It’s Getting Late… Late!

Posted By on September 17, 2025

I am encouraged by what I see on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. It is all coming together. The starting pitching is possibly the best in baseball. However, the bullpen is definitely the worst in baseball. Fans have openly wondered where Clayton Kershaw will fit in the rotation and I give Jeff Dominique credit suggesting this: When Ohtani pitches, bring him out in the 4th or 5th inning and turn him loose. After seeing Ohtani’s 100 MPH fastballs, they might screw themselves in the ground when facing a soft-tossing lefty.

The rotation looks like this going into the playoffs:

  1. Yamamoto
  2. Snell
  3. Glasnow
  4. Ohtani/Kershaw

That would position Sheehan, Heaney, and Sazaki as multi-inning options.

Then you have your single-innings guys: Banda, Vesia, Dreyer, Scott, and Kopech. Since Ohtani is a two-way player, the Dodgers have one open spot. I believe that Yates, WErobleski, and Treinen have pitched their way out of contention for it. Casparius is an option, so is Henriquez… maybe Kyle Hurt… but the clock is ticking. Brock Stewart pitched an inning last night and threw 19 pitches. If he can secure a couple more successful outings, he will take the final spot.

As bad as it looks, the pitching is in much better shape going into the playoffs than it was last year… when you chop out all the deadwood. However, Blake Treinen is signed through 2026. Sorry, Blake, but you have to sit this one out.

Losing like this to the Phillies could be the best thing that happened to this team.

Shohei Ohtani said that he’d be willing to play outfield for the Dodgers in the postseason – “I’ve been having various conversations with different people, and that topic has come up as well. That applies to the mound, and possibly even the outfield. If I end up going as a reliever, then depending on what follows, there could be situations where I also need to play defense in the outfield. So no matter what situation arises, I want to make sure I’m prepared to handle it.” Well… there you go… Starter or reliver? Hummmm…

This article has 129 Comments

  1. Yup tough, but I still believe in these guys.

    When the Yankees repeated as World Champs in 2000 they won 87 games.

    They went 4-13 in their last 17 games…..things happen in October and our guys have been there.

    Look better this happen now than in October.

    We have proven the last 5 game we can beat the best Starters in baseball….

    Win today and we move….

  2. So much of this year has been waiting for players to round into form. Betts, Snell, Ohtani as a pitcher, Muncy, Snell, Glasnow.

    Some still haven’t: Scott, Trienen, etc.

    If some more do, it could be a good plays run. Just need that luck.

  3. Depends on which Kershaw shows up in October, the new Maddux or the guy who got clobbered in his last outing. I know that is blasphemy, but we will be facing four of the best teams in baseball. He is most vernable in the first and second inning so, yes, let him relieve.
    I also think Conforto has earned a bench slot along with Kike and Kim.
    But we have two equally poor hitters as backup catchers, with Rushing being passed as the better defensive backstop. Still, probably Rushing stays.

    1. With Conforto and Rushing you have 2 LHB on the bench. Kim would be 3, leaving Rojas as the only RHB. I think Call is ahead of Kim for the bench.

      Another question is should the Dodgers have Rushing or Rortvedt as the backup catcher? Rortvedt is hitting better and has been really good at calling games. Not as good in throwing out runners.

      1. Kike will also be available as a RHB off the bench, when not on the slim side of a platoon with Max.
        If it comes down to a choice between Kim and Conforto, I’d opt for Kim. With Edman usually handling CF, and Teo and Pages in the corners, Conforto goes to the bench. Rojas and Kim could platoon at 2B, while Max and Kike platoon at 3B. When he isn’t starting, Kim could bring a lot of speed off the bench.
        Against northpaws:
        Shohei DH
        Mookie SS
        Freddie 1B
        Will C
        Max 3B
        Teo LF
        Edman CF
        Pages RF
        Kim/Rojas 2B

        Or something like that. Against some lefties, Kike could replace Max, but he should hit lower in the lineup and Teo and Pages could be elevated.
        When will Doc move Teo back to LF and play Pages in RF? In his first year with the Dodgers, Teo often shuttled between RF and LF to allow Mookie to shuttle between RF and 2B.

        1. Pages’ is the best 3rd best hitter at 281, 25 HR, 27doubles. Too good to be batting 8th. And yes, move Teo to LF. Will Smith may not be available for the first playoff series per Doc and Dodgers might use both backups and drop one reliever. Word is Smith may pinch hit. We are fine with the two other backstops. Saski could be in the mix but Doc keeps parading Scott out there. He loves his vet relievers. Saski has plenty of experience in high pressure games while in KBO. Pressure is pressure regardless of the league. Looks like we get the Muts or the Reds in the first round. Reds scare me. They have guys who can change the game, just like us.

