The Arms Race

Posted By on April 19, 2026

It’s early, and the Rockies have no chance at even getting to 10 games below .500 this year, so the Dodgers are their shot at fame. That’s a thing… but also the Los Angeles Dodgers have some arm issues. Roki Sazaki can’t throw strikes, and his velocity is about 5 MPH off his top speed last year. I think Edwin Diaz needs Tommy John… No, I really do. I am not psychic (psychotic… maybe), but I write what I see and think. I hope I am wrong, but Diaz pitches like that. The Los Angeles Dodgers say that Edwin Díaz is dealing with right knee discomfort, causing reduced fastball velocity, and are using a cautious approach to his usage. 

I still have a lot of hope for Emmet Sheehan – he is pitching like someone who missed last year with TJ. I think he just needs to get built back up. The Dodgers need him to be the #6 starter. This is what the rotation should look like:

  1. Yamamoto (Cy Yama)
  2. Snell (Expect to return in late May)
  3. Glasnow (Not a bad #3)
  4. Ohtani (#1 if he just pitched)
  5. Wrobleski (I think he can hold this spot down)
  6. Sheehan (Getting better and stronger)
  7. Stone (Due back in June)

This is what it might look like next week:

  1. Yamamoto
  2. Glasnow
  3. Ohtani
  4. Wrobleski
  5. Sheehan
  6. Klein (Opener)

You can always do a bullpen game now and then, and of course, there are off days, so right about now, it’s not a big deal to have a full rotation. I have omitted Sasaki – he either needs to go to Tulsa (not OKC – he needs some air for his pitches) or to the bullpen. I am worried that he may need TJ as well due to his drop-off in velocity. Brock Stewart will allegedly be back in May, and Blake Treinen will continue to get some runway, but he looks good and then … well, pretty bad!

Ben Casparius, The Bazooka, Jake Cousins, and Bobby Miller could be back (or available to be back) in May or June, and Evan Phillips is set to return after the All-Star Break. Tanner Scott has returned to form, and Phillips should help… even if Diaz is out. Kyle Hurt has filthy stuff, and Dreyer and Vesia are solid-to-great! Henriquez shows great promise. Keep running him out there. Hopefully, he will learn…

River Ryan might happen… if he can ever stop being injured. But I look for Gavin Stone to return with a vengeance. Don’t count out production from Chase McDermott! The Dodger IL is going to get a lot of business, especially with the age of this roster, which is why Kike and Tommy Tanks are important. The Dodgers are set up to weather the storm with their incredible depth, and injuries do not control their destiny… unlike most other teams. I think that the pitching will be just fine.

  • Congratulations to Ryan Ward for two hits in his MLB debut. The Over-Under on how long he stays with the Dodgers is 2. How long he stays with the organization is 19.
  • James Outman got two hits for the Twins yesterday and elevated his batting average all the way up to .091.
  • James Tibbs III, BA, has dropped to .282. (1.082 OPS)

MiLB SUMMARY REPORT

Albuquerque Isotopes (Rockies) 17 – OKC Comets 4

LHSP Cole Irvin was making his 2nd start of the series having started Tuesday.  He completed 6.0 innings and threw 91 pitches in that game.  In this one, Irvin completed 4.0 innings, allowing 7 runs (all earned), 9 hits, 3 HR, 1 BB, and 2 K.  He threw 77 pitches.

RHRP Chris Campos and RHRP Jerming Rosario were not much better.  Combined they allowed 10 runs (8 earned), 9 hits, 1 BB, and 3 K in 2.0 IP.  RHRP Wyat Mills and LHRP Ronan Kopp each pitched a scoreless inning.

Not a lot of offense.  Jack Suwinski and Ryan Fitzgerald each had a pair of hits. Zach Ehrhard continued to produce at the top of the order.  He went 1-3 with a BB and sac fly.  Suwinski (3), Austin Gauthier (3), and Noah Miler (3) each had a double.

James Tibbs III added a sac fly.

Box Score

Tulsa Drillers 11 – Arkansas Travelers (Seattle) 3

LHSP Luke Fox also started Tuesday, so this was his second start of the series.  Fox allowed 1 hit in 4.0 scoreless innings, with 4 K.  His pitch count was a very efficient 52.  He left the game leading 4-0.

LHRP Maddux Bruns pitched a scoreless inning with a BB and K.  He threw 17 pitches (9 strikes).  He got the win.

