OKC Comets 9 – Reno Aces 8
LHSP Charlie Barnes started and gave up a 2-run HR to top prospect Ryan Waldschmidt, who had a good but brief run with Arizona early in the year.
OKC scored the next 9 runs and then had to hold on for the 1 run win.
OKC put up 6 in the 3rd. With one out C Griffin Lockwood-Powell singled and SS Noah Miller doubled (10) scoring GLP. 1B James Tibbs III singled with Miller scoring. CF Zach Ehrhard reached on a fielding error with JTIII to 2nd. RF Jack Suwinski drew a BB to load the bases. 2B Austin Gauthier followed with a grand slam HR (3).
OKC scored 3 more in the 5th. Gauthier and DH Hyeseong Kim drew BB. 3B Taylor Young doubled (3) to score Gauthier. GLP singled to score Kim. After Miller forced GLP at 2B, he scored on JTIII’s double (18).
Barnes faced 1 over the minimum from the 2nd thru the 5th. In the 6th, Barnes got the first batter out, but then as it so often innocently happens, he walked the next batter. After a K, Barnes walked the next batter. One run scored on a single, and another on a fielding error. A single and double followed. RHRP Chayce McDermott got the final out without any further runs. The score is now 9-7.
McDermott loaded the bases in the 7th with no outs with 2 walks and a single. The next batter GIDP and the 8th run scored. RHRP Evan Phillips was summoned to relieve McDermott. He struck out the next batter to end the inning.
RHRP Jerming Rosario and RHRP Paul Gervase pitched a scoreless 8th and 9th with Gervase getting his 2nd save.
In the game, Barnes completed 5.2 IP, 7 runs (3 earned), 3 BB, 3 K.
Hyeseong Kim had a very encouraging game with 3 BB.
I am starting to get Hunter Feduccia vibes with GLP.
- James Tibbs III – 2-4, 2 BB, 1 run, 2 RBI, double (18)
- Taylor Young – 2-4. 1 HBP, 1 RBI, double (3)
- Griffin Lockwood-Powell – 2-4, 1 HBP, 1 run, 1 RBI
- Noah Miller – 2-4, 1 BB, 2 runs, 1 RBI, double (10)
- Austin Gauthier – 1-3, 2 BB, 2 runs, 4 RBI, HR (3)
- Ryan Fitzgerald – 1-5, 1 BB, double (19)
Tulsa Drillers 3 – Corpus Christi Hooks 2
This was a 0-0 game through 5. Newly promoted 21 year old RHSP Christian Zazueta was making his AA debut. He was brilliant. 5.0 scoreless IP, 1 broken bat single (thrown out attempting to steal), 2 HBP, 0 BB, and 8 K.
The announcers were not very good at describing pitches. It looked to me that he had two fastballs. His 4-seamer had good induced vertical break up, sat at 94-95, and peaked at 97. He also looked like he had a sinker with good late movement down. His changeup had depth and late life, but it was up in the zone way too much. It will get hit at higher levels. His slider had arm side run, but not a lot of break. He had good command all night, even with his 2 HBP on RH batters a on the plate. The 2nd HBP was a breaking ball about 85. It looked to be between a curve and slider. Not tight enough or enough sharp break for a slider.
The Hooks were running wild on Tulsa the first two games. Zazueta has a good quick throw over to 1B. He holds the runner close to the bag, and on an attempted SB, the runner was thrown out easily. Zazueta also picked off a runner at 1B. All around excellent game by Zazueta, but also things to work on. He has a very good foundation to build from.
Rick Honeycutt was in the Tulsa dugout all night. I would love to read his scouting report write up.
Zazueta was pulled after 5, and LHRP Wyatt Crowell took over. He retired the first batter on a good play by Crowell on a bunt. But then 2 singles and 2 BB and the Hooks had a 1-0 lead.
A lead off walk led to a run in the 8th for CC.
Tulsa was held scoreless with 2 singles until 1 out in the 8th. CF Mike Sirota, who had already walked twice and was HBP to push his streak of reaching base safely to 61 games, crushed a solo HR (5).
Crowell retired the Hooks in the 9th, but with some traffic.
On to the bottom of the 9th. On the 1st pitch, LF Kole Myers hit a solo HR to tie the game. C Frank Rodrigues singled and 1B Joe Vetrano followed with a BB. 2B Jose Izarra laid down a perfect sac bunt. RF Josue De Paula was at the plate, and on the 2nd pitch, the pitcher threw a WP for the walkoff win.