          1. Kenley often made me nervous…. But he’s had an excellent season for the Angels.
            He’s had 27 saves in 28 opportunities. His ERA is 2.73, with a 1.00 WHIP and a .182 BAA.
            It would have been more fun to watch Kenley instead of Yates, Scott and Treinen.

    2. Vesia, Dreyer, Casparious, Sheehan, Kershaw, Ohtani

      Postseason is different, what you see in the regular season may be totally different when the lights are the brightest….

  6. Two quick Internet hits, both behind paywalls sadly.

    Baseball America picks Minor League sleepers, 10 of them from National League Only ($$$$)
    https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/10-sleeper-hitting-prospects-from-the-national-league-to-watch-in-2026/
    Chase Harlan from the Dodgers makes the list.

    Baseball America ALSO takes an end of the season look at farm systems ($$$)
    https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/mlb-farm-system-grades-for-every-team-in-2025/

    In their own words:
    This exercise is not simply a rehash of our 2025 farm system rankings. Those rankings measure the overall state of prospect talent in each organization. Here, the focus is on performance this season, examining how each system delivered this year in terms of MLB graduations, breakouts and also setbacks or injuries.

    To do that, we’re examining systems in several key areas:
    Farm system rank, Key MLB graduations, Breakouts, Disappointments and/or injuries, Key additions

    Dodgers’ Grade: C+
    For all the Dodgers’ player development success, this hasn’t been the smoothest season for more reasons than just Roki Sasaki’s alarming start to his Dodgers career. Dalton Rushing and Alex Freeland are part-time players and haven’t graduated. The outfield depth remains a strength….

  7. Philly has that look in their eyes! as of right now, the dodgers don’t. youcan feel the anxiety when dave goes to the bullpen! it’s hard to move on from games they should have won! 2 of the best left handed pitchers in the game , and the dodgers had em ! only to watch another collapse by the bullpen. i guess the offense is back on track. BUT, they can’t bail the awful bullpen out every single day! like i said earlier, the phillies don’t mind the left on left matchups. Dave is obsessed with them! … i’m going to give rojas a get out of jail card for last night. horrible at bat! but he’s been a Godsend for this team!…. Bottom line? if they hold on to to win the division, they can still win it all! if they get passed by the SH#T EATING padres, they could very well lose quickly and go home. As for AF? not his best job assembling this team. i know he doesn’t catch the ball or hit the ball, but the bullpen is directly on him. yet they are still the favorites according to some experts. And again, BUT, if kirby yates is on the postseason roster, he should be tarred and feathered!! (just kidding) . he should only be feathered! For some reason i believe Tanner Scott will be ok. Oh well, up to 1 am again tonight and praying for a different outcome ! As fleetwood mac would say, don’t stop thinking about tomorrow!!

    1. I think when season started We had (or were expecting back) Scott, Yates, Kopeck, Treinen, Vesia, Grateral etc. I don’t think anyone felt that this was going to be a problem.

    2. Maybe if the pods spend another 20 million they might beat the dodgers. Not!
      I hear you, us East Coast Dodger fans bear the burnt. But we do get cheaper tickets to see the team than those spoiled West Coast fans. Miami Tix were dirt cheap, as were Tampa and Baltimore ($40 for 3 rows back, 2nd deck). Take care. Heading south today for the winter.

  8. On a different topic, And I don’t know how many are interested. But just received our Medicare enrollment book for 2026. In South FL. I didn’t save last year’s book, but it seemed there were about 5 0 pages or more of Advantage Plans. This time only about 10 pages

    1. Not really the place, but they are cutting them way back in ’26. Dropping mine, half worthless in Panama.

  9. the problem wasn’t at the beginning, it was at the deadline. by the deadline everyone knew yates was awful. everyone knew scott was not reliable. everyone knew graterol wasn’t walking into that clubhouse. everyone knew trienan was another year older and hurt. everyone knew evan phillips was done for the season. but all they added was brock stewart. while not a bad addition, not the lockdown reliever they needed. it’s not the end of the world,(or season), but wouldn’t we all feel better if the bullpen was a lot better? i know i would!

    1. I didn’t know that… maybe you did.

      If Friedman knew that, he would have done more.

      However… the playoffs are a whole new ballgame.

      Thankfully, they don’t play the games on paper.

    2. Let me see if I have Dodgerdad’s logic.

      Overpaying proven closers led to them underperforming, so his solution was to overpay and waste resources for more proven closers who could underperform?

