MidValleySports.Com

By Those Deferred BenchWarmers

The Dodgers looked bad on offense for the second consecutive series, as the top 3 struggled to get anything going outside of the first inning of game 3. The Dodger pitching did as well as expected, but the Mets looked like the team that wanted it more.

The Weekend in Review

Headline for the Weekend: Dodgers Start Slow in Toughest Stretch of the Season

Results: The Dodgers nearly blew game 1, allowing the Mets to come back from a three-run 9th inning deficit, before breaking through in the 13th. They were shut down in game 2 by the David Peterson-Edwin Diaz duo, and Kodai Senga and a trio of Mets held the Dodgers to a lone run in game 3.

Pitching Analysis: The 13 inning game 1 showed off both teams’ depths as both sides used every available reliever. After Tanner Scott blew a three-run lead in the 9th, the Dodgers bullpen allowed only one hit for the duration of the extra innings.

The difference in game 2 was the Mets’ David Peterson. While Tony Gonsolin labored through five innings, Peterson threw a masterful career-long seven and two thirds innings, inducing three double plays and striking out Shohei Ohtani twice. After the 13 inning affair the previous night, Peterson’s performance was a difference maker in the series. Bobby Miller did a fine job eating innings, but his falloff continues and his performances remain disappointing.

Landon Knack pitched solid enough – he was really hurt by the Muncy error in the first – and kept the Dodgers in game 3, and the bullpen held the Mets in check the rest of the way.

Hitting Analysis: Teoscar Hernandez continued to be clutch, netting the go-head run in the 13th in game one. The top four batters, however, went 8 for 44 in the three game series, and outside the first inning of game three, batted .122 the rest of the series. The rest of lineup could not muster much after game one.

Defense/Baserunning Analysis: They say you see something new every time you go to a baseball game, and the fans that attended game 1 certainly got their money’s worth in that department. In the top of the 3rd, Micahel Confroto tagged up on a bobbled flyout to Met CF Tyrone Taylor. Taylor and Juan Soto collided a split second after the ball hit Taylor’s glove – the moment Conforto left second base to head to third. The collision caused the ball to bounce in the air, and then Taylor caught it on the ricochet. By that time, Conforto was already on the way to third. The Mets challenged the play, and the announcers and everyone thought Conforto would be called out, but he was not. Apparently, the rule states that as soon as the ball is touched, the tagging up process can begin, even if the ball ends up bobbled. It makes sense, as then a fielder could simply bobble a ball all the way to the infield to prevent a runner from tagging up.

Then, in the bottom of the 4th, Starling Marte tried to tag up on a fly ball to rightfield. Teoscar Hernandez caught the ball and fired a bullet to get Marte at the plate… except the third base umpire said Max Muncy stood in Marte’s way, obstructing his view of Hernandez catching the ball… Thus, Marte was called safe on obstruction.

Takeaway for the Weekend: After the Dodgers complete their game against the Guardians today, they will have reached the one-third mark of the season — the moment that Andrew Friedman said they would begin evaluating players in terms of needs and where to go moving forward. The pitching staff has not yet been at full strength, so we expect to see those auditions continue. The lineup tinkering has only just begun, particularly with Muncy’s defense struggles, Edman and Hernandez’ return from the IL, and the space-taker that is Michael Conforto.

Burning Question (And Attempted Answer):

Will Michael Conforto continue to take at-bats and playing time away from Hye-seong Kim and other Dodger prospects?

It’s clear to most fans that it’s time to fold this $17 million gamble. Since the Covid-shortened season, he’s hitting in the .230s, his walks have decreased each year, and his strikeouts have increased… so he is who he is. We think, however, he’s still going to be given some opportunity, as the switch to Kim and others will be gradual as opposed to abrupt.

Around the MLB:

Ronald Acuna Jr came off the IL with a bang, smashing a 467-foot home run in his first AB this season. He followed it up with another home run Saturday.

Tigers ace Tarik Skubal threw a complete game, 2 hit shutout on Sunday, striking out 13. He walked none in his first professional complete game, and ended the game with a 102.6 mph fastball to strike out Gabriel Arias.

The Pirates’ Oneil Cruz hit a home run that left the bat at 122.9mph – the hardest hit ball since 2015 (when Statcast started tracking).

Next Series’ Preview

Matchups: The Dodgers take on the Cleveland Guardians, who are red hot, having won three of four against the Tigers.

Analysis: All three Dodger starters – Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dustin May, and Clayton Kershaw, are coming off strong starts (although Kershaw’s was cut short by a rain delay). The Guardians counter with Gavin Williams, who hasn’t given up more than 2 runs in any May start, Tanner Bibee, coming off seven shutout innings against Detroit, and Slade Cicconi, who pitched six innings of one run ball on Friday against Detroit. With these pitchers and the struggling Dodger bats, these afternoon affairs should be great pitching duels!

What to Look For: The gauntlet continues for the Dodgers. As mentioned above, the evaluation period for Dodger brass will truly begin this series, so we expect to see a couple changes in the lineup (hello Hye-seong Kim, goodbye Michael Conforto). Kershaw and May’s starts will be intriguing to watch as well to see if they can build off their recent success.