The Winds of Change
This version of LA Dodger Talk has been around for close to ten years. It’s time to retire it. In the next couple of weeks, the NEW & IMPROVED VERSION of LADT will appear. Hopefully, it will be free of glitches and downtime, but if you wake up some day and we are gone, be patient – we will be back. Here’s a sneak peek of it: Be patient, but…
This version of LA Dodger Talk has been around for close to ten years. It’s time to retire it. In the next couple of weeks, the NEW & IMPROVED VERSION of LADT will appear. Hopefully, it will be free of glitches and downtime, but if you wake up some day and we are gone, be patient – we will be back. Here’s a sneak peek of it:
Be patient, but the wait will be worth it. There will be a new membership fee of $1,999 per reader, but seriously folks, it will be free and only have a sponsor – US Water Systems. No Ads! BANG!
Rants & Raves
- In my opinion, Dalton Rushing is a pretty good defensive catcher. Not great… but decent! Give him time… Will Smith is elite, in case you were wondering, but I believe he is starting to show the wear and tear of playing his position. Dalton is the future, and he will get better defensively. He might be a monster offensively!
- In 2028, is it possible that Shohei could move to 1B? Of course, he could… will he? That way, Will and Dalton could share C and DH. Tell me that’s crazy. At 6′ 4″, Ohtani would be a nice target at 1B.
- I can see the Dodgers trading for a top-tier shortstop and moving Mookie to 2B. What kind of package would it take to get Bobby Whitt Jr.? Probably not possible… but there are others.
- Edman and Freeland become the superutility guys next year.
- Teoscar is gone after this year. The only question is who takes his place? DePaula or Sirota?
- I think it’s more likely that Justin Turner will turn up as the manager of Ontario or Tulsa next year than at Dodger Stadium.
- Even Phillips velocity is fine… he just needs to regain his “feel” and control.
- Never speak of last night’s game again.
Welcome to the clunky version of LADT Minor League Report, by Mark Timmons and his AI Bot:
Oklahoma City Comets 10, El Paso Chihuahuas 5
The Oklahoma City Comets broke out the heavy lumber Friday night, collecting 13 hits, including eight for extra bases, in a 10-5 victory over the El Paso Chihuahuas at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.
Oklahoma City wasted no time taking control. Austin Gauthier and Jack Suwinski delivered run-scoring doubles during a three-run first inning, giving starting pitcher Christian Romero an immediate cushion.
El Paso’s Nick Pratto answered with a solo home run in the second, but the Chihuahuas never seriously threatened the lead. The Comets blew the game open with four runs in the fifth inning, with Griffin Lockwood-Powell providing the biggest blow on a two-run single.
Ryan Ward continued the assault with a solo home run in the sixth. Alek Thomas added another solo shot in the seventh, and Suwinski followed with an RBI double that stretched Oklahoma City’s lead to 10-2.
El Paso scored three runs with two outs in the ninth inning, making the final score slightly more respectable, but the outcome had long since been tucked into bed.
Offensive Stars
Ryan Ward had a monster night, going 4-for-5 with two doubles, a home run and three runs scored. It was his second four-hit game of the season.
Jack Suwinski doubled twice and drove in four runs, matching his season high in RBIs for the third time.
Alek Thomas went 2-for-4 with a home run. Thomas has now driven in at least one run in six consecutive games, producing 10 RBIs during that stretch. Over his last 14 games, he is batting .365 with six doubles, three homers, 14 RBIs and seven walks.
Romero Returns to the Rotation
Christian Romero made his first start since June 18 and delivered 5⅓ strong innings. He allowed one run on six hits, walked one and struck out five while improving his record to 8-2.
Romero has allowed only three runs over his last four appearances, covering 19⅔ innings.
Game Notes
The Comets have won three consecutive games and lead the six-game series, 3-1. Oklahoma City improved to 50-40 overall and matched its season-best mark of 10 games above .500.