In 31 games for Tulsa, Sirota’s OBP is .479 after getting a .478 OBP in 30 games for Great Lakes. He reached base all 4 times and his HR was the lone XBH. No Drillers hitter had a multi-hit game.
Great Lakes Loons 2 – Lansing Lugnuts (A’s) 0
LHSP Jakob Wright had his best start in more than a month. Wright pitched 5.2 scoreless innings, 1 hit, 3 BB, and 3 K. Wright got two quick outs in the 6th, walked the next batter, and was relieved by RHRP Davis Chastain. This was a good start for Wright.
In the 5th, Great Lakes broke the 0-0 tie. C Chase Adkison opened the inning with a single. CF Charles Davalan forced Adkison at 2nd but reached 1st. Davalan moved to 2nd on a ground ball out and scored when 2B Logan Wagner singled.
After getting the final out in the 6th, Chastain pitched 2 more scoreless innings.
The score remained 1-0 into the 9th when 1B Eduardo Guerrero homered (2) leading off the inning for a 2-0 lead.
RHRP Dilan Figueredo entered the 9th with a save opportunity. He left the game with his 2nd save.
- Eduardo Guerrero – 3-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, HR (2)
- Chase Adkison – 2-4
Ontario Tower Buzzers 6 – Visalia Rawhide (Dbacks) 2
RHSP Brady Smith pitched the game of his professional life. He had not pitched more than 4.0 innings all year. But tonight he pitched 6.0 scoreless innings allowing just 1 hit. He did not walk a batter and registered a career high 11 K.
Ontario took a 1-0 lead after 2 batters. DH Joendry Vargas doubled (16), moved to 3rd on SS Mairo Martinus single. Vargas stole home as the lead runner on a double steal.
The score stayed 1-0 until the bottom of the 8th. After a brilliant start by Smith, Ontario turned it over to the bullpen, and that is always an adventure. RHRP Luis Carias retired the side in order in the 7th. But in the 8th, a leadoff walk, single, sac bunt, and walk loaded the bases. Visalia then hit a RBI single to tie the game before getting out of the inning on a GIDP.
Neither team scored in the 9th.
In the 10th, Ontario exploded for 5 runs. C Conner O’Neal started the inning at 2B. After an out, 2B Javier Herrera reached on an E4 with O’Neal scoring. Vargas singled, and Martinus hit a 3-run HR (7). RF Ching-Hsien Ko followed with a solo HR (11).
Carias continued for the 4th inning in the 10th and allowed an unearned run before getting the final out. Carias got the win and blown save.
- Joendry Vargas – 3-5, 2 runs, double (16)
- Mairo Martinus – 4-5, 1 run, 3 RBI, HR (7)
- Easton Shelton – 2-4, double (14)
- Ching-Hsien Ko – 1-4, 1 BB, 1 run, 1 RBI, HR (7)
ACL Angels 10 – ACL Dodgers 9
ACL Dodgers took a 9-5 lead into the bottom of the 9th, but that was not enough. LHRP Michael Ramirez faced 8 batters and did not record an out. 4 hits and 4 BB scored 5 runs for the walkoff win.
- DH Moises Bolivar – 3-5, 1 run double (5)
- SS Sam Mongelli – 2-3, 2 RBI, double 1 – on rehab assignment
- RF Jose Gonzalez – 1-3, 2 BB, 1 run, 3 RBI, double (7)
DSL Rays 13 – DSL LAD Bautista 5
CF Rubel Arias – 2-4, 1 BB, 1 RBI
DH Haram Hernandez – 2-5, 2 RBI, double (5)
SS Ezequiel Melburne – 1-4, 1 BB, 1 RBI, double (5)
LAD Baustista allowed 8 unearned runs, and 13 BB.
DSL LAD Mega 4 – DSL Tampa Bay 2 – Suspended after 3+ innings
Discussion (62)
Disagree, not disagreeable
I have a solution. Only let Sasaki pitch at home. Only let Tucker hit on the road. Trade for a starting pitcher ASAP and a catcher who can actually hit.
Well Sasaki managed to survive only to have the bullpen, rather Hernandez seal the win for the Pads in the 8th with 4 runs. I think he is going to get DFAd. ASAP, Teo about ready. Hit his 3rd homer for OKC tonight a 2-run shot.
Another horrible 0-2 pitch by Sasaki. Just so frustrating! He is his own worst enemy. Will this kid ever figure it out?
KC ouch!!
Per Ardaya:
Sources to me and @katiejwoo: Dodgers pitching prospect River Ryan is going on the minor league IL with a hamstring issue. Missed time earlier in OKC’s season with hamstring trouble and had his start skipped this week.
