MidValleySports.Com

By Those Deferred BenchWarmers

The Dodgers might be back. We say might because Sunday’s last two innings left a bit of a bad taste in our mouth, but you can’t win them all.

The Weekend in Review

Headline for the Weekend: Dodgers Wake Up and Win Series vs Blue Jays

Results: The Dodgers dominated the first two games of the series, outsourcing the Blue Jays 14-2, before they lost the series finale 5-4. 

Pitching Analysis: The starters once again dealt. Clayton Kershaw started the series opener and set the tone for LA. He went six strong innings, allowing only one run. Blake Snell threw five shutout innings, striking out 10. Tyler Glasnow pitched into the sixth inning, giving up two runs with eight strikeouts and leaving with a 3-2 lead. 

The bullpen was rock solid until the final two innings of game 3. Aside from those two innings, the bullpen threw 8 plus innings of one run ball. Unfortunately, in the top of the 8th, Blake Treinen gave up back-to-back home runs (the first on an 0-2 count) that tied the game and gave the Blue Jays a one run lead. After the Dodgers tied it, Alex Vesia gave up a solo home run in the ninth that proved to be the difference.

Hitting Analysis: Mookie Betts!! Betts got the scoring started in game one with his two run homerun in the fifth, and he went 5 for 14 in the series with 5 RBI. He only struck out twice and walked once. The hope is high that the turnaround will continue. Shohei Ohtani hit his 40 and 41st home runs of the season, and Max Muncy and Freddie Freeman also homered. 

The last game put a damper on the offense though, as they were 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position and left 16 runners on base. They had two big opportunities in the bottom of the 8th and the bottom of the 9th, following the Blue Jays re-taking of the lead in the top half of each inning. 

In the 8th, with the bases loaded and one run already, Michael Conforto pinch hit for Justin Dean. Blue Jays’ reliever Jeff Hoffman, who had just walked the bases loaded and then walked in a run, fell behind in the count 3-1. At that moment, the broadcast said Conforto needed to make Hoffman throw two strikes. Conforto promptly swung at the next pitch he saw and popped out to the catcher.

In the 9th, the Dodgers again loaded the bases with three walks, and up stepped Ohtani with one out. Ohtani struck out on ball four after a nine pitch at bat, and Betts grounded into a fielder’s choice at third to end the game.

Takeaway for the Weekend and Burning Question (And Attempted Answer):

The Dodgers are clearly still an elite team, and there was an interesting question from a reporter earlier in the week that asked if the Dodgers were bored during the regular season. So, are the Dodger struggles partially tied to boredom? On one hand, it makes sense. Whenever the Dodgers backs are seemingly against the wall, they respond well. On the other hand, the Dodgers don’t always rise to the occasion of big games (see, Milwaukee). We think there is a bit of “Let’s just get to October”, but the injuries the Dodgers have dealt with have played more of a role overall. We’re still not worried though!

Dodger Record Since We Said Not to Worry: 10-8

Next Series’ Preview

Matchups: The Dodgers travel to Anaheim to take on the struggling Angels. 

Analysis: The Angels are just 4 games above the AL West cellar, and have lost 7 of 10. They did sweep the Dodgers back in May, so hopefully the Dodgers are out for revenge. The Dodgers will send Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Emmet Sheehan, and Shohei Ohtani to the mound. The Angels’ three starters all have ERAs over 4. 

What to Look For: Will Smith has been struggling, but he hits well at Angel Stadium. Smith has played in 14 games at the stadium in his career, and he’s hitting .318 with 5 home runs and 15 RBIs in those games. Mookie Betts has also historically done well at Angel Stadium, with a career batting average of .285 with 17 home runs and 41 RBI in 60 games. In his last ten games there, Betts has four home runs and 9 RBI.