      2. DodgerDad nailed it.
        AF had a chance to deal for a marquee closer like Mason Miller or Jhoan Duran or David Bednar. (My target would have been Miller, now with arch-rival Pads.) We don’t know AF he made a serious bid for any of these guys. What we do know is that while Dombrowski and Preller swung for the fences with a “win-now” approach, AF played small ball, dealing Outman for Brock Stewart. Even before his injury, there was little reason to think Stewart would move the needle much.
        Here’s a wild thought: What if AF noticed how good ol’ Kenley was closing out games in Anaheim? He’s having a great year. Why not get creative and offer the very thin Angels a couple of prospects to bring Kenley back?
        Kudos to the front office for somehow turning Feduccia into Rortvedt and two promising pitching prospects. A++ for that steal. I’d give a B for landing Call–because either Bader or Laureano would have had more impact.
        I still find it amusing that AF said it was better to acquire in the winter than to pay the steep prices at the trade deadline. Right now, the deal for Snell looks great–but it’s also apparent that he overpaid for Scott, Conforto and Yates.
        The beauty of the mid-season market is that the teams have a better idea about what they truly needed–and the Dodgers wanted upgrades from Conforto, Scott and Yates.

  10. i’m surprised that Doc Roberts gets a pass with most Dodger fans. As I see it he gives up on starters too early & is way too trusting with a bullpen that has totally choked in the second half of this season . Add in a dismal bottom third of the lineup & we get a team that will be lucky to win it’s division. Poor managing is certainly a part of this fall from the top.

    1. So, if he does not use the bullpen, he has to pitch the starters longer, and what do you know… another starter has to go to the IL. Then the fans would really go batshit crazy! There are a few things to remember:

      1. Doc talks directly to the pitchers;
      2. The coaches and trainers talk directly to the pitchers and then report to Doc;
      3. Other players will talk to Doc about what is going on;
      4. Second-Guessers are NEVER wrong;
      5. If a pitcher is crappy it’s on him… not Doc;
      6. Dave Roberts has the highest winning percentage of any baseball manager since 1926!

      I think you are confusing poor pitching with poor managing!

      1. AND, we may see pitchers going longer in the playoffs since they have not been overused up ’till now.

      2. How many teams get production from ‘the bottom’ of the lineup. ? Isn’t that where Edman, Pages and Rojas bat?

      3. Oh yes…. Both Doc and AF are darn near infallible!
        How dare we mere fans question people who once thought Gavin Lux and Miguel Vargas would be the Dodgers’ keystone combo for years to come.
        So sayeth the Book of Moron.

    2. Doc may MOSTLY get a “pass” here, but for the first time this year I went on the Dodgers site on X and it was BRUTAL.

    3. Yes, why would a manager coming off a World Series win, who also won the WS in 2020 and who has managed the team to the playoffs for a dozen years, and has the team in first place yet again, be seen favorably by the public.

  11. Dodgers need to rename Bullpen to sheep pen. 60 year fan, this is the worst I’ve ever seen for blown saves.

  12. I was originally surprised when the Dodgers spent so much on relievers (Scott and Yates) this off-season. I suspect that they knew what we did not – that most of last year’s high leverage arms were injured. Phillips was off of the roster during the World Series. He pitched in about 5 games this year and had Tommy John surgery.

    Kopech and Treinen have been gone most of the season and haven’t been good when they have been available. Hudson retired. Vesia has been healthy and effective mostly.

    There was a cost to last season’s run to the title without a rotation – the bullpen has been a casualty.

    So they rebuilt – but the guys they got haven’t gotten the job done. And most of last year’s ‘pen is still injured or ineffective.

    I am certain that they figured that the return of injured relievers would work out as the return of injured starters worked out so they added the also-injured and ineffective Brock Stewart. It hasn’t worked out however.

    So unless starters can pitch 9 innings, they will put one of the current punching bags out there and pray.

    1. Never made total sense to me either. Especially the Yates signing. That was extremely out of character.

      That said, it’s been reported that Henriquez was (and still is) in bad physical condition. Maybe the team saw that, was relying on him for high leverage and saw it as a significant need.

      1. By “bad physical condition,” what do you mean?
        Not so bad as to prevent him from throwing 100mph+ gas in the major leagues.
        From what I’ve seen and read is that the problem is more of a lack of movement in his fastball, which was also the (occasional) knock on Brusdar.
        Anyway, I suspect that Sheehan will be getting plenty of work out of the bullpen in the playoffs. And I’m hoping that Sasaki can help.

  13. 10:10 PM ET

    Phillies (91-61)
    Dodgers (84-67)

    SP Jesus Luzardo L
    14-6 4.03 ERA
    SP Blake Snell L
    4-4 2.79 ERA

    Confirmed Lineup
    DH S. Ohtani L
    SS Mookie Betts R
    RF T. Hernandez R
    1B F. Freeman L
    CF Tommy Edman S
    2B Miguel Rojas R
    LF Andy Pages R
    3B E. Hernandez R
    C Ben Rortvedt L

    75° Wind 10 mph L-R

  14. Most of this and the stuff on the other Dodgers sites are insane drivel.

    They are the rants of fans who have left their brains somewhere else.