Not all relief work went well.  RHRP Lucas Wepf allowed 1 run in his 1.0 IP, and LHRP Christian Suarez allowed 2 runs in his 2.0 IP.  RHRP Carson Hobbs pitched a scoreless 9th, allowing 2 hits with a K.

The Drillers punched out 14 hits and were issued 8 BB to go with the 11 runs.  Zyhir Hope had THE big day with a 4 hits, including a 2 run HR (3).  Hope scored 3 runs in this one.

Kendall George continues to shine.  He reached base 6 times.  Okay, once was on an error.  But he also had two hits and 3 BB.  He stole 3 BB, but was caught attempting a SB for the first time this year.  He now has 11 SB in 12 attempts.  His BA is .409 with a .977 OPS.

Josue De Paula also continued his hot start with another 2-hit game. He also reached base with a BB.  He is hitting .333 with a .909 OPS.

The big surprise was Jake Gelof.  Gelof entered the series without a hit, but for the series he registered 8 hits in 16 AB, including 2 HR and a double.   

Kyle Nevin is also staying hot with another 2 hit game, including his 2nd double.  He is batting .300 with a .841 OPS.

Hope, Nevin, and Sean McLain each had a pair of RBIs.

Box Score

Dayton Dragons (Reds) 6 – Great Lakes Loons 5

RHSP Christian Zazueta had a nice bounceback start.  After giving up 3 runs and 4 hits in 3.2 IP last Sunday, today he completed 5.0 scoreless innings, 3 hits, 2 BB, and 9 K.

After a great start, the bullpen took over, and it did not end as well as it started. RHRP Alex Makarewich surrendered 3 runs on 3 hits, 1 BB, in 1.2 IP.  But hey, the two outs were strikeouts.  That gave Dayton a 3-1 lead.

In the bottom of the 6th, Great Lakes scored the 3 runs right back with the benefit of 2 singles, 2 BB, a wild pitch, and a groundout.

Dayton tied it up with a run in the 7th.  But Great Lakes went back up with a 2-out single, walk, and a run scoring single by catcher Victor Rodrigues.

RHRP Reynaldo Yean pitched the 9th allowing 2 runs on 2 hits, and 3 BB.  Oh yeah, he too got 2 Ks.

So the HARD throwers, Alex Makearewich and Reynaldo Yean, can strike out batters, but also have zero control and command.

OF Charles Davalan, 2B Nico Perez, and Rodrigues each had a pair of hits.  OF Jose Meza hit his 1st HR, and drew 3 BB.

Box Score

Ontario Tower Buzzers 23 – Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies) 7

Less than 24 hours after Fresno drubbed Ontario 18-8, Ontario returned the favor with a 23-7 shellacking.  

The only inning Ontario did not score in was the first.  Fresno jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the 2nd frame.  Fresno scored the runs on three walks, 2 singles and a double, all of RHSP Mason Estrada.  Estrada lasted 3.0 innings, surrendering 6 runs on 5 hits, 6 BB (of course), and 2 K. 

After Estrada exited, 5 relievers combined to allow just a run on 2 hits, 3 BB, and 7 K.

Fresno scored the 23 runs on 22 hits, 11 BB, and reached on 5 Fresno errors.  Every Ontario hitter had at least 1 hit, and 7 had at least 2.  Every Ontario batter scored a run.  Every Ontario batter except one had at least 1 RBI.

Here is the onslaught. 

  • Joendry Vargas – 4-5, 4 runs, 2RBI, 2 BB, 2 doubles (6)
  • Mairo Martinus – 4-6, 3 runs, 1 RBI, 0 BB, HR (2)
  • Emil Morales – 3-5, 2 runs, 4 RBI, 2 BB, double (8), triple (1)
  • Easton Shelton – 3-5, 2 runs, 5 RBI, 0 BB, double (3)
  • Anson Aroz – 2-4, 2 runs, 2 RBI, 2 BB
  • Chase Harlan – 2-5, 3 runs, 3 RBI, 1 BB, HR (2)
  • Ching-Hsein Ko – 2-6, 3 runs, 4 RBI, 1 BB, HR (2)
  • Jaron Elkins – 1-4, 3 runs, 0 RBI, 2 BB
  • Jose D. Hernandez – 1-5, 1 runs, 1 RBI, 1 BB

Box Score

This article has 78 Comments

  1. Sasaki should be working on pitches in the minors or relegated to the pen. At this point in time, he does not have a starting pitchers’ weapons.

