his first start against his former teammates as well. He went 11-11 with a 4.18 ERA in 35 games (34 starts) with the Dodgers in 2015-2016 but pitched in only four games last year after shutting down due to disk surgery in his back in March. He came back in August but struggled. The Dodgers didn’t offer him a new contract over the winter and he signed with the Cubs in January of this year.

Lineup when available.

Thompson gets his first start of the season, Puig is at cleanup, and A-gon gets the day off. Also, it looks rainy.

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.

Apr 10

Game 8, 2017

Dodgers at Cubs, 5:10PM PT, TV: ESPN (No SPNLA today)

It’ll be lefty Alex Wood (0-0, 0.00 ERA) making the start for the Dodgers, replacing Rich Hill (on the 10-day DL with a blister). Wood has made one appearance this year, against the Padres April 5. He threw two scoreless innings in relief of Hill in the Dodgers’ 3-1 win that day.

He’ll face lefty Jon Lester (0-0, 1.80 ERA), who went five-plus innings on Opening Day against the Cardinals in a game the Cubs eventually lost 4-3. Lester’s only 33, but it feels like he’s been around forever. He’s 2-2 with a 3.06 ERA in five career regular-season starts against the Dodgers.

The Cubs get their World Series rings and the Championship banner today, and that’s nice, but Dave Roberts is less than enthusiastic:

“Is it inspiring to see? No,” he said. “I think it’s great for the Cubs and great for their fans, and it’s been a long time coming. But for our guys to be on the line for 45 minutes to watch the rings when it’s 40 degrees, I don’t know how inspiring that will be.”

Lineup when available.

Joc starting against this left-hander.