    Yawn… I am going to go drink a beer.

    Do you all remember how certain fans were that we could not win last year?

    Seek mental help!

  15. wow mr. bluto! i don’t know who AF could have traded for, but lots of relievers trade places. it’s obvious the dodgers didn’t feel the need to acquire any other than Stewart. But given the state of this bullpen, a couple of quality arms would make a helluva difference right now. my logic? if you run the dodgers, get what you need. just my opinion. that’s what this site is all about, right?

    1. I know who AF could have traded for….
      Mason Miller, Jhoan Duran and David Bednar are all top-tier closers who were dealt to top contenders–Miller to the Pads, Duran to the Phils and Bednar to the Yankees. These three guys are all superior, at least this season, to the likes of Kirby Yates and Tanner Scott. (Also Treinen, but I think his struggles emerged after the trade deadline.)
      Why didn’t AF land one of these guys? Beats me.
      Bill Plunkett, the OC Register’s baseball writer, sometimes refers to the “arrogance” of the Dodgers. That rings true to me. The Dodgers, wielding a fat checkbook and deep farm system, may be overconfident–and that may be why AF figured Brock Stewart was sufficient.
      Or maybe AF doesn’t want to get burned like when dealt prospects like Yonder and O”Neil Cruz for relievers.

    2. I know who AF could have traded for….
      Mason Miller, Jhoan Duran and David Bednar are all top-tier closers who were dealt to top contenders–Miller to the Pads, Duran to the Phils and Bednar to the Yankees. These three guys are all superior, at least this season, to the likes of Kirby Yates and Tanner Scott. (Also Treinen, but I think his struggles emerged after the trade deadline.)
      Why didn’t AF land one of these guys? Beats me.
      Bill Plunkett, the OC Register’s baseball writer, sometimes refers to the “arrogance” of the Dodgers. That rings true to me. The Dodgers, wielding a fat checkbook and deep farm system, may be overconfident–and that may be why AF figured Brock Stewart was sufficient.
      Or maybe AF doesn’t want to get burned like when dealt prospects like Yonder and O”Neil Cruz for relievers.
      But does fortune favor the timid?

  16. Obviously Ohtani wasn’t going the distance. No matter when he came out this bullpen was capable of blowing the game. However, the starting pitchers throw one day a week. They should be able to go longer than Doc is allowing and will need to in the postseason.

      1. All those dingbats complaining about Ks.

        He is not only leads the league in walks, but ..

        Most home runs in a season, Dodgers history:

        2024 Shohei Ohtani: 54
        2025 Shohei Ohtani: 51
        2001 Shawn Green: 49
        2004 Adrian Beltre: 48
        2019 Cody Bellinger: 47

          1. Silly comment.

            Why not ask:
            “Imagine what it could be if he hit HRs every at bat”

            If “the perfect is the enemy of the good” then “the awesome is the enemy of unrealistic expectations”

        2. As I write these words, the question is: Can Tanner Scott hold on to a 5-0 lead???
          Interesting idea about bringing Shohei in as a ‘bulk” reliever following Kershaw. The contrast would be striking, so to speak…
          Of course, it would also be interesting if Roberts (and, I suppose, the “brain trust”) just allow a guy who is throwing a no-hitter after 5 innings to stay in the game a while longer.
          Fully agree that the Dodgers seem to be well-positioned for the playoff gauntlet. The decision to “slow-play” the season, I think, probably cost them the first-round bye.
          When Will Smith gets back, the offense will be at full force. Snell’s gem today, following Shohei’s, suggests a four-ace rotation (maybe five!), and it certainly looks like Sheehan, Heaney and Sasaki can reinforce this shaky bullpen….
          As I peruse the highlights, here’s some big drama in the Padres-Mets game at Citifield, with the Pads up 6-4 in the 7th with one out and Mason Miller brought in to face Juan Soto with a runner on base.
          Fastball, probably near 100. Soto makes solid contact–and the drive slices about an inch left of the foul pole. Nearly tied it up–but just a strike. And Miller gets strike three with a backdoor slider on the paint. Then Miller strikes out Alonso.
          Pads go on to beat the Mets 7-4, with Laureano adding a HR.

        3. Of course Shohei also leads the league in Runs Scored…
          Not sure what the Dodgers record is for that, but he must be close.