    1. it’s been reported, that the team feels He’s too good to learn in the minors. That his stuff, specifically, is just is too good for that level .

      As number six starters go, is he really that bad?

      1. So far? Yes. He puts a strain on the bullpen every time he pitches. He has pitched in four games and is averaging 4.1 innings a game. 17 Ks, 11 walks and a hit batter. His stuff may be too good for that level, but major league hitters figure him out very quickly. He throws too many balls. He tries to be too fine and hit the corners. Reminds me a lot of Maeda and the way he would always nibble. Sasaki does not attack the strike zone. I also thing that leg kick of his allows runners to steal at will. Sasaki has sasuckyed lately. He is definitely better suited for the pen at least at this point in his career. I put him in the pen and use him late in games. Starting rotation should be Sheehan, Yoshi, Shohei, Wrobo, Glasnow, and Snell when he gets healthy.

        1. I agree that Sasaki is more apt to succeed as a reliever than as a starter. However, the Dodgers need a 6-man rotation with Yamamoto and Ohtani, and probably Glasnow. Who do you suggest the Dodgers start over Sasaki before Snell gets back. River Ryan is hurt and on the IL, and is going to need time to get up to 5-6 innings at MiLB before he is ready. Snell will probably be ready before that happens. Gavin Stone is just starting his throwing program. Jackson Ferris is not close to being ready? Luke Fox? Patrick Copen? Neither are close. Cole Irvin? I do not see him as a better starting option to Sasaki.

          I said it during the Winter and again last week. Sign Lucas Giolito.

          We cannot blame Sasaki for an overworked bullpen in today’s game. Treinen and Diaz were certainly not overworked. Klein and Vesia were the two that pitched back to back, and they did fine.

          1. I agree about signing Giolito. The pen might have not been overworked and maybe getting conked in the noggin affected Treinen, but something is wrong with Diaz. He has looked nothing like a lock down closer his last few outings. Sasaki strains the pen every time he starts, and isn’t it about time Japanese pitchers start adjusting to the American game? Four days off seems like plenty .

    1. Exactly my point. He does not pitch with confidence, and he looks like he is scared out there. Overrated is what he is. Yes, he is young, but his arsenal does not match the hype before he was signed. George hitting over .400 at Tulsa. Stole 3 more bags today, now has 11. Dodgers should never lose to teams that are as bad as Colorado. This game was embarrassing.

  3. Well Mark I’m glad you said it because I was thinking the same thing when I mentioned the Dodgers might be looking for another arm. Or two. Maybe it comes from within the system, maybe they trade for one mid season. Personally I don’t see Glasnow , 33 in August, taking the ball every 6th day. since he’s never done it his entire career. I’d like to see Ohtani get some down time in the summer so he can be 100% in October. Same with Yamamoto. Snell? With his history, who knows. This staff, as deep as it is, could be one of the best in all of baseball. Or this staff, with its age and history, could wobble by late summer. I’m not saying I think it will, I’m just saying I think it could.

      1. Yes. Thanks Jeff. The box scores help me quite a bit. Been reading those for years. There’s also access to team stats there. And reading the OKC team stats tells me that staff is getting clobbered.

  5. There will be a Blockbuster Trade for a top end SP.

    https://heavy.com/sports/mlb/boston-red-sox/struggling-player-still-owed-over-150-million-crochet/

    I can see him as a potential target. We like doing business with Boston, and AF might wanna get him on board before they inevitable realignment of the Baseball payroll at the end of this season.

    Shohei and Yoshi will need rest, and I’m not holding my breath for Snell. Glasnow is not one to be relied on either health wise, as good as he is.

    1. Doubt that happens, they just signed the guy to a long-term deal. And they gave up a lot to get him.

    2. Yes, AF loves doing business with Boston, but I cannot see Boston returning his call after they have been fleeced twice by AF.

  6. As was mentlioned both Diaz and Sasaki have lost considerable velo on their fastball. In Sasakis case it is 4-5 mph in comparision to what he had in Japan.
    Lets hope that with Diaz it really is not an arm thing but only knee discomfort. But the way the Dodgers are handing out information about the healtyh of their players we can only keep our fingers crossed.