It was the Comets’ first double-digit scoring performance since June 28 and their first at home since scoring 12 runs against Salt Lake on May 6.
Comets Player of the Game: Ryan Ward
Pitching Star: Christian Romero
Final: Oklahoma City 10, El Paso 5
Tulsa Drillers 7, Springfield Cardinals 5
The Tulsa Drillers erased a three-run deficit with a four-run seventh inning and defeated the Springfield Cardinals 7-5 Friday night at ONEOK Field.
Tulsa trailed 5-2 after six innings before scoring five unanswered runs. The comeback victory kept the Drillers alone atop the Texas League North Division and marked the 33rd time this season they have rallied from behind to win. Tulsa improved to 11-5 in the second half, one game ahead of Springfield at 10-6.
Cardinals Build an Early Lead
Springfield opened the scoring in the second inning after a fly ball glanced off center fielder Kendall George’s glove for a two-base error. Brody Moore followed with a sacrifice fly to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.
The Drillers answered with two outs in the bottom of the inning. Jose Izarra singled, stole second and scored when George lined an RBI single into left field.
Springfield moved back in front in the third. Ryan Campos hit a ground-rule double before Deniel Ortiz delivered a two-out, two-run single, giving the Cardinals a 3-1 advantage.
Jake Gelof responded in the bottom of the inning with a towering solo home run over the left-field fence. It was Gelof’s 17th homer of the season and reduced Tulsa’s deficit to 3-2.
Rainiel Rodriguez restored Springfield’s three-run lead in the fourth with an opposite-field, two-run homer, his eighth Double-A home run of the season.
Tulsa Erupts in the Seventh
The Drillers’ game-changing rally began with one out in the seventh when Izarra walked and George singled.
Josue De Paula doubled into left field to bring home Izarra and make it 5-3. After the second out, Zyhir Hope lined a two-run single that scored George and De Paula, tying the game at 5-5.
Hope then stole second, and Gelof drew a walk. Kyle Nevin followed with a slow chopper up the third-base line. Springfield reliever Andrew Schultz fielded the ball, but his hurried throw sailed wide of first base, allowing Hope to score the go-ahead run.
The entire rally came with one out, and three of the four runs crossed the plate with two outs.
De Paula Provides Insurance
Tulsa survived a dangerous Springfield threat in the eighth despite committing two errors.
Won-Bin Cho reached third with one out, but he was caught in a rundown attempting to score when a wild pitch ricocheted directly back toward catcher Frank Rodriguez. Reliever Lucas Wepf then struck out Tre Richardson III to strand another runner at third and preserve the 6-5 lead.
George created an insurance run in the bottom of the inning by drawing a two-out walk and stealing second. De Paula followed with a line-drive single into center field, scoring George and extending the lead to 7-5.
De Paula finished with three hits, including a double, and drove in two runs.
Bullpen Slams the Door
Evan Shaw kept Tulsa within striking distance by pitching three hitless, scoreless innings in relief. Shaw walked two and struck out four, earning the victory and improving to 2-1.
Antonio Knowles retired Springfield in order in the ninth to record his second save. Knowles has allowed a run in only one of his first 13 appearances with Tulsa and owns a 1.13 ERA through 16 innings.
Drillers starter Carson Hobbs, making only the second start of his professional career, allowed one hit and one unearned run over two innings.
Prospect Notes
Zyhir Hope drove in two runs with his game-tying seventh-inning single, increasing his Texas League-leading total to 80 RBIs in 80 games. Through nine July games, Hope is batting .474 with six home runs and 21 RBIs.
Josue De Paula collected three hits, drove in two runs and scored during Tulsa’s four-run seventh-inning rally.
Mike Sirota was hit by a pitch in the first inning, extending his on-base streak to 72 consecutive games. Sirota has reached safely in all 42 games since joining Tulsa after reaching in his final 30 games with Great Lakes. It is the longest single-season on-base streak in Minor League Baseball since Andrew Velazquez reached in 74 straight games in 2014.