9:45 PM ET APPLE TV
Dodgers (52-29)
Padres (42-37)
SP Roki Sasaki R
3-4 4.76 ERA
SP Walker Buehler R
4-3 3.96 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
DH S. Ohtani L
CF Andy Pages R
1B F. Freeman L
SS Mookie Betts R
3B Max Muncy L
RF Kyle Tucker L
LF Tommy Edman S
C D. Rushing L
2B A. Freeland S
68° Wind 8 mph Out
I feel absolutely awful for the Brewers.
First the Mets steal their GM, then the Cubs steal their manager.
Now the small market Brewers are left to wander aimlessly through every season while the Mets and Cubs battle to see who will represent the NL in the World Series.
Rumors circulating on NY Sports radio stations that claims that Albert Pujols, really wants to be the New York Mets‘ next full-time manager next year. The first move that needs to be made right now is to fire Stearns for the PURE GARBAGE team he’s put together.
I apologize if I am repeating something that has already been discussed here but I a reading a 2025 book by Scott Miller called “Skipper – Why Baseball Managers Matter”.
There is a chapter called “Tangled Up In Dodger Blue” that is very flattering to Doc.
It offers a snap-shot of the daily demands of a modern day manager and all of the interactions and tasks demanded of Doc. And how well he handles it all.
It offers an inside look behind the Skippers door and is worth the read.
Friday’s Dodger Affiliates” Schedule
4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Sean Patick) at Lansing (Zane Taylor)
5:00 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Adam Serwinowski) vs. Corpus Christi (Cole Hertzler)
6:35 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Cole Irvin) at Reno (Brandon Pfaadt)
6:35 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) at Visalia (Chung-Hsiang Huang)
If Emmet Sheehan pitches poorly in his next start (Sunday), I could see him being sent back to OKC to “clean up” his delivery.
On River Ryan: At this point, the silence by the Dodgers is almost as noteworthy as the missed start. If this were simply “extra rest,” I’d expect someone like Sonja Chen, Fabian Ardaya, Jack Harris, or Dave Roberts to have said so by now.
Instead, we’re getting nothing. That leads me to think there is probably a minor physical issue the club is evaluating. It could be: a recurrence of the hamstring strain, shoulder or back tightness, general fatigue after his workload increase, or another issue they don’t yet consider significant enough to announce.
The encouraging part is that there have still been no reports of elbow soreness or a UCL problem, which is the biggest concern for any pitcher returning from Tommy John surgery. Instead, we get Crickets.
I got a call back from the Loons GM, and it is a go for the games in Ft. Wayne. He was fine with me interviewing the bus driver. He gave me some very interesting information on how the Dodgers treat their Minor Leaguers which I think you will find amazing! I am working on a blog about it.
All this and the only Dodger hitting above expectations is Muncy. Scary thing is Dodgers could have an even better second half with Diaz, Snell and Glasnow coming back. The only competition Dodgers have is health.
From Houston Mitchell:
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. We are exactly halfway through the Dodgers season and they are 52-29. The newsletter mathematician is out sick, but I think that works out as being on pace for a 104-58 record this year.
Remember a few weeks ago when the Dodgers were slumping a bit? They had lost four in a row and had dropped into second place behind the San Diego Padres? Well, the Dodgers have the best record in baseball now and are in first place by nine games over the Padres.
They are headed to Petco Park to start a three-game series tonight, with a chance to bury the Padres this weekend, or, let the Padres get within shouting distance again.
So, with 81 games to go, here’s a look at the top two teams in the NL West:
Record
Dodgers, 52-29
Padres, 42-37
Batting average
Dodgers, .262 (1st among the 30 teams)
Padres, .220 (30th)
On-base%
Dodgers, .345 (1st)
Padres, .294 (30th)
Slugging%
Dodgers, .438 (1st)
Padres, .364 (30th)
Runs per game
Dodgers, 5.22 (2nd)
Padres, 3.91 (30th)
Doubles
Dodgers, 137 (7th)
Padres, 113 (T24th)
Home runs
Dodgers, 109 (3rd)
Padres, 81 (T22nd)
Batting avg. with runners in scoring position
Dodgers, .265 (7th)
Padres, .247 (15th)
Batting avg., two out and runners in scoring position
Dodgers, .242 (9th)
Padres, .238 (12th)
Well, there goes the theory that the Dodgers are a poor clutch-hitting team.