    That Morales kid looks like the real deal. Hope they put him on the fast track.
    dePaula also looking great so far at AA. OTOH Quintero off to a real slow start at GL

    1. This is not true. Sasaki’s FB has always been high 90s to 100, which is where he still is.

      I fear we are slipping back into silliness. Instead of calling for a change in hitting coaches, it’s now a rash change of start eaters or reappropriating of assets.

      Sasaki is still young, he has tremendous arm talent, and has much more value as a contributing starter than a reliever. It’s not really a burden on the team as a starter. It was at altitude last night, and he’s still developing a third pitch.

      In an ideal world would he develop it quicker or elsewhere? Come back to the majors fully formed? Of course.

      Who knows? I could be wrong. He could be sent down when Snell is healthy. Until then the Dodgers will have to “suffer” with a high-talent, high-upside, very young sixth starter who is still developing on the best team in MLB.

      1. In NPB, Roki Sasaki was a flamethrower who averaged 98–99 mph but regularly hit 100–102 mph.

        Since coming to MLB, his typical sitting velocity is 97–98 mph, and he frequently touches 99 mph.

        In some outings, he dips to the mid-90s, especially when command and/or mechanics are off.

        There are a few reasons people think it’s dropped:

        1. Mechanics;
        2. Injury;
        3. Both.

          2. Good point , yes . But Yamamoto held his velo when he came over.
            Other Japanese pitchers too.

          1. No matter what Sasaki does from here on for the Dodgers his signing was a huge success.
            Helped to win the WS last year with his stellar performance in the postseason. Wthout him the Dodgers IMHO do not win it all in 2025.And all of that for a bargain .

            I still think and hope he will be a very successful starter some day. But if not, so be it.

          2. Dodgertifosi, not a huge success, but an important part of the final product. He was forced into that role because he could not do the role of a starter. If the guy could pitch six quality innings every sixth day, that would be a huge success.

  7. Do the Dodgers still have a fast track?
    Off the top of my head, Julio Urias is the last teenager to reach the majors for the Dodgers, and before him there was Fernando. Something about Mexican pitching prodigies, it seems.
    Who was the last teenager to make the Dodgers roster as a position player? Was it 18-year-old Willie Crawford in the 1960s? Oh wait: It was Adrian Beltre, who should have been a Dodger for life. (What was the front office thinking???)
    (Bear! Can I get some historical help here!)
    It’s hard to draft late and come up with prodigies like Connor Griffin. But Soto, Acuna, Chourio and others are international signees.
    Other teams, I suspect, might be eager to fast-track guys like De Paula and Morales, but that doesn’t seem to be the Dodgers’ way. With a roster stacked with well-paid veterans, there’s no reason to rush the young talent.
    Morales seems well-positioned to succeed Max. Meanwhile, there may be a seven-way competition to eventually succeed Teo.

    I’m sure I’m not the only LADT devotee to notice Mark’s snarky dig at James Outman, who finally got his first hits this season for the Twins. Mark’s readers will remember his habit of dissing the “lucky” Outman while heaping praise on Miguel Timm–um, Vargas. Mark had long pimped Vargas’s hitting ability–and the Dodgers brass thought so highly of Vargas that they had gift-wrapped the 2B job for him, which turned out to be a bad idea. Anyway, Mark compared them constantly. In their rookie years, when Outman slumped and Vargas briefly got hot, he likened Miguelito to Aesop’s triumphant tortoise to Outman’s hare. As it turned out, Outman finished 3rd in ROY voting and Vargas finished in Oklahoma. Many LADT readers, I suspect, find it amusing when Mark insists that he doesn’t have favorites or, presumably, non-favorites.
    Ri-i-i-ight.
    So in the spirit of comparing Outman and Vargas, I figured it was only fair to check up Miguelito.
    Turns out he’s cooled off a bit, with his BA down to .173.
    Oh well. Somebody around here likes to remind us that progress isn’t linear.
    Here’s hoping that both Outman and Vargas go on a tear and play happily ever after.

    1. It’s nice to see I still live in your head… rent free! 😉 I thought that Ray Charles could see Outman had a hole in his swing the size of the Grand Canyon.

      You did pick a day when Miggy went 2-3 with his 3rd HR. His OPS is up to .675. so he is not a complete disaster. He had a hot spring but started off very slowly. This is the year he HAS TO DELIVER.

      Outman? Once MLB has “Joey Gallowed” you, it’s over. I never said he beat up little old ladies and stole their purses. He is a great guy who just can’t play at the MLB level. That’s all! I still think he’s your brother.

