Just like I said below. Kiké is cooking. (Except I said cooked.)
Wrobleski has a fine first inning, two Ks including Devers – and only 14 pitches.
I'd like to put in a good word for Miguel Vargas who, after botching the fly ball that Pages should've caught, made a superb throw to double a runner off first base and then started the game-winning rally with a walk.
Agreed. It brought some life to the Dodgers…I recognize the names of only a few players on the Red Sox. How about the rest of you?
Lotsa new guys, but they're pretty good, especially Duran. Old friend Conner Wong doing well for them.
Alright CT. Time for the big guns to put this away.
Perfect!
Ohtani coming up. Unless CT3 wants to homer.
That would be OK with me.
Taylor can't catch up with the heat anymore.
Wow.
Now that was cool..
OK, walk it off!
Low key like that Joe Kelly pitched in Game 99.
Kenley needs to put somebody on base who can run.
¡Miércoles!
Awful. Checked swing DP.
Worst possible outcome (without sustaining injuries).
So bad. I’m at the game saying “Just keep it off the ground, Miggie.” Next minute…
Stay out of the ground ball double play here Rojas. Hit like Freddie did last night in the 8th.
Nope.
I definitely want the Dodgers to win, but it would be cool to see Kenley come out of the Sox pen in the 9th.
Define “cool”.
Cool, hip and groovy – like Jazz – obviously. Lol
To me it would be cold, but you are up North.
Tomorrow Winnipeg will be within a few degrees of Los Angeles. In the 30s.
Ha!
It would be cool if he came out for the 9th and we lit him up.
You rang?
KT3
Roberts doing his stupid pinch hitting thing again.
Gotta score. That said, I think Quique's future is questionable.
Then maybe get a Mota
A pure PH doesn’t make much sense in the DH era. What you want a better platoons.
Recognizing batting splits has a long tradition among successful managers, including Stengel and Weaver.
Trade for Justin Turner.
BTW. We will never agree on this subject.
I agree with Stengel and Weaver, don’t need you to agree with me.
I rest my case.
With Muncy and – especially – Betts out, the Dodger lineup is really light after the top 4. And the bench is not great. Biggio didn’t pan out. Hernandez is cooked. Etc.
It would help if we had bench players to pinch hit that can actually hit.
Sure would.
Leave Outman in CF
Rats!!!!
Big catch James!
Outman!! What a grab.
Here are the first two letters in the letters to the sports section in today's L.A. Times:
How many more seasons can this continue? Dodgers manager Dave Roberts’ inane approach to his pitching staff continues to cost the team wins. He repeatedly replaces a starter who’s in a groove with a reliever who shouldn’t be pitching in MLB. L.A. lost two games in Detroit last weekend solely due to his pitching gaffes. This same scenario has repeated itself too many times to count throughout his tenure, most often in the postseason.
A clear line can be drawn between the Dodgers’ postseason disappointments and Roberts’ mismanagement of his pitching staff in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023. The team has the best regular-season record in baseball during Roberts’ time as manager, but only one championship to show for it. Roberts continues to be the problem and has to go.
Brian Gura
Redondo Beach
Advertisement
The Dodgers entered the All-Star break having played one game below .500 for the last two months, yet have a seven-game lead in the NL West Division. That is no cause for celebration, merely a reflection of how weak the division rivals are. And who is most responsible for this dismal state of affairs, even after factoring in the highest number of players on the injured list? Andrew Friedman, of course, for poor roster construction. He is rightly celebrated for landing Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernández. But his love affair with pitchers who can’t pitch a full season without injuries can no longer be ignored. Most of the highly regarded pitching prospects have not panned out. He let two All-Star shortstops walk, while forcing a Gold Glove outfielder to move into the infield after he turned 30. Even if he makes a blockbuster trade (and I don’t know why another general manager would rescue him), he must be accountable for his numerous miscalculations.
William Johnson
Rochester, N.Y.
