Game 57, 2019

Mets at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PDT, TV: KTLA, SNY, SPNLA

LHP Jason Vargas (1-2, 5.22 ERA) pitches in the final game of this four-game series against the Dodgers’ Hyun-Jin Ryu (7-1, 1.65 ERA). Vargas’ ERA is slightly misleading: he was pretty bad in two of his first three starts this season. After three games his ERA was 14.21. It’s dropped steadily after every outing since. He’s given up no more than one run in four of his last five starts. Ryu wasn’t up to his usual standards in his last start; he scattered ten hits in six innings but gave up just two runs and got the win anyway.

Bellinger is on track for possibly the best season ever by Wins Above Replacement. Don’t believe that? Look at the numbers. He’s got 5.4 WAR through one-third of a season.

Here’s a brief list of the things that Bellinger leads the Majors in, just to remind you how great his season is going.

• First in batting average (.382, a 44-point lead over Josh Bell’s .338 mark)
• First in on-base percentage (.469)
• First in slugging percentage (.770)
• First in RBIs (51)
• First in OPS (1.239)
• First in OPS+ (223)
• First in Weighted On-Base Average (.503)
• First in Weighted Runs Created Plus (218)
• First in Wins Above Replacement (5.4)
• First in Defensive Runs Saved (15)
• First in Five-Star Plays on defense (3, tied with Byron Buxton)
• First in defensive Wins Above Replacement (1.4, tied with Lorenzo Cain)
• First in average home-to-first time (3.89 seconds)
• First in Sprint Speed among Dodgers (29.2 ft/sec), and third among MLB RF

In case you missed it, here’s the Dodgers’ ninth-inning comeback in yesterday’s game:


Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1946 In Boston’s 10-8 victory over the Dodgers, Bama Rowell’s long drive hits the Bulova clock located above the right field scoreboard, making the left-fielder the first major leaguer to reach the famous landmark at Ebbets Field. The crushing four-bagger, that shatters the face of the clock causing glass to cascade onto Dodgers right fielder Dixie Walker, is believed to be the inspiration for author Bernard Malamud having Roy Hobbs, the hero of his 1952 novel “The Natural,” belt a similar home run, which also rains glass over the diamond.
  • 1962 Frank Thomas strokes a double off Sandy Koufax in the Mets’ 13-6 loss to Los Angeles, extending his franchise mark of consecutive games with a hit to 18 for the expansion team. The streak, which will be only one shy of Maury Wills’ league-leading total for the season, is halted when the New York left fielder goes 0-for-4 in the nightcap of the Dodgers’ sweep at the Polo Grounds.
  • 1986 In a 6-4 loss to the Dodgers at Three Rivers Stadium, future home run king Barry Bonds goes 0-for-5 in his major league debut. The Pirates center fielder, batting leadoff, strikes out three times.

Lineup when available.


53 thoughts on “Game 57, 2019

  1. Nice to check in this morning and see that Ryu was still on target and the Dodgers get the shutout.

  2. Dodgers increase division lead to 8-1/2 games over the Pads. For MLB’s best record, they’re in a virtual tie with the Twinkies, but percentage points behind Minneapolis.

    • The Dodgers also guarantee themselves a May with no losing streaks longer than one game.

  3. I’d be down with the Dodgers scoring 4 runs in the bottom of the 8th tonight.

  4. Big run there. Probably. Hopefully not though. Hopefully Jansen shuts them down 1,2,3 in the ninth.

  5. First ever game and first ever win by a Canadian based team in the NBA finals. Although I feel slightly dirty cheering for a Toronto based team.

  6. “Vargas’ ERA is slightly misleading: he was pretty bad in two of his
    first three starts this season. After three games his ERA was 14.21.
    It’s dropped steadily after every outing since. He’s given up no more
    than one run in four of his last five starts.”

    A correction and some context – One of those bad starts was actually a relief appearance vs the Twins, 1 inning/4 H/4 ER. The context of those starts with only one run given up is that his longest start this year was 5.1 innings vs. the Reds.That’s the only start where he even got into the 6th inning. Only two of his other starts have gone five. He hasn’t broken 90 pitches yet, either. I think Mickey Callaway keeps him on a very short leash, and trusts his bullpen more once Vargas hits the third time though the order.

    • Callaway’s bullpen has gotten quite a bit of work the last several days.

      • And very likely to get more tonight.

        Vargas is kind of the Mets version of Joe Kelly. He led the AL in wins in 2017, mostly because of a hot first half out of proportion with his previous work, then signed a big deal with the Mets at age 35. He was terrible last year (ERA+ 65).

  7. Mention on the Mets broadcast that Diaz, Familia, and Gsellman are probably not available to relieve tonight.

    • Alternating R/L batters. Both Turner and Seager with the day off. Turner seemed to have tweaked something in the ninth last night.

      • Turner apparently had a twinge in the hamstring, but Doc says he’s available off the bench tonight.