  19. Hub Collins scored 148 runs in 1890.

    The record in the modern era is Babe Herman in 1930 – 143. (He’s the most underappreciated offensive player in Dodger history) – and he didn’t bat leadoff. But if you hit .396 and have 416 total bases in a 154 game season you will score a lot of runs)

    1. Thanks….
      Shohei, so often compared to that other Babe, should catch the Dodgers’ Babe. With 137 runs scored, he’s on pace to top 143.
      Babe Herman had one of the most amazing offensive seasons ever. He is forgotten, I think, mostly because his career stats pale against peers of the era. Of course, eras are difficult to compare.
      How many runs did Cool Papa Bell score in his prime?

  20. By “bad physical condition,” what do you mean?
    Not so bad as to prevent him from throwing 100mph+ gas in the major leagues.
    From what I’ve seen and read is that the problem is more of a lack of movement in his fastball, which was also the (occasional) knock on Brusdar.
    Anyway, I suspect that Sheehan will be getting plenty of work out of the bullpen in the playoffs. And I’m hoping that Sasaki can help.

      1. So Starting pitching and offense making great strides lately. So now if only a few more relievers can get it together.

  21. Snell told doc to go back to the dugout and sit his ass down. Doc had the intelligence to say, “OK, Ricky, go get him” to quote Major League. I have never seen Snell so animated. I think he intends to carry the team.
    Pages’ stole second, moved to third on a pickoff attempt and came in on a Keki blooper. All with 2 outs. Definitely the spark plug for this team.

  22. Yamamoto. Kershaw.Glasnow. Sheehan! that’s a pretty good 4. to run out there against the giants this weekend! And then there’s ohtani and Snell! 6 very good to great pitchers the dodgers send to the mound now that they’re all healthy! Blake Snell cemented his place as a DODGER last night! 12 K’S and only 2 bb. but more importantly the fire he exhibited in that 7th inning! the dodgers absolutely have the best rotation in baseball! The phillies aren’t a slouch either. especially since you consider Wheeler is done for the season. they ran 3 very good (lefties) pitchers out there this series. the dodgers offense did their job against those guys. the starters were absolutely amazing. the bullpen? not so much. vesia was good. Scott , while pitching a scoreless 9th was still not the guy AF signed. But he’s there and Doc will use him. Will yates and kopech even sniff the mound in the 4 game set against the Giants? probably since the bullpen will be called upon a bunch this weekend. And with 3 in Arizona and 3 in Seattle next week, it’s going to be a bit stressful for Doc when Mark Pryor picks up the bullpen phone! …. Be good to see Max back in the lineup again tonight. Kike did a good job against the phillies the 2 games he played. Defensively he is good most anywhere he plays. Had some good at bats too! …. Probably conforto back in the lineup tonight. Does Tommy play second? I wouldn’t mind seeing Kim get a shot at second tonight. He’s lightning in a bottle. Wouldn’t hurt to use that lightning a little more!…. ohtani. unbelievable!

  23. I believe that the opponent AF was trying to defeat with his glutenous moves this offseason was not another team but rather the randomness of the MLB playoffs. The best team rarely wins (witness the 14 year run of the Atlanta Braves with minimal WS success. ) AF was trying to beat that randomness with by creating a team so stacked both in LA and on the farm that he could rest his players and line them up for peak playoff performance while still winning the division. It might have worked if not for bullpen injuries and underperformance by players with with previous historical success. It was a valiant and brilliant play, but in baseball, player performance is far more variable and fickle than in other sports, thus the randomness of the playoffs. The good news is that while we are not the best team in baseball this year, we thus get to benefit from that very randomness that AF was trying to defeat. We have only a slightly lower probability of winning the WS than whomever one might consider the best team going into the playoffs. Baseball leadership decided a long time ago that dollars were more valuable than equity, thus the high number of teams in the playoffs. It is almost enough to make one want to move to Panama!

    1. The beaches of the Azuero peninsula in Panama are a site to behold! We can walk for miles on the beach here and quite often we’re the only ones there. On a busy day. You might see five or six other people. Same thing for the surf lineup. People, including the locals are extremely friendly and everyone seems to like everyone else. Everyone greets everyone whether they know each other or not. And very few people give a shit how much you have or don’t have. Oh yeah, and baseball is the national sport!

  24. Can we all give an appreciation for what Ben Rohtvedt has done for the squad.

    Appreciate you Ben, and what foresight by the front office to pick him up……

    1. Any chance he makes the playoff roster over Rushing? Or they carry 3 catchers so they can weird with double switches, etc., use Rushing as a LH pitch hitter? Probably not but given that Ohtani is essentially one player who can take 2 spots they will probably at least think about it.

  25. I asked ChatGPT about Henriquez’s conditioning, and this was the response:
    I can’t find any credible report or beat-writer note saying Edgardo Henriquez has a “conditioning problem.” Recent coverage focuses on (1) the metatarsal/foot injury that cost him Opening Day and (2) his triple-digit velocity since returning—nothing about conditioning.