Baseball needs to return to four divisions and two playoff series. Nothing more, nothing less. Anything else brings undeserving teams into the equation.
Such arrogance. Doc and Friedman have teamed to produce one of the most winning teams ever in baseball. These letter writers have the luxury of assuming a perfect counterfactual.
Dodger throws need to be more accurate
Through five innings today, the Dodgers have scored runs in two of the last 21 innings: Lux' solo homer today and Freeman's slam last night.
Like the Koufax teams
Where's Wes Parker when you need him?
We have Freddie, thank you.
Wasted double. But a great hit by Gavin. It’s nice to see him back.
Encouraging but not definitive.
Yup.
Lux–here to stay
Showing signs of life.
There is a reason that this is Ramirez' seventh big league team in 4 1/2 seasons.
When will it dawn on Roberts that Ramirez is ineffective? Enough, already.
Doc is not the sharpest knife in the drawer.
More like a plastic spoon.
Dodgers winning the Western Division pennant is a picnic
Given the farcical devaluation of the post-season, I find the regular season more interesting.
Then a plastic spoon serves you well
The mild card has ruined the post-season, especially after the recent expansion.
Seems easy once you have done it for awhile, but wasn’t always the case before Friedman and Doc.
One of baseball's most successful managers ever.
Doc is working with the cards dealt to him by FO. Ramirez is a warm body. Don’t really want to use your better arms in the fifth with a one run lead.
Doubtful Ramírez survives trade deadline.
Everybody's bidding for him I'm sure
I have a pair of deuces and I will raise.
Won’t survive injured relievers returning. Doubt the Dodgers trade for more relievers.
I hope not. Doc should have left Wrobleski in.
Who made the relay throw?
Not sure sorry.
Miggy I think.
Rojas.
As Bob Uchre would say, just a little bit wide
Well, that happened.
Prior to today, the Dodgers had used 320 pitchers in relief this season, fifth most in the National League. Dodger relievers are 24-16, but I am unable to find how many innings the relievers have pitched.
320 relief appearances from 23 relievers. I see the column for innings, but too lazy to sum them.
Wrobleski did well
A reason not to trade him
As well, a reason why another team might want hiim.
Very very well.
Pitch count probably dictates he won't continue but, still, an excellent outing.
Good mound visit by Price.
Trevor Story talk. Seems like he has been around forever, but always injured. Big dinger guy back in the day. But he is only 31.
Pages on defense?
Somewhat
Should have been an error.
Interesting article by Mike P. of MLB on Elly De La Cruz, who leads the majors in errors, but is one of the top defenders based on Statcast metrics. Seems he gets to a lot of balls that most guys don’t, but muffs more than his share of easy plays.
Not a routine play.
Who is in the booth with Joe?
Loudon Wainwright.
Jr.?
Dead skunk…
¡Teóscar on defense!
Just got here. Gavin!!!
Delayed futuring…
I was gonna say Bello's looked even better than Wrobleski, but…
Red Sox (53-43)
Dodgers (57-41)
SP Brayan Bello R
10-5, 5.32 ERA
vs
SP Justin Wrobleski L
0-1, 6.30 ERA
Lineup:
DH S. Ohtani L
C Will Smith R
1B F. Freeman L
LF T. Hernandez R
RF Andy Pages R
SS Miguel Rojas R
2B Gavin Lux L
CF James Outman L
3B Chris Taylor R
Today in Dodgers History
July 20th
1906 At St. Louis, 27-year-old Brooklyn right-hander Mal Eason no-hits the second-division Cardinals at Robison Field, 2-0. The 'Kid' was the losing pitcher when Phillies southpaw Johnny Lush pitched a no-hitter against the Superbas in May.
1951 In a game against the Reds with All-Star hurler Ewell Blackwell on the mound, the Giants, for the first time, employ their infamous scheme for stealing catchers' signs using a telescope positioned in the center-field clubhouse. The 'Jints' beat Cincinnati, 11-6, and New York will win 22 of the remaining 27 games at the Polo Grounds, overtaking the Dodgers to win the National League pennant.