ERA
Dodgers, 3.40 (3rd)
Padres, 3.85 (9th)
Rotation ERA
Dodgers, 3.25 (2nd)
Padres, 4.50 (23rd)
Bullpen ERA
Padres, 3.12 (2nd)
Dodgers, 3.68 (10th)
The Dodgers are in the top 10 in everything, while the Padres are in the bottom 10 in a lot of things. It’s amazing they are in second place with an offense that bad,
Now let’s look at the lineups.
Catcher
Dodgers, Will Smith, .249/.338/.382, 102 OPS+
Padres, Freddy Fermin, .145/.245/.258, 41 OPS+
Smith is having an off year by his standards, while Fermin is having an off year by living person standards. His backup, Rodolfo Durán, is hitting .136/.239/.339
First base
Dodgers, Freddie Freeman, .282/.372/.486, 139 OPS+
Padres, Ty France, .252/.297/.485, 115 OPS+
Freeman just keeps chugging along. He is in the top 100 in major league history in hits, runs, doubles, homers, RBIs and walks. He is the active leader in times reached base with 3,741. He’s 36, and next year he will really start rocketing up the career lists as a lot of players are tightly bunched just ahead of him. France is 31, and next year he has a really good shot at being 32.
Second base
Dodgers, Alex Freeland, .241/.324/.340, 87 OPS+
Padres, Fernando Tatís Jr., .283/.347/.367, 101 OPS+
Freeland is the worst hitter among the starters, and he isn’t that bad. Tatis hit 25 homers last season and has three this season, as the Padres have lost all their power this season for some reason. Normally, Jake Cronenworth starts at second for the Padres, but he has been on the IL since May 5 because of concussion symptoms and was hitting only .144 in 34 games before that.
Third base
Dodgers, Max Muncy, .266/.365/.508, 142 OPS+
Padres, Manny Machado, .184/.267/.378, 79 OPS+
You know what you never hear anymore? This: “The Dodgers need to move on from Muncy at third.” Muncy has been their most consistent hitter and has worked hard to improve defensively. Meanwhile, everyone would like to know what happened to Machado, who has been terrible this season and at one point seemed to blame analytics for his slump. He had a walk-off hit Tuesday and seems to be emerging from his doldrums, hitting .259/.339/.556 since June 9.
Shortstop
Dodgers, Mookie Betts, .230/.290/.415
Padres, Xander Bogaerts, .230/.321/.337
Speaking of season-long slumps, hi Mookie! He is also showing signs of life, hitting .317/.358/.524 since June 9 and lifting his numbers to where they are better than Bogaerts’.
Left field
Dodgers, Teoscar Hernández, .276/.348/.436, 119 OPS+
Padres, Samad Taylor, .379/.438/.448, 150 OPS+
Hernández should be back off the IL soon, and Alex Call has filled in quite well in his place. The Padres have played better since calling Taylor up from the minors a couple of weeks ago. His lofty numbers will probably drop (he has had only 66 plate appearances), but his speed has been a spark for San Diego. He replaced normal left fielder Ramón Laureano, who is probably out for the season after hip surgery.
Center field
Dodgers, Andy Pages, .266/.318/.474, 119 OPS+
Padres, Jackson Merrill, .212/.274/.352, 74 OPS+
Pages has been the linchpin of the offense pretty much all season and it’s nice to see a player shake off a brutal postseason on offense by rebounding this year. Merrill is one of many Padres who are mysteriously slumping this season. He hit .264/.317/.457 last season.
Right field
Dodgers, Kyle Tucker, .234/.333/.374, 98 OPS+
Padres, Jase Bowen, .133/.138/.167, 1 OPS+
Tucker would have been great if he was working under the same contract Michael Conforto had last season. Dodgers fans would be pleased with that production for that pay ($17 million). Instead, he’s getting $60 million for league-average production. Bowen has had only 32 plate appearances, and Tatís will move back here once Cronenworth is able to return to second base.
Designated hitter
Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani, .295/.414./.549, 168 OPS+
Padres, Miguel Andujar, .246/.283/.405, 90 OPS+
Ohtani is the best player in the game, while the Padres seem confused as the what a DH is supposed to do. Hint: the word “hitter” is right there in the job title.