      1. Who the hell is thinking about those chumps? We got Edman, Kopech & a prospect out of it so we’re way ahead.

        1. I periodically go back and look at players the Dodgers had in their farm system and traded away.

          Like Dustin May, who is now with the Cardinals, doing what Dustin May does:

          2-2; 6.98 ERA; 1.60 WHIP

          One of my favorites was Kaybear Ruiz, who is languishing at .220 with a .616 OPS (I missed on that one)

          Another one I was wrong on was Alex Verdugo, who is in the San Diego Padres organization, rehabbing a sore throwing shoulder at their spring training complex in Arizona. He signed a minor-league contract on March 1, 2026, and is expected to report to Triple-A El Paso once fully recovered.

          Colton Wong is hitting .333 for the Red Sox with a .885 OPS. Who knew?

          1. For give the English, but:

            May may have turned a corner

            First two starts:
            15.95 ERA
            3 BB
            7 K

            Last two starts:
            1.50 ERA
            1 BB
            8 K

            He’s been outstanding after a rough first two outings and it’s his stuff:

            Ten Biggest Stuff+ Gainers in 2026
            1. Emerson Hancock
            2. Dustin May
            3. Javier Assad
            4. Taj Bradley
            5. Will Warren
            6. Jimy Herget
            7. Kyle Harrison
            8. Bubba Chandler
            9. Roki Sasaki
            10. Shota Imanaga

      2. Speaking of Joey Gallo, that’s who AF traded for when he could have simply kept Outman on the ML roster–just before Outman’s stellar rookie season.
        Let’s remember that Gallo joined Vargas on the playoff bench DESPITE Miguelito’s ugly debut. AF may be a genius, but he put together a stupid bench for the playoffs that year, when Trayce Thompson wound up starting ahead of Belli.
        Mark, you insist you don’t really have favorites, but even the Dodgers brass do exactly that. How else to explain the misplaced faith in the keystone combo of Lux and Vargas when even mere fans like us knew that Lux didn’t really have the arm to be a top-tier SS? Plus, Vargas proved incompetent at 2B, not “stellar” as you once proclaimed as his chief publicist. The good news is that Miguelito’s struggles paved the way for that right fielder who took over 2B took over SS from Lux. The Betts trade even fixed that mess.
        Certainly Vargas is in a better place now. The White Sox need him.
        Right now the brass is obviously favoring Sasaki, allowing him plenty of opportunity to improve as a starter. I expect this to continue. I hope the Sasaki Project doesn’t complicate the return of Gavin Stone and River Ryan. Snell will be back in due course.
        As I write this, Wrobo is definitely solidifying his spot in the rotation. Another stellar outing–very efficient. He’s thrown 77 pitches thru six innings, including 57 strikes. One earned run and ZERO walks.
        All considered, I’m more concerned about Diaz and his “loose bodies” than Sasaki, as well as Treinen’s inconsistency.
        The Dodgers just have a bunch of rich people’s problems. The big picture remains bright and rosy.

    3. A couple of things Duke, first, you have to remember when he came up, 3 days after they traded Piazza. Fox was the new owner. He came up because Bonilla, who they had just traded for went on the IL. Although he was pretty consistent his first couple of years, his OBP was around or under .300 the next 3 years, and his OPS was below .800. The Dodgers were openly shopping him in the winter of 03 because they thought he would get fat. He was allegedly about to be traded to the Yankees to replace Boone, but they got Rodriguez instead. In 2003, he hit just .240. 04 was his contract year, 04 was also the year the Dodgers were sold to McCourt. He had his career year in 04. Who had just taken over as GM, DePodesta. There was no way McCourt could match what Seattle offered. That is what the front office was thinking. Price was too high for a one-hit wonder in their eyes. Although Beltre had a long career, he never came close to matching the year he had in 04. Yes, he is a Hall of Famer, but you have to put the period in which he played into context. That ownership was never going to bring him back. As good as he was, he was an All-Star just 4 times, he won 5 gold gloves and 4 silver slugger awards. But he was top 10 in the MVP voting just twice in 21 seasons, 04-13. That is the historical facts.