1970 Twenty-six-year-old right-hander Bill Singer pitches the first Dodger no-hitter since Sandy Koufax's departure when he keeps the Philadelphia batters hitless in a 5-0 victory at Chavez Ravine. The 'Singer Throwing Machine,' who spent 52 days on the disabled list earlier in the season recuperating from hepatitis, posts a 5-0 record along with a 1.84 ERA in July and will be named NL Player of the Month.
2008 The Dodgers, with a five-run ninth-inning rally at Chase Field, beat the Diamondbacks, 6-5, and move into a flat-footed tie (48-50) with Arizona for first place in the National League West. Andre Ethier has the key hit in the comeback victory, a go-ahead triple off the center-field wall, as D-Back closer Brandon Lyon, pitching in his third consecutive game, couldn't hold a three-run lead.
The Gnats set the standard for cheating in contemporary baseball, and it remains their default option.
Doc wants the runner on third.
Holy Kow!!
Just like I said below. Kiké is cooking. (Except I said cooked.)
Wrobleski has a fine first inning, two Ks including Devers – and only 14 pitches.
I'd like to put in a good word for Miguel Vargas who, after botching the fly ball that Pages should've caught, made a superb throw to double a runner off first base and then started the game-winning rally with a walk.
Agreed. It brought some life to the Dodgers…I recognize the names of only a few players on the Red Sox. How about the rest of you?
Lotsa new guys, but they're pretty good, especially Duran. Old friend Conner Wong doing well for them.
Devers and old friend Wong for me.
In more than one way, it was a big day for Quique. https://dodgers.mlblogs.com/it-was-celebration-day-for-kiké-hernández-70ec4ca28df3
Woo-HOO!!!
Nice to see Klayton in the celebration.
Doc managed that pretty well.
It happens.
Series win versus a good team.
How sweet it is!
Bang, Zoom.
Dodgers win!!!
Not happening here, but as an infielder I would never want to play in with Ohtani at bat!
Walkoff walk woulda been OK, but…
Wah-Ooh!!! What a game.
Bases loaded. Up to Smith.
Or not?
Right the first time.
It'll be CT3 or Smith.
Yup
Nice bunt for whatever it’s worth.
Now let’s win this dang thing!
Got him!
Whew. That was close.
Pheeew!!! That was a tough foul!
Can we get some non-run scoring outs here please.
How about some strikes?
There you go.
Bear down, Treinen!
The right call, but it still stinks.
Rox swat Gnats again, 4-3.
Stupid rule on second. But still a tie game.
Poor sliding technique shouldn’t be rewarded.
Out. I think.
Fun game.
Let’s go!
Wow!
Tied!
Kiké again! Tie game.
Ok Kiké. Up to you.
Just need a well placed single to tie it.
Nice swing by Pages!!
Not dead yet!
Nice play by Rojas there.
Uggh
Snakes strike Cubbies, Friers smash Spiders. Rox swatting Gnats, but it's close.
SO BAD!!!!
Big guns fail.
Extra extra. This one goes to the 10th.
Do the Freddie, again!
Up to Freddie and (possibly) Teo.
Ha! CT3 how you be!?
IBB coming up.
Yep.
Alright CT. Time for the big guns to put this away.
Perfect!
Ohtani coming up. Unless CT3 wants to homer.
That would be OK with me.
Taylor can't catch up with the heat anymore.
Wow.
Now that was cool..
OK, walk it off!
Low key like that Joe Kelly pitched in Game 99.
Kenley needs to put somebody on base who can run.
¡Miércoles!
Awful. Checked swing DP.
Worst possible outcome (without sustaining injuries).