Sirota and De Paula will now travel to Philadelphia to participate in Sunday’s All-Star Futures Game.
Game Notes
The Drillers have won three of the first four games in the series, rallying from behind in all three victories.
Only one run separates the teams through the first four games. Tulsa has outscored Springfield 24-23.
Drillers Player of the Game: Josue De Paula
Clutch Hit: Zyhir Hope’s two-run, game-tying single
Pitching Star: Evan Shaw
Final: Tulsa 7, Springfield 5
Dayton Dragons 7, Great Lakes Loons 5
The Great Lakes Loons kept answering every Dayton challenge Friday night, but the Dragons finally landed the decisive blow with two runs in the eighth inning and defeated Great Lakes 7-5 at Dow Diamond.
Great Lakes came back to tie the game three separate times, but Peyton Stovall’s two-run single in the eighth proved to be the difference. The loss snapped the Loons’ three-game winning streak, although Great Lakes still leads the six-game series, three games to one.
Dragons Strike First
Dayton opened the scoring in the first inning when its first three hitters reached safely. Jacob Friend followed with a run-scoring fielder’s choice to give the Dragons a 1-0 lead.
Mason Neville doubled the margin in the third by launching a 112-mph solo home run to right field. It was Neville’s fourth homer with Dayton and his 13th of the season in the Cincinnati organization.
Morales Leads the First Comeback
Great Lakes tied the game with two runs in the fourth inning.
Emil Morales supplied the key hit, ripping an RBI double down the right-field line. Morales continued his torrid July and has now driven in at least one run in 10 of his last 11 games.
The tie did not last long. Neville walked to begin the fifth before Stovall hit a two-run homer to right, putting Dayton back in front, 4-2. It was Stovall’s eighth home run of the season.
Loons Keep Answering
Samuel Muñoz helped Great Lakes trim the deficit in the bottom of the fifth. Muñoz reached base and scored when Victor Rodrigues doubled, making it a 4-3 game.
Chase Harlan tied the game in the sixth with a booming solo home run to left field. The 390-foot shot left his bat at 109 mph and was his third homer in his first 13 High-A games. It also extended Great Lakes’ team home-run streak to 15 consecutive games.
Dayton reclaimed the lead in the seventh when Neville doubled and eventually scored on a wild pitch.
Once again, the Loons responded. Morales beat out an infield single up the third-base line to drive in the tying run, evening the score at 5-5. Morales accounted for both of Great Lakes’ hits with runners in scoring position.
Walks Open the Door
The game finally tilted toward Dayton in the eighth inning.
Three consecutive Dragons drew one-out walks to load the bases. Stovall then lined a single into center field, driving in two runs and giving Dayton a 7-5 lead.
Stovall finished 4-for-4 with a home run, four RBIs and a walk, reaching base in all five of his plate appearances.
Hodgdon Silences the Loons
Dayton reliever Trent Hodgdon entered in the bottom of the eighth and retired all six hitters he faced.
Hodgdon struck out four over two perfect innings to earn his fifth save and prevent Great Lakes from mounting one final comeback.
Prospect Notes
Emil Morales produced both Great Lakes hits with runners in scoring position, driving in runs with a fourth-inning double and seventh-inning infield single. The 19-year-old owns a 1.205 OPS through his first eight games in July.
Chase Harlan hit his third High-A home run, a 390-foot shot with a 109-mph exit velocity. It was his first home run at Dow Diamond.
Samuel Muñoz reached base three times, scored twice and stole a base.
Victor Rodrigues doubled home Muñoz in the fifth inning.
Pitching Notes
Great Lakes pitchers combined for 17 strikeouts, one shy of the team’s season high.
Starter Brooks Auger struck out eight over 4⅓ innings. Robby Porco was charged with the loss, falling to 3-1.
Game Notes
Great Lakes fell to 49-33 overall and 13-5 in the second half.