    1. thx Mark…
      Remarkable how quickly Rortvedt is making such a big, positive impression. We expected solid defense–but he’s had some key hits as well.
      Could he really make the playoff roster ahead of Rushing? We’ll see. I assume the pitching staff will be consulted.
      I am still trying to understand that Feduccia deal. Kinda bonkers to get a backup catcher and two good pitching prospects for an OKC catcher. Crazy return.

  26. So I was looking over the standings, and this stat jumped out:
    The run differential for the Rockies is …. yikes….-402.
    That’s more than double the next-worst Nationals, at -195. Following them is Angels at -145.
    Over the positive side on the ledger, our Dodgers are at +122….. which trails the Brewers +187, the Cubs +133, the Yankees +128, and the Phils +124.
    At the start of season, the Dodgers were widely considered the team to beat. Perhaps they still are. But the over-achieving Brewers really do seem to be the best team.

    The closest race has the Mariners trailing the Astros by 0.5 games in the AL West. Both are in position make the playoffs, though the Guardians are lurking 1.5 games back for the wild card. In the NL, the Dbacks are 1.5 games behind the Mets for in the wild card race.

    1. Dodgers and Phillies both considered bigger favorites to win World Series, than Milwakee. Some sites have Toronto above the Brewers too.

  27. another beautiful day in southwest Virginia. 75 degrees and beautiful sunshine! many miles between here and dodger stadium. only been there once but my old heart is always there! my sons brought me there for my 60th birthday. been to several ballparks, but nothing compares. Didn’t care for the city that much but dodger stadium is so special to me! it’s sad that after sunday there are no more games at home. well let me correct that. No more regular season games. i’m sure we’ll see some games deep into october! love college football and basketball, love racing, and while i don’t love the nfl as much , the winter seems forever waiting for DODGERS BASEBALL! this season has been trying for most of us. we all want 162-0! And while i didn’t believe they would break the single season wins record, i thought 102-103 was strongly possible. i’ve enjoyed all the posts this season. it seems for the most part, everyone shares a love for the team and has respect for all who post here. Baseball is the best game there is barr none! If the offense can continue to be what it has for the past few days, this team can overcome the bullpen woes! thanks Mark for keeping it alive and breathing! it gives old retired farts something to look forward to every day!

  28. The Dodger’s Magic Number for a trip to the tournament in October is 2. Any combination of 2 wins or Arizona losses and we’re in. The Dodger’s Magic Number to win the Western Division is 8 and become the 3 seed and play thee Mets at home all 3 games in the best of 3 series. Any combination of 8 Padres losses or Dodger wins and another Western Division is ours.

  30. Yamamoto
    Snell/Sheehan
    Glasnow
    Ohtani/Kershaw

    Hopefully the two tandems gets the Dodgers 9 innings and keeps the short relievers from pitching consecutive days.

    1. He’s a first ballot Hall of Famer. Let’s hope he finishes his career with another World Series Championship added to his stellar resume.

      1. That’s probably why he announced it now. The team might have a little more impetus to win now.

  33. With Clayton’s Announcement, the Dodgers will now have the most players who retired after playing for only one team:

    1. Roy Campanella
    2. Don Drysdale
    3. Sandy Koufax
    4. Pee Wee Reese
    5. Jackie Robinson
    6. Clayton Kershaw

    The Dodgers were tied with the Giants before this: Carl Hubbell, Travis Jackson, Mel Ott, Bill Terry, Ross Youngs.

  35. clayton has lost 96 games in 18 seasons!! 96!!!! And a2.54 era! now who will the idiot be who doesn’t vote for him 1st ballot? 3 cy youngs ,mvp, 11 times an all star! class act, and a magnificent human being!! never another like him! congratulations MR. DODGER!

  36. At 222-96, Clayton Kershaw will finish his career as the first pitcher with 200 wins and fewer than 100 losses since Al Spalding and Bob Caruthers – two guys who never even pitched off a mound.

  37. 10:10 PM ET

    Giants (76-76)
    Dodgers (85-67)

    SP Logan Webb R
    14-10 3.34 ERA
    SP Y. Yamamoto R
    11-8 2.66 ERA

    Confirmed Lineup
    DH S. Ohtani L
    SS Mookie Betts R
    1B F. Freeman L
    3B Max Muncy L
    RF T. Hernandez R
    LF M. Conforto L
    CF Andy Pages R
    2B Miguel Rojas R
    C Ben Rortvedt L

    46% Rain
    75° Wind 10 mph Out

  38. Clayton Kershaw – The Greatest Dodger Pitcher of All Time!

    Top 20 Pitchers (200+ Wins, Ranked by ERA)