  8. On YouTube, Jomboy Media had some entertaining video about Maddux Bruns.
    As most of us know, Bruns has been a disappointement since the Dodgers used their first round draft pick for the lefty a few years back.
    Control is the problem. The video shows Bruns, pitching for Tulsa, hit a batter named Harris with a pitch to load the bases. Harris later advances to 3B with the bases loaded–and notices that Bruns isn’t paying attention to him. So he steals home. Bruns learned so much from this embarrassment that he ignored the next baserunner on 3B–and that guy stole home too.
    The next time Harris comes up, Bruns pitches him inside. Harris then appeared to remind the ump that he’d already been hit by Bruns and also stole home on him. Two more inside pitches. Then, as Bruns winds up, Harris backs a couple feet away from the plate–and Bruns still plunks him.
    Harris seemed more dismayed than angry, like WTF dude? No violence. The umps give everybody a warning….
    FWIW, the Jomboy guy semi-defended Bruns, pointing out it took years for Randy Johnson to harness his talent. But Burns sure looks like a good change-of-scenery candidate to me.

    1. That sounds like a scene out of a movie. Did that really happen or did AI make it up?

      Another candidate for a change of scenery is Ward. He belongs. But it won’t happen here.

        1. Just like Bobby Miller. Miller might emerge as one of the biggest flameouts in Dodger history. He has not been the same pitcher, not even close to what he showed that first year. And it looks like it is all mental. His stuff was always pretty good.

    2. Yes to change of scenery… From the Texas League to the Florida Complex League.

      Although he did pitch a scoreless inning yesterday. And since he was a 1st round pick, why trade him? Both he and Bobby Miller should stay with LAD because after all they were first round picks by the Dodgers..

      Bruns has two years before the Dodgers add him to the 40 man right before he becomes a MiLB free agent. Then he will have three more option years. Bobby Miller has two more option years before he needs to be added to the 26 man or be DFA.. It is possible that he will remain on the 60 day IL all year so the Dodgers do not have to waste an option year in 2026. H

      Sometimes first round picks just don’t work out. Ask Jordan Sheffield, Jerem Kendall, and Kody Hoese.

      1. Bobby Miller had a really good rookie season before his troubles started.
        I wouldn’t hug a first-round pick because he was a first-round pick. Yes, mistakes are made–but the raw talent lives on, and other teams might be able to help.
        Of course it all depends on the return. My failed blockbuster for Mason Miller could have included Bruns and Bobby Miller as mere sweeteners for the overpay.
        Right now, the Dodgers are so strong that it’s hard to find plausible trade candidates who can improve the roster. Wrobo is just wrolling along….seven innings now— And doing it at altitude.

  9. A team needs 3-4 good to great starters in the playoffs. To have our Japanese pitchers adjust to the American rotation way (whatever that is) seems silly. The Dodgers WILL make the playoffs and more than likely win the division. If the front office decides to give other starters some time during the long season a few starts off that’s their decision. If a pitcher gets blown up once or twice especially in Colorado, it happens. To trade for another starting pitcher right now is fine but not on a overpay. The Dodgers have Stone, River and perhaps Knack in their hip pocket. Looking at the whole picture the Dodgers are in a position that 29 other teams would love to be in.

    1. Padres are .5 games back. LA starts playing more games against the West as they next go to SF. But they need to beat the bad teams. Losing 2 to the Rocks is embarrassing.

  10. From Posnanski:

    Anytime you hear a baseball owner cry poor — I mean ANYTIME — you should laugh and laugh like that scene in “Hudsucker Proxy.” The Padres are not in a big market. Heck, the NFL abandoned San Diego. But it looks like the team is still going to sell for the highest price in MLB history — $1.5 billion more than Steve Cohen paid for the NEW YORK METS just six years ago.

    Here’s what I think people miss: There are only so many ultra-rich people in the world, and they’re always looking for exclusive clubs to join and outrageously expensive things to buy. Owning a Major League Baseball team is one of the great privileges in the world. You get to compete against other bajillionaires. You get to be around a fantastic sport. You get some of the biggest celebrities on earth desperate to become your friend. You get cities to bow down to you, give you every tax break imaginable, and hand you a palace like Petco Park to play in.

    Plus, if you ever get tired of it, you can sell and double — triple — quadruple your money because there will ALWAYS be ultra-rich people eager to take your place.