The Loons, playing as the Great Lakes Pontooners for the evening, still hold a three-games-to-one lead in the series.
Loons Player of the Game: Emil Morales
Biggest Blast: Chase Harlan’s game-tying home run
Turning Point: Dayton’s three consecutive eighth-inning walks
Final: Dayton 7, Great Lakes 5
Inland Empire 66ers 12, Ontario Tower Buzzers 4
The Inland Empire 66ers scored in six of the final seven innings and pulled away for a 12-4 victory over the Ontario Tower Buzzers Friday night at ONT Field.
Inland Empire built an 8-1 lead before Ontario showed some late life with three runs in the eighth inning. The 66ers immediately extinguished any comeback hopes by answering with four runs in the ninth.
66ers Gradually Pull Away
After two scoreless innings, Inland Empire broke through with two runs in the third and added another in the fourth.
Aiden Taurek supplied much of the early damage. He launched a two-run home run to right-center field, his sixth homer of the season, and later collected his 29th double to drive home Starlin Aguilar.
Cesar Quintas also contributed a sacrifice fly that scored Estevan Moreno.
The 66ers added two runs in both the sixth and seventh innings before scoring another in the eighth, steadily stretching their advantage to 8-1.
Martinus Breaks the Shutout
Mairoshendrick Martinus put Ontario on the scoreboard in the sixth inning by lining a solo home run over the left-field fence.
It was Martinus’ 12th home run of the season and accounted for the Tower Buzzers’ only run through the first seven innings.
Shelton Supplies the Thunder
Ontario mounted its biggest threat in the bottom of the eighth.
Kellon Lindsey and Ching-Hsien Ko reached base before Easton Shelton crushed a three-run homer to right field. Shelton’s 24th home run of the season reduced Inland Empire’s lead to 8-4 and briefly put the Tower Buzzers within striking distance.
Shelton continues to display some of the most impressive raw power in the Dodgers’ minor-league system.
Inland Empire Answers Immediately
Any momentum created by Shelton’s blast vanished in the top of the ninth when the 66ers scored four more runs.
Starlin Aguilar delivered one of Inland Empire’s biggest hits of the night, clearing the bases with a three-run double that scored Moreno, Dervy Ventura and Quintas.
The four-run inning pushed the lead to 12-4 and turned Ontario’s attempted comeback into little more than a brief flicker.
Prospect Notes
Easton Shelton hit a three-run home run, his 24th of the season, and drove in three of Ontario’s four runs.
Mairoshendrick Martinus produced Ontario’s other run with his 12th homer.
Kellon Lindsey and Ching-Hsien Ko both scored on Shelton’s eighth-inning blast.
For Inland Empire, Aiden Taurek recorded a two-run homer and an RBI double, while Starlin Aguilar drove in three with his bases-clearing double.
Game Notes
All four Ontario runs came via home runs.
The Tower Buzzers were held scoreless through five innings and managed all four of their runs during the sixth and eighth innings.
Inland Empire scored in every inning from the sixth through the ninth and finished the game with four consecutive multi-run or run-producing frames.
Tower Buzzers Player of the Game: Easton Shelton
Biggest Blast: Shelton’s three-run homer
66ers Player of the Game: Aiden Taurek
Turning Point: Inland Empire’s four-run ninth inning
Final: Inland Empire 12, Ontario 4
ACL Dodgers 13, ACL Guardians 8
The ACL Dodgers transformed a quiet night into an offensive eruption Friday, scoring 12 runs in the sixth inning to rally past the ACL Guardians, 13-8, at Camelback Ranch.
The Dodgers trailed 4-1 before sending a small parade across home plate in the sixth. The outburst turned a three-run deficit into a commanding 13-4 advantage and accounted for all but one of the Dodgers’ runs.
Guardians Take Early Control
Cleveland jumped in front with one run in the first inning before adding three more in the second.