    1. Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown — 239 W, 2.06 ERA

    2. Christy Mathewson — 373 W, 2.13 ERA

    3. Walter Johnson — 417 W, 2.17 ERA

    4. Clayton Kershaw — 210 W, 2.48 ERA

    5. Grover Cleveland “Pete” Alexander — 373 W, 2.56 ERA

    6. Cy Young — 511 W, 2.63 ERA

    7. Whitey Ford — 236 W, 2.75 ERA

    8. Pud Galvin — 365 W, 2.85 ERA

    9. Tom Seaver — 311 W, 2.86 ERA

    10. Kid Nichols — 361 W, 2.95 ERA

    11. Lefty Grove — 300 W, 3.06 ERA

    12. Warren Spahn — 363 W, 3.09 ERA

    13. Gaylord Perry — 314 W, 3.11 ERA

    14. Roger Clemens — 354 W, 3.12 ERA

    15. Greg Maddux — 355 W, 3.16 ERA

    16. Steve Carlton — 329 W, 3.22 ERA

    17. Don Sutton — 324 W, 3.26 ERA

    18. Randy Johnson — 303 W, 3.29 ERA

    19. Phil Niekro — 318 W, 3.35 ERA

    20. Early Wynn — 300 W, 3.54 ERA

    No Koufax!

    Clayton is the greatest pitcher of the modern Era.

      1. Koufax is still the one pitcher I would use in a game seven without question. Kersh is who he is, but Sandy was something special. No, he did not win as many games as Kersh, but he had as many complete games in ONE season as Kershaw has his entire career.

        1. Of course, you know the rebuttal:

          1. Much higher mound;
          2. Koufax had 4 outstanding years, but the others were not so special
          3. Smaller strike zone
          4. Analytics were not yet developed.

          Koufax was the best ever (for those 4 years), but Kershaw has been good to great his entire career. The fact that he has the lowest ERA in the modern era tells the tale. 18 years and he still is not embarrassing himself.

          1. And how many thousands of times do we have to rehash the same old unresolvable arguments.
            Although its not readily known that when Koufax stayed in Brooklyn, He used to walk to work uphill, BOTH WAYS in the snow. While Kersh lived in warm Texas
            I’m more concerned who the pitchers are going to be this playoff season

          2. I get it, but I still take Sandy. I saw them both pitch many times. Koufax was much nastier; Kershaw has pitched in an era where Ks are not as bad a thing as they were when Sandy pitched. His post-season ERA is miniscule. He never imploded in the post season and Kershaw has done that more than once. Koufax had six very good years. He did not pitch much until they moved to LA, and he pitched 4 seasons in the coliseum, would love to see Kersh’s stats if he had pitched there. A nightmare for LHP. Five consecutive ERA titles, over those five seasons his ERA was 1.98. Kersh in the five seasons he led the league in era, 2.15. Four no-hitters, one a perfect game. In 8 post season games, Koufax gave up just 6 earned runs in 57 innings. 4 of his 8 starts were complete games. Sorry, in a must win game, I take Sandy every damn time.

        2. Bear that is because the game changed about the complete games .you know that ,this is Clayton’s time ,Koufax had his!

          1. Bear is right. Koufax is the GOAT.
            Yes, his career was shortened by injury. Or the fact that the Tommy John procedure had not been developed yet. So what?
            Yes, he was unbelievably great for about 4 seasons–but he made 6 all-star teams. Won 3 Cys and finished 3rd once. Won one MVP and finished second twice.
            He was both a thoroughbred talent and a workhorse. The Dodgers rode him hard down the stretch–and he delivered championships. (Let’s be nice here and not compare the postseason performance of Kershaw to Koufax.)
            So Sandy finished his career with only 165 wins–but four of those were no-hitter, including a perfect game.
            Because I think longevity and career stats are overrated, here’s my all-time LA Dodger rotation: Koufax , Kershaw, Drysdale, Fernando, Hershiser. Fernando and Orel are not HOF guys, but both achieved greatness. Sutton, with his 300 wins, gets to be a long reliever on this fantasy team.
            Right now, I think the Dodgers have the right statues in the plaza behind centerfield.
            Greatness.

          2. I do not care that the game changed. The fact remains; Koufax was a much better pitcher in clutch situations. He struck out 18 batters in a game TWICE. His postseason ERA is 0.95. Complete games meant something, and bullpens were usually made up of veterans on their way down, or rookies trying to break in. Just like I appreciate Ohtani’s skills, but he strikes out WAY TOO MUCH. Duke Snider was a better hitter; his career BA proves it. Ohtani would be so much better if he had a lot more plate discipline. Sandy had to retire at 30 years old. Big D had to retire when he was 32. Both had conditions that modern medicine would have helped. And they played with teams that did not come close to matching what LA has today. You take Kersh’s 5 seasons where he won the ERA title, and Koufax’s 5 seasons when he won, Sandy’s ERA in 1.98. Kersh’s is 2.15. I am not dissing what Kershaw has done, I am just saying I would take Koufax.