So bad. I’m at the game saying “Just keep it off the ground, Miggie.” Next minute…
Stay out of the ground ball double play here Rojas. Hit like Freddie did last night in the 8th.
Nope.
I definitely want the Dodgers to win, but it would be cool to see Kenley come out of the Sox pen in the 9th.
Define “cool”.
Cool, hip and groovy – like Jazz – obviously. Lol
To me it would be cold, but you are up North.
Tomorrow Winnipeg will be within a few degrees of Los Angeles. In the 30s.
Ha!
It would be cool if he came out for the 9th and we lit him up.
You rang?
KT3
Roberts doing his stupid pinch hitting thing again.
Gotta score. That said, I think Quique's future is questionable.
Then maybe get a Mota
A pure PH doesn’t make much sense in the DH era. What you want a better platoons.
Recognizing batting splits has a long tradition among successful managers, including Stengel and Weaver.
Trade for Justin Turner.
BTW. We will never agree on this subject.
I agree with Stengel and Weaver, don’t need you to agree with me.
I rest my case.
With Muncy and – especially – Betts out, the Dodger lineup is really light after the top 4. And the bench is not great. Biggio didn’t pan out. Hernandez is cooked. Etc.
It would help if we had bench players to pinch hit that can actually hit.
Sure would.
Leave Outman in CF
Rats!!!!
Big catch James!
Outman!! What a grab.
Here are the first two letters in the letters to the sports section in today's L.A. Times:
How many more seasons can this continue? Dodgers manager Dave Roberts’ inane approach to his pitching staff continues to cost the team wins. He repeatedly replaces a starter who’s in a groove with a reliever who shouldn’t be pitching in MLB. L.A. lost two games in Detroit last weekend solely due to his pitching gaffes. This same scenario has repeated itself too many times to count throughout his tenure, most often in the postseason.
A clear line can be drawn between the Dodgers’ postseason disappointments and Roberts’ mismanagement of his pitching staff in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023. The team has the best regular-season record in baseball during Roberts’ time as manager, but only one championship to show for it. Roberts continues to be the problem and has to go.
Brian Gura
Redondo Beach
Advertisement
The Dodgers entered the All-Star break having played one game below .500 for the last two months, yet have a seven-game lead in the NL West Division. That is no cause for celebration, merely a reflection of how weak the division rivals are. And who is most responsible for this dismal state of affairs, even after factoring in the highest number of players on the injured list? Andrew Friedman, of course, for poor roster construction. He is rightly celebrated for landing Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernández. But his love affair with pitchers who can’t pitch a full season without injuries can no longer be ignored. Most of the highly regarded pitching prospects have not panned out. He let two All-Star shortstops walk, while forcing a Gold Glove outfielder to move into the infield after he turned 30. Even if he makes a blockbuster trade (and I don’t know why another general manager would rescue him), he must be accountable for his numerous miscalculations.
William Johnson
Rochester, N.Y.
Baseball needs to return to four divisions and two playoff series. Nothing more, nothing less. Anything else brings undeserving teams into the equation.
Such arrogance. Doc and Friedman have teamed to produce one of the most winning teams ever in baseball. These letter writers have the luxury of assuming a perfect counterfactual.
Dodger throws need to be more accurate
Through five innings today, the Dodgers have scored runs in two of the last 21 innings: Lux' solo homer today and Freeman's slam last night.
Like the Koufax teams
Where's Wes Parker when you need him?
We have Freddie, thank you.
Wasted double. But a great hit by Gavin. It’s nice to see him back.
Encouraging but not definitive.
Yup.
Lux–here to stay
Showing signs of life.
There is a reason that this is Ramirez' seventh big league team in 4 1/2 seasons.
When will it dawn on Roberts that Ramirez is ineffective? Enough, already.
Doc is not the sharpest knife in the drawer.
More like a plastic spoon.
Dodgers winning the Western Division pennant is a picnic
Given the farcical devaluation of the post-season, I find the regular season more interesting.