The Guardians collected four runs during the first two frames while holding the Dodgers scoreless through three innings. Los Angeles finally broke through with one run in the fourth, cutting the deficit to 4-1.
Twelve-Run Avalanche
After going scoreless in the fifth, the Dodgers’ offense went from a flicker to a furnace.
Los Angeles scored 12 times in the bottom of the sixth, transforming a 4-1 deficit into a 13-4 lead. The Dodgers finished the night with 12 hits, meaning their sixth-inning damage was not simply the product of walks and defensive mistakes.
The Guardians were charged with no errors, so the Dodgers had to manufacture the comeback through their own offensive work.
Guardians Make Late Noise
Neither team scored during the seventh or eighth innings.
Cleveland produced four runs in the top of the ninth, cutting the final margin to five runs. The late rally made the box score appear more competitive, but the Dodgers’ sixth-inning eruption had already placed the game safely beyond reach.
Pitching Decision
Wuillians Herrera was credited with the victory, improving to 3-0. His season ERA stood at 5.68 following the appearance.
Guardians reliever Munoz took the loss, falling to 0-1 with a 7.09 ERA.
Game Notes
The Dodgers collected 13 runs on 12 hits while committing two errors.
Cleveland scored eight runs despite producing only seven hits and did not commit an error.
The victory improved the ACL Dodgers to 20-30. The Guardians fell to 28-22.
The Dodgers scored all 13 of their runs in just two innings, one in the fourth and 12 in the sixth.
Turning Point: The Dodgers’ 12-run sixth inning
Winning Pitcher: Wuillians Herrera
Final: ACL Dodgers 13, ACL Guardians 8
DSL Braves 5, DSL LAD Bautista 2
The DSL LAD Bautista Dodgers managed only two hits and watched an early lead disappear during a four-run fifth inning in a 5-2 loss to the DSL Braves on Friday at the Atlanta Braves Dominican complex.
The loss dropped the Bautista Dodgers to 9-18, while the Braves improved to 8-19.
Dodgers Strike First
Adrian Del Cid reached base, stole second and scored the game’s first run in the opening inning, with Rubel Arias credited with the RBI.
The 17-year-old Arias finished 1-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and his eighth stolen base of the season. He was one of only two Dodgers to record a hit.
Carias Cruises Through Four
Dodgers starter Anderson Carias protected the 1-0 lead with four scoreless innings.
Carias allowed only two hits and two walks while striking out three. He departed after throwing 28 pitches, 19 for strikes, having kept the Braves off the scoreboard.
Fifth Inning Changes Everything
The Braves pounced after Jesus Garcia entered for the fifth inning.
Garcia allowed four runs on two hits and two walks while recording three outs. The decisive blow was a three-run homer from Edelson Cabral, his second of the season.
Cabral finished 1-for-2 with two walks, two runs scored, three RBIs and a stolen base. The four-run inning turned the Dodgers’ 1-0 advantage into a 4-1 deficit.
Dodgers Answer Once
The Bautista Dodgers scored their second run in the top of the fifth.
Moises Rangel was hit by a pitch and eventually scored on Fran-Jean Haseth’s sacrifice fly. Haseth finished 1-for-3 and recorded his team-leading 21st RBI.
That was the Dodgers’ final hit and final run of the afternoon.
Braves Add Insurance
Atlanta added one more run in the seventh against Androu Etienne.
Jose Nelo doubled home Cabral, extending the Braves’ lead to 5-2. Nelo went 1-for-4 with his fifth double and 16th RBI.
Etienne struck out three batters in his inning of work but surrendered one run on one hit and two walks.
Dodgers’ Offense Goes Quiet
The Dodgers drew six walks and stole four bases but could not turn the extra traffic into runs.
Arias and Haseth recorded the team’s only two hits. Del Cid, Ezequiel Melburne and Ariel Reynoso each reached base twice, but the Dodgers went hitless after the fifth inning and struck out 11 times.