Starting pitchers (in order of IP)
Dodgers
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 7-5, 2.65 ERA
Justin Wrobleski, 9-2, 2.71 ERA
Shohei Ohtani, 8-2, 1.58 ERA
Roki Sasaki, 3-4, 4.76 ERA
Emmet Sheehan, 3-5, 5.32 ERA
Eric Lauer, 2-0, 2.54 ERA
Padres
Michael King, 5-6, 3.33 ERA
Randy Vásquez, 6-5, 4.17 ERA
Walker Buehler, 4-3, 3.96 ERA
Griffin Canning, 1-5, 7.38 ERA
Lucas Giolito, 2-3, 5.16 ERA
The Dodgers have one weak spot right now in Sheehan. The Padres just put Giolito on the IL and have been using openers quite a bit lately. It’s nice to see Buehler become a productive pitcher again.
Closer
Dodgers, Tanner Scott, 1-3, 2.18 ERA, 11 saves
Padres, Mason Miller, 2-1, 0.79 ERA, 21 saves
Scott has been good this year, but Miller is the best closer in baseball and has given up only 14 hits and 13 walks in 34 innings, while striking out 66.
Relievers (six most-used, in order of IP)
Dodgers
Edgardo Henriquez, 2-0, 2.93 ERA
Will Klein, 2-2, 2.59 ERA, 1 save
Jack Dreyer, 3-1, 3.82 ERA
Alex Vesia, 1-1, 2.39 ERA, 3 saves
Kyle Hurt, 2-1, 3.42 ERA, 1 save
Blake Treinen, 4-1, 3.52 ERA, 1 save
Padres
Adrián Morejón, 6-1, 3.51 ERA, 1 save
Wandy Peralta, 1-0, 1.82 ERA
Jason Adam, 2-1, 2.45 ERA
Ron Marinaccio, 1-0, 3.72 ERA
Yuki Matsui, 0-1, 1.67 ERA
Kyle Hart, 0-1, 4.13 ERA
It seems unlikely that the Padres will fade quietly into the night, especially if Machado and Tatís start hitting.
Milestone for Mookie
Betts hit the 300th home run of his career Wednesday against the Twins, becoming only the 169th player to reach that mark. He is tied with Chuck Klein and one behind the great Rogers Hornsby. He is 14 behind for Dodger Reggie Smith and 16 behind former Dodger Ron Cey.
Mets Fire Manager Carlos Mendoza
“The Mets’ disastrous season has apparently reached a tipping point. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that the team has fired manager Carlos Mendoza. Former Padres skipper Andy Green, who’d been with the club in a player development role, will step in as interim manager for the remainder of the season. The team announced the switch a few minutes after Heyman’s initial report”.
The owner in Steve Cohen has the deepest pockets in baseball and a team that failed to make the playoffs in 2025 and one of the worst records this year. Money doesn’t always matter.
FCI talk. It’s from 2025. 2026 is no doubt even higher:
https://bookies.com/mlb/picks/the-cost-of-attending-mlb-game-2025
Dodgers can charge fans what other teams can’t. This organization has so many advantages. And why? $
Kim with 3 BB, but an OPS below .700 in AAA. Guess maybe I was wrong about him.
Who’s Taylor Young and how is his OPS’n over 1.000 at AAA. Yes, small sample, but…
Among those pitchers only River Ryan is listed as a top prospect in MLB, though Zazueta and Ferris show up on the Dodgers Top 10 list. Will this change going forward?
Where is the hole in Sirota’s swing? You know there is one and ML pitchers will find it.
I’ve been reading up on the construction, and restrictions, on bats used from teenage travel ball to the Major Leagues. Interesting read. I think some changes to bat restrictions can help put balls in play without affecting safety of players. More on that later maybe.
Everybody ok with Rushing now?
Speaking of that, interesting video on “who on this team is the guy you most don’t want to sit next to on the plane.”
Ol Friend Buehler tonight. Apple TV.
So ill watch it in the AM. Even with Apple TV if you have MLB.TV you can watch it after the game ends.
I wont check the score and will watch early Saturday AM.
Its SD”s world series….
I hope we don’t burn Jeff out. He puts a lot into this every day. I truly appreciate what he does… and he does it much better than anyone… anywhere! BRAVO!
Don’t look now, but Sirota has 12 HR to DePaula’s 13 HR this year… in about 50 fewer ABs. I think both will be ready for AAA by July.
Zazueta may break the Top 100 by year’s end if he keeps this up. I like his mojo.
Mookie has his BA up to .230. His OPS is now .705.
Jeff you are simply the best at this. Great stuff about the kids in the system. USA gets beat by Turkey in a game that means nothing. But the coach found out a lot about his second stringers. Pads on a 3-game winning streak. LA can put them behind by double digits this weekend. Tonight’s game is on Apple +. Pitching matchups: Tonight, Sasaki vs Buehler, Sat Yoshi vs Vasquez, Sun Sheehan vs King.