Then a plastic spoon serves you well
The mild card has ruined the post-season, especially after the recent expansion.
Seems easy once you have done it for awhile, but wasn’t always the case before Friedman and Doc.
One of baseball's most successful managers ever.
Doc is working with the cards dealt to him by FO. Ramirez is a warm body. Don’t really want to use your better arms in the fifth with a one run lead.
Doubtful Ramírez survives trade deadline.
Everybody's bidding for him I'm sure
I have a pair of deuces and I will raise.
Won’t survive injured relievers returning. Doubt the Dodgers trade for more relievers.
I hope not. Doc should have left Wrobleski in.
Who made the relay throw?
Not sure sorry.
Miggy I think.
Rojas.
As Bob Uchre would say, just a little bit wide
Well, that happened.
Prior to today, the Dodgers had used 320 pitchers in relief this season, fifth most in the National League. Dodger relievers are 24-16, but I am unable to find how many innings the relievers have pitched.
320 relief appearances from 23 relievers. I see the column for innings, but too lazy to sum them.
Wrobleski did well
A reason not to trade him
As well, a reason why another team might want hiim.
Very very well.
Pitch count probably dictates he won't continue but, still, an excellent outing.
Good mound visit by Price.
Trevor Story talk. Seems like he has been around forever, but always injured. Big dinger guy back in the day. But he is only 31.
Pages on defense?
Somewhat
Should have been an error.
Interesting article by Mike P. of MLB on Elly De La Cruz, who leads the majors in errors, but is one of the top defenders based on Statcast metrics. Seems he gets to a lot of balls that most guys don’t, but muffs more than his share of easy plays.
Not a routine play.
Who is in the booth with Joe?
Loudon Wainwright.
Jr.?
Dead skunk…
¡Teóscar on defense!
Just got here. Gavin!!!
Delayed futuring…
I was gonna say Bello's looked even better than Wrobleski, but…
Red Sox (53-43)
Dodgers (57-41)
SP Brayan Bello R
10-5, 5.32 ERA
vs
SP Justin Wrobleski L
0-1, 6.30 ERA
Lineup:
DH S. Ohtani L
C Will Smith R
1B F. Freeman L
LF T. Hernandez R
RF Andy Pages R
SS Miguel Rojas R
2B Gavin Lux L
CF James Outman L
3B Chris Taylor R
Today in Dodgers History
July 20th
1906 At St. Louis, 27-year-old Brooklyn right-hander Mal Eason no-hits the second-division Cardinals at Robison Field, 2-0. The 'Kid' was the losing pitcher when Phillies southpaw Johnny Lush pitched a no-hitter against the Superbas in May.
1951 In a game against the Reds with All-Star hurler Ewell Blackwell on the mound, the Giants, for the first time, employ their infamous scheme for stealing catchers' signs using a telescope positioned in the center-field clubhouse. The 'Jints' beat Cincinnati, 11-6, and New York will win 22 of the remaining 27 games at the Polo Grounds, overtaking the Dodgers to win the National League pennant.
1970 Twenty-six-year-old right-hander Bill Singer pitches the first Dodger no-hitter since Sandy Koufax's departure when he keeps the Philadelphia batters hitless in a 5-0 victory at Chavez Ravine. The 'Singer Throwing Machine,' who spent 52 days on the disabled list earlier in the season recuperating from hepatitis, posts a 5-0 record along with a 1.84 ERA in July and will be named NL Player of the Month.
2008 The Dodgers, with a five-run ninth-inning rally at Chase Field, beat the Diamondbacks, 6-5, and move into a flat-footed tie (48-50) with Arizona for first place in the National League West. Andre Ethier has the key hit in the comeback victory, a go-ahead triple off the center-field wall, as D-Back closer Brandon Lyon, pitching in his third consecutive game, couldn't hold a three-run lead.
The Gnats set the standard for cheating in contemporary baseball, and it remains their default option.
OK