Braves starter Martires Polanco struck out nine over 4⅓ innings while allowing one run and one hit. Geowin Gomez earned the victory with 3⅓ innings of one-hit relief, and Moises Semerite recorded the final four outs for his first save.
Prospect Notes
Rubel Arias: 1-for-3, BB, RBI, SB
Fran-Jean Haseth: 1-for-3, sacrifice fly, RBI
Adrian Del Cid: 0-for-3, BB, run, SB
Ezequiel Melburne: 0-for-2, two walks, SB
Anderson Carias: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K
Junior Peña: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 K
Game Notes
The Dodgers were held to two hits, both singles.
The Braves stole seven bases, including three by Jose Manon.
Nine of the 18 starters in the game were 17 years old.
Bautista Dodgers Player of the Game: Anderson Carias
Offensive Standout: Rubel Arias
Turning Point: Edelson Cabral’s three-run fifth-inning homer
Final: DSL Braves 5, DSL LAD Bautista 2
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Disagree, not disagreeable
Shohei Ohtani’s Postgame Interview (English Translation)
Following the Dodgers’ lopsided loss, Shohei Ohtani (32) was scratched from his scheduled start due to discomfort in his left knee, forcing the team into a bullpen game. The pitching staff struggled throughout the game. Ohtani, however, remained in the lineup as the designated hitter, batting leadoff, and hit his 21st home run of the season in his first at-bat.
Below is a translated Q&A from Ohtani’s postgame interview.
Q: You hit a home run despite dealing with discomfort in your left knee.
Ohtani: If anything, pitching puts much more stress on it. As far as hitting goes, I can basically do everything without any real problems.
Q: Did you first feel the discomfort while throwing in the bullpen?
Ohtani: Yes. The inflammation has been coming and going—it gets better, then flares up again. We’ve been looking at it from a long-term perspective, including whether I should get an injection. For the past few weeks, I’ve basically just been trying to manage it and push through.
Q: Is the way you land during your pitching motion contributing to the knee issue?
Ohtani: I think that’s probably part of it. But if I start compensating for it, that can put extra stress on other parts of my body. There are definitely things I need to improve, but fundamentally, it’s about finding a pitching position and mechanics that feel comfortable.
Q: Have you already been given a pitching schedule for the second half of the season?
Ohtani: Yesterday we talked on the phone, and the conclusion was that unless I could pitch without any concerns at all, it would be better to rest. That’s why we decided to skip today’s start. In the end, though, it put more strain on the bullpen, so I really feel sorry about that.
Q: Are you confident you can return to a normal schedule after receiving an injection?
Ohtani: If I had really pushed it, I probably could have pitched today. But the goal is to make sure I’m in even better condition for my next start, so I want to use this time to get treatment and recover properly.
Q: Like your previous biceps injury, is this another consequence of being a two-way player?
Ohtani: It’s hard to say. Obviously, being a two-way player puts more strain on your body than just being a full-time DH—that’s certainly true. As for this knee issue, I think it actually started a few outings ago. I don’t think my mechanics were very good that day, and it feels like it happened rather suddenly.
Q: After Sunday’s game, are you planning to get an injection and have fluid drained from your knee?
Ohtani: That’s the plan at the moment.
Q: So it doesn’t really affect your hitting. Since mid-June you’ve narrowed your batting stance. What was the reason for that adjustment?
Ohtani: It’s more about making overall adjustments and finding the right balance. Narrowing my stance can help improve my direction, while widening it changes where my body tends to move. Sometimes I’ll adjust my stance, and other times I’ll adjust the height of my hands on the bat. I make those kinds of adjustments depending on what I feel at the time.
Q: So the change in your batting mechanics wasn’t related to your knee?
Ohtani: No, that had nothing to do with my knee.
Q: Where exactly in your left knee are you feeling the discomfort?
Ohtani: It’s mainly around the kneecap. Right now I have some limitation in both full extension and full flexion. Some days it feels better, some days worse, and I’ve been monitoring it for the past few weeks. Since I’ll have a longer break of about four or five days, we felt this would be a good opportunity to get the injection.