    We treat sports owners like deities in this country, and it’s ridiculous. We hand them championship trophies first. We give them absurd amounts of praise for simply spending some tiny portion of their riches to compete. It’s nonsensical. The Padres are about to sell for $4 billion. None of us can conceive just how much money that is. But the next team surely will sell for more. And the team after that will sell for even more. And I get it. If I were a bajillionaire, I’d buy the Padres. Then I’d hire Justin Halpern to be my special assistant to something or other, and I’d throw baseball parties with all my favorite celebrity fans (Hi, Emma Stone!), and I’d insist they wear the old classic brown Padres uniforms a lot more often. It would be fun!

    1. The Seidler family bought the Padres for $800 million dollars in 2014. They’re now selling the team for $3.9 billion dollars. This in the 30th largest media market. During the next CBA negotiations, it will be interesting to see how the owners plead poverty.

    1. Urias convicted on a misdemeanor and Bauer never convicted of any crime. There are a lot of people out there in very high places that can’t say that.

      I wonder what the players might have to say about it.

      1. Exactly the point and both served extended suspensions. I doubt LA would ever bring Bauer back, but I could see Julio in a city like LA or SD, or even Miami with such large Latino populations.

      2. The Dodgers’ clubhouse right now is like a finely tuned engine—quiet, efficient, and deadly. Dropping either guy back in is like tossing a handful of gravel into that engine:

        Maybe it still runs; or
        Maybe it starts making a noise you can’t ignore.

        Most players would go along with it professionally…

        But buy-in? That’s the currency that wins championships—and it wouldn’t come easy.

        It’s likely a risk they can’t/won’t take.

        1. Not saying they would, but several guys on the team are well enough acquainted with Julio and were with him when they won in 2020, which without his genuine outstanding work, they might not have.

  13. I have nothing to add that hasn’t been said about Roki. Right now he has 3 mediocre pitches because he can’t locate. Again, I see that has bullpen stuff in addition to the fact that he’s good for about 2 innings.
    Diaz is a great concern but thankfully Scott looks back.

    The highlite for me yesterday was Ryan Ward finally getting a chance and doing well. The pictures of his family was priceless. What a happy moment. This family looks like the salt-of-the-earth folks who have back this 28 year old forever and finally got their moment in the sun. What a beautiful and monumental day for them.
    I hope he does well and the Dodgers have a decision to make or he gets traded to a place where he can play. Personally, I’d rather see him on the Dodger bench to provide some power with the right match-ups instead go 5 utility guys or Kike .

    1. Yep, and after that he gets El Bencho because a lefty is pitching today and his splits against LHP are not good. Teo and most likely Espinal at first. LA has owned Quintana though.

    2. The one strike against Ward is that he is not a good defender. The Dodgers value that a lot.

      I think they believe that subs may not play enough to always hit well… but the Defense is always there.

  14. While we continuously watch Sasaki struggle to even reach 5 innings, shouldn’t we consider what the guys playing behind him feel and see? It’s got to be discouraging when they watch him constantly throw noncompetitive inning after inning ! They gave him a 3 run lead yesterday . I really want him to succeed, but how can the team succeed when he can’t give them no more than 3-4 innings? Not very good innings at that! Heck, , Giolito sounds like a good plan to me!

    1. Like Mark says, they really do not need that sixth starter right now, so the five should be Ohtani, Yoshu, Wrobo, Glasnow and Sheehan. Every day is one day closer to the return of Snell.

  15. After this week, the Dodgers have 4 out of the next 5 Thursdays off, so a 6-man rotation is not needed.

    Maybe they let Dryer or Klein be an opener and bring Roki in in the 2nd or 3rd inning and let him roll…

    2. That could work Mark. Let high leverage relievers face the top 6-7 once so Roki can face the bottom of the order twice/thrice. That might give him a few extra outs. Heck, he could might maybe possibly get 6 innings that way by not facing the top 6 three times. I think that’s right. You can check my math.

      Is it a bad sign we are talking about Openers in the first month of the season? Kinda feels like it.

    3. The Dodgers still have 10 consecutive days with games. Sasaki will still be needed to start against the Cubs on April 25. The way the schedule works out, LAD can stay on a 5 man rotation from there until May 6. Sheehan would be scheduled to pitch on a 5-man rotation rest on that date, or the Dodgers could put Sasaki in that start pushing everyone back a day. May 7 is an off day, so the team could empty the bullpen if needed. That would allow Sasaki to miss one start after his April 25 start.

      The Dodgers embark on another 13 consecutive game run on the schedule, and that could give Sasaki another two potential starts, May 13 (at home vs Giants) and May 19 (away vs Padres). Snell could conceivably be back in the rotation on what would be Sasaki’s next start, May 26 (at home vs Rockies).