  39. well. i didn’t think any other pitcher could “out perform “ kirby yates, but kopech has passed him on the downward trajectory full speed ahead ! he’s not going to be on any post season roster. once again, anyone seen Ben Casparius? Seriously, what is the plan for Ben? is he hurt, or are they just trying to limit his use? Because he has out performed yates, kopech, and really, trienan too! Don’t get it! i’m missing something. …. Yamamoto was off last night. But he held the giants scoreless for almost 6 innings. 6 walks a career high. only one hit. a crawler thru the right side by Bailey. now it’s on to Kershaw time! 18 years ago we watched a young aspiring left handed pitcher start his career with the dodgers. What a ride ! 3 cy youngs(should have been 4 if not for voters giving Dickey a big gift). Maybe as Bear says, Koufax was better. i’m not sure, but if that’s the only argument we can have, it’s a mute point! so in order to watch Clayton’s last home start tonight i will have to sign up for Apple Tv. Ridiculous! i just know it is the end of an era , the likes we’ll never see again! … one last thing. That umpire last night was absolutely awful! both ways, but especially on the blue side of things!

  40. Yup I gotta sign up for APPLE TV too. It sucks but I will.

    Ill have a nice bottle of something on ICE just to reminisce about everything he has gives us as fans for the last 18 years.

    The picture of class.

    Saw him in vero, saw him in Jax and many places along the way.

    Heres to you 22!!!

    And…..

    JOBS NOT DONE

  42. The Dodgers this weekend with three games remaining will pass the four million attendance mark at Dodger Stadium. The last time an MLB team reached the 4 million attendance mark was in the 2008 season, when both the New York Yankees in the old Yankee Stadium and the New York Mets at their old ballpark Shea Stadium surpassed that milestone.

      1. yes!

        Not only did I watch all of those shows yesterday, but I watched them all of their seasons between work and bed

  44. jacob deGrom. has been one of the best pitchers in baseball at one point in his career. he will never get elected to the hall of fame due to injuries. for around 4-5 seasons he was ss good as it gets! But Clayton was the Goat for at least 12. of 18 seasons. so comparing him to anyone with a 4-5 year stretch is not fair to either pitcher

  45. A year or so ago, someone posted a comment on how to watch Apple+ games via 2 different Facebook groups. I joined one of them and was able to watch a few games. Now however, that group is apparently no more. Does anyone have any insight how to watch without subscribing?

    1. I mean there are many pirate streaming sites out there. IT’s not too difficult to find. The stream will be delayed and your experience will have ads, but ads were commonplace before the digital era.

  47. I posted a Facebook group (one of many there must surely be) but I don’t see the comment…

  48. Even if you have used the free trial before, try it again.

    It just let me do another free trial….saved $12.99!!!

  49. 10:10 PM ET

    Giants (76-77)
    Dodgers (86-67)

    SP Robbie Ray L
    11-7 3.50 ERA
    SP Clayton Kershaw L
    10-2 3.53 ERA

    Confirmed Lineup
    DH S. Ohtani L
    SS Mookie Betts R
    RF T. Hernandez R
    1B F. Freeman L
    CF Tommy Edman S
    2B Miguel Rojas R
    LF Andy Pages R
    3B E. Hernandez R
    C D. Rushing L

    74° Wind 8 mph Out

  50. Right-handed pitcher Will Klein is with the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Friday, hinting at a roster move. While there’s currently no news regarding what the move will be, manager Dave Roberts spoke about Michael Kopech dealing with some injury issues on Thursday night as his struggles continued.

    09/18/25 Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent RHP Matt Sauer to a minor league contract.

    1. Will Klein has a 100 MPH fastball and 12-6 Hammer Curve.

      That’s it.

      If he had great control, he would be Mason Miller.

  51. I’m looking at the guy I thought and hoped would be one of the Dodgers’ next big stars, the guy who was briefly my idol. Thanks Miguel for that home run…

    Hit those sons of bitches hard!

    1. Miggy Vargas was a player I had high hopes for. He is becoming a very nice player. Progress is not linear, but fans should quit comparing him to James Outman. Outman is who I thought he was… NO… sorry – he’s worse than I thought he was.

  53. Nice to see Miggy with 2 run homer against the Padres and these two runs made them a winner tonight!! That was a nice assist.

  54. Well, Tanner Scott made it a bit too interesting… but Dodgers win what might be Kershaw’s last start in Dodger Stadium.
    I love to see him get at least one more, in the 2025 World Series.

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