Q: Is this related to the knee surgery you had in 2019?
Ohtani: I’m not really sure. It’s probably related to my overall body balance. Sometimes the discomfort shows up, sometimes it doesn’t. Like I said earlier, it can happen suddenly—for example, depending on the angle of my landing or if I twist it like a mild sprain. I can’t point to one specific cause myself, so I’ll discuss it with the doctors.
Q: How do you feel about withdrawing from the All-Star Game?
Ohtani: I feel bad for everyone who voted for me. They voted because they wanted to see me play, so I’m sorry that I won’t be able to. It’s disappointing to have been selected and then end up having to withdraw.
Q: Was today’s decision to skip your start—and to withdraw from the All-Star Game—a decision made by the team or by you?
Ohtani: As for today, like I said, we made the decision together while talking on the phone yesterday. I understood the reasoning and accepted it. Regarding the All-Star Game, I wanted to play if at all possible. Just like in recent games, there were good days and bad days, so we were waiting to see how much my knee would improve before the break and whether an injection would be necessary. We’ve been evaluating it day by day.
Q: Where do you draw the line between playing through the pain and sitting out?
Ohtani: The biggest factor is that our team has built up a good cushion in the standings. We have some room, and I think the organization is focused on the postseason. We want to make sure I’m in the best possible condition for that. That said, I still want to play whenever I can, and as I mentioned earlier, I have no real issues playing as a position player. It’s really the pitching side that’s the concern. The decision comes down to whether pitching would increase the risk of making the injury worse, and then the team decides accordingly.
Anyone interested in a Corey Seager reunion?
Anyone sorry we didn’t sign him long term?
Interesting video you chose Mark. From what it shows, the more things change, the more they have remained the same.
Bullpen games are Bullshit games. Should not happen. The reason it did is there are no replacements at the starter in the system. Simple as that. We already have one in Lauer. And how lucky is the team to have had Wrobleski step up as he has. Will he be able to continue to November? He’s never come close to doing what he’s doing. Sheehan and Sasaki remain shaky, both with inflated ERA’s and a combined negative WAR. And now the Shogun of this empire is showing cracks in his katchū.
I keep hearing the Dodgers do not need to add any starting pitching.
We’ll see said the zen master.
I thought I was seeing things last night, but I rewound the game and confirmed my vision is not wacko. After Tucker doubled, they panned into the dugout, and bigger than life, there was Jason Heyward. He was wearing a Dodger hoodie, not in full uniform. So, I wondered, did LA hire him in some capacity? I had not seen any news on that, but I know they have a penchant for bringing former players back. And as one of Freddies better friends, I am sure Freeman would be very happy seeing Jay-Hey again. Turned the game off after Rushing’s ill-advised throw to second on the bunt and watched The Meg. Always fun watching humans trying to deal with oversized predators.
JDP & Sirota are sexy but don’t forget about Tibbs & Ehrhard
The all star comes at a perfect time. Gives the toilet a rest
Saturday Dodger Affiliates’ Schedule
4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Tyler Gough) vs. Dayton (Ty Floyd)
5 pm.: Tulsa (Peter Heubeck) vs. Springfield (Cooper Hjerpe)
5:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Landon Knack) vs. El Paso (Sean Boyle)
7:05 pm.: Ontario (TBA) vs. Inland Empire (Scott Rouse)
I asked ChatGPT this question:
What is the Dodgers team ERA for Bullpen games vs. Games where they have a regular starting pitcher for the past three years?
Here’s the Reply:
Dodgers team ERA by game type
I treated “the past three years” as the 2024 and 2025 regular seasons, plus 2026 through July 10. This is the entire pitching staff’s ERA for those games, not merely the starter’s ERA.