      Sasaki is a 3 pitch pitcher, making him ideal for a reliever. Sasaki’s average 4-seam velo is 97 putting him in the 87th percentile. That is 0.9 MPH uptick from last year. So it is not his velo. Sasaki’s problem is that his 4-seamer has very little movement. His vertical break is well below average, and that can work once through the lineup. His problems rise with the second time through. Consider him an opener until Snell gets back. What difference does it make to a bullpen if it is Sasaki, or Dreyer, or Klein as the opener? An opener is an opener.

      I cannot see the Dodgers making any changes in Sasaki’s status as a SP until that May 26 date. Let’s see where he is at on May 26. It would have been different had River Ryan or Gavin Stone been available to start, but they are not.

      1. I acually like the idea of an opener for him. Dreyer for two then bring in Roli?

  16. Dodgers’ depth is being tested early. Remember, they got off to a hot start last season and then went cold. Consistency is the key. The Padres real depth is their bullpen. It is a lock down crew. Last night King totally shut down the Angels lineup as a starter.

    1. I’m begrudgungly admitting the Padres are to be taken seriously.

      Doesn’t change the fact they’ve never won anything.

      1. Brian, there is always a first time, and they did make it to one World Series in 84, of course, they were steamrolled by the Tigers, who were just unreal that year.

  17. Edwin Diaz to the 15 Day IL with loose bodies in his elbow. Los Angeles Dodgers recalled LHP Jake Eder from Oklahoma City Comets.

    2. From AI:

      For an MLB pitcher, “loose bodies”—fragments of bone or cartilage that break off and float within the joint—are typically treated through arthroscopic surgery to “clean out” the elbow joint.

      The primary remedies include:
      1. Surgical Removal (Arthroscopy)
      This is the most common definitive treatment for professional athletes.
      Procedure: A surgeon uses minimally invasive incisions to insert a camera (arthroscope) and specialized tools to remove the fragments.
      Debridement: Along with removing loose bodies, surgeons often “shave down” bone spurs (osteophytes) that may be contributing to the irritation.
      Recovery Time: For a standard “clean-out” without ligament repair, a pitcher can typically return to the mound in 6 to 8 weeks.

      In some cases, especially if symptoms are mild or occur mid-season, a pitcher may attempt to manage the condition without immediate surgery:
      Rest and Ice: Taking a break from throwing to allow inflammation to subside.

      Medication: Using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or receiving cortisone injections to manage pain and swelling.

      Physical Therapy: Focusing on strengthening the muscles around the elbow to improve joint stability and range of motion.

      1. I had the same thing at quarterback my senior year. I could not throw a football. It was painful. Had to switch to running back. He will be out a while.

  18. 8:40 PM ET

    Dodgers (15-6)
    Rockies (9-13)

    SP Justin Wrobleski L
    2-0 2.12 ERA
    SP Jose Quintana L
    0-1 5.63 ERA

    Confirmed Lineup
    DH S. Ohtani L
    RF Alex Call R
    C Will Smith R
    LF T. Hernandez R
    CF Andy Pages R
    SS Miguel Rojas R
    3B Max Muncy L
    2B S. Espinal R
    1B D. Rushing L

    78° Wind 7 mph R-L

  19. The latest controversy about its unfair the Dodgers are able to, have 14 pitchers because of Ohtani. Bowden was on his soap box this morning on the mlb network on Sirius radio. Craig Counsell said it’s a bizarre rule to the associated press. It’s kind of funny but it also lazy to nitpick at everything the Dodgers do. It’s not the fault of the Dodgers for the Ohtani rule, MLB put that in place when he was with the Angels.

    It sucks about Diaz, but if Scott steps up and holds things down until August. Diaz and Phillips should be back as 2 big deadline additions. He should also be rested for October.

  20. Middle of the lineup, Smith, Hernandez and Pages, just 1-12 tonight so far. Rojas and Muncy have 6 of the teams 10 hits. Max’ s BA up to .293 and he leads the team with 7 homers. He is 1 back of the league leaders and Rushing hit #6, putting him ahead of Ohtani.

  21. Muncy 4-4 with 2 bombs. Now tied for league lead with 8. Max not hitting .303. Rojas at .383. Rushing just hit his 2nd of the night, LA has 5 bombs. Rushing’s 7th.

Comments are closed.