Season Bullpen games Team ERA Regular-starter games Team ERA
2024 11 3.03 151 3.96
2025 12 6.06 150 3.78
2026 to date 3 4.50 92 3.47
Combined 26 4.62 393 3.78
The bottom line
Across these three seasons:
Bullpen-game ERA: 4.62
Regular-starter-game ERA: 3.78
Bullpen games have cost the Dodgers approximately 0.84 additional earned runs per nine innings, about 22% worse.
The year-to-year story is rather jagged:
In 2024, bullpen games actually worked exceptionally well.
In 2025, they were a pitching bonfire. The July 4 bullpen game against Houston, when the Dodgers surrendered 18 earned runs, alone inflated the 2025 bullpen-game ERA from 4.96 to 6.06. That game was explicitly described as a bullpen game.
In 2026, the three identified bullpen games were the May 15 shutout of the Angels, the July 1 loss to Oakland and the July 10 loss to Arizona. Those produced 13 earned runs in 26 innings.
How I classified them
There is no official MLB statistical category labeled “bullpen game,” so I counted games started by a pitcher functioning as an opener or reliever, rather than a normal rotation or spot starter. I did not count games merely because the regular starter was knocked out early.
The 2024-25 calculations came from Retrosheet’s game-level records, which include complete processed data through 2025. For 2026, MLB lists the Dodgers at 327 earned runs in 840⅓ innings through 95 games; I removed the earned runs and innings from the three bullpen games to calculate the regular-starter figure.
Verdict: bullpen games have not been disastrous overall, but they have clearly been less effective than games begun by a conventional starter, with 2025 doing most of the statistical damage.
Don’t forget about Rojas. His name will come up in talks when Doc retires!
Minor League Update is now complete!!
New site looks as clean as the water you provide. Well done.
I mentioned late yesterday that Doc said he will try to manage through Mookie’s contract and no further. JT coaching or managing on the farm till 2032 would give him the skills he would need. His personality mirror’s Docs ease rather than Lasorda’s fire and win only style. Alston was just boring but good. Dodgers couldn’t ask for a better replacement for Roberts.
If you’re interested in watching the MLB DRAFT today:
2026 MLB DRAFT
Day 1: Saturday, July 11 (Rounds 1-4)
• 1:00-2:30 p.m. ET – Picks 1-10 (NBC/Peacock)
• 2:30-4:30 p.m. ET – Picks 11-40 (MLB Network, MLB.com, MLB TV, MLB+)
• 4:30-7:45 p.m. ET – Picks 41-135 (MLB.com, MLB TV, MLB+)
Day 2: Sunday, July 12 (Rounds 5-20)
• 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. ET (MLB.com, MLB TV, MLB+)
Dodger’s first pick will be pick #40
Bonus Values by round:
2nd round – #40 – $2,504,200
4th round – #132 – $575,300
7th round – #223 – $260,300
8th round – #253 – $218,500
9th round – #283 – $201,700
It’s really sad that when an injury happens to one of our starting pitchers, there is NO reliable replacement we can bring up from AAA Oklahoma City. Bullpen games are BULLSHIT!
Left handed pitchers are the Dodgers worst enemy at times,regardless of the team’s record against them. After the first inning, may as well have gone to bed. But it happens.
Still believe they could use a good bat in that lineup. I brought up Brandon Lowe yesterday. He is 32 years old, but look at what he’s doing in Pittsburgh! He wouldn’t be the future, but he would be a perfect fit at second base. Just a thought.
Once again , Pages has a good night and really the rest of the team not so much! Can’t they all ever get on the same page(s)?
I’m starting to think that when Diaz comes back, Hurt might get sent out. His feelings may be “hurt “ but he probably needs to go down for a little while.
Yankees after the break! That should fun! No Judge. But they have pitching. Dodgers still better than them!
Mark if this site gets any better I don’t know if my heart can take it! It has everything now! Opinions, facts, stats, fantasy, humor, controversy, fellowship, and most of all, it has you , jeff , and last but not least, the BEAR! Thanks for this!