We already know that the Dodgers are the class of MLB with some of the finest facilities and operations on the planet. The player development program is likely the finest in MLB. Andrew Friedman is the best at what he does. Prove me wrong! The manager will be in the Hall of Fame someday, and the coaches and front office personnel are Top Shelf. However, the Los Angeles Dodgers are also not as widely known for their unprecedented nutrition and culinary program, which provides traveling chefs and identical portable food trailers across their minor league system.
Yesterday, I was talking to Chris Mundhenk (pictured below), the Great Lakes Loons President and General Manager, who has spent 20 seasons in the sports and entertainment industry. In his role, Chris oversees all facets of sales and corporate partnerships for the Loons, Dow Diamond, ESPN 100.9-FM, and the Michigan Baseball Foundation. I was talking to him about my visit to Ft. Wayne and possible interviews. He OK’ed my plan to interview the bus driver, AND I plan to interview a chef! What?
So, Chris advised me that the Dodgers have four kitchen trailers (like the one below) in their top four minor league affiliates. They have trailers for the OKC Comets, Tulsa Drillers, Great Lakes Loons, and the Ontario Tower Buzzers. Each trailer consists of a fully equipped commercial kitchen with a chef and a sous chef. They serve two or three meals (that wasn’t clear) for about 50 people, including players and coaches. They do this at home and away games – every game! These are high-calorie meals for athletes, and I plan to interview the chefs as well when I am in Ft Wayne. Maybe some other teams do this, but I have never heard of it. I’ll get some photos as well.
A good diet is a solid foundation for an athlete – maybe this is part of the reason the farm system is so good. You are what you eat… allegedly!
OKC Comets 8 – Reno Aces (Dbacks) 6
OKC scored 4 in the 8th to secure a come from behind win. The Comets scored a pair in the 3rd when C Eliézer Alfonzo doubled (13) and LF Teoscar Hernández hit his 3rd HR of the series.
LHSP Cole Irvin allowed an unearned run in the bottom of the 4th.
OKC got the run back in the 5th when DH Noah Miller hit his 7th triple and RF James Tibbs III hit a SF.
In the 5th, Irvin gave up a single and double to open the inning with a run scoring. Irvin was relieved by RHRP Griff McGarry. McGarry allowed a single and BB to load the bases. He induced a run scoring GIDP, leaving a runner on 3rd. McGarry walked the next batter and was relieved by LHRP Ronan Kopp who gave up 2 run scoring singles before getting the final out of the inning.
Down 5-3 in the 7th, SS Hyeseong Kim and Alfonzo singled. Miller drew a BB to load the bases. Kim scored a run on a WP.
With RHRP José Rodríguez on the mound, a double, sac bunt, and single pushed the lead back to two for the Aces.
The Comets fought back in the 8th after the first two batters struck out. Kim and Alfonzo singled and both scored on Miller’s double (11). Miller scored on JT III’s single. LF Zach Ehrhard drew a BB, and Tibbs III scored on 1B Ryan Fitzgerald’s single.
LHRP Jake Eder pitched a perfect 8th with two K. RHRP Wyatt Mills pitched a perfect 9th for the save the comeback win.
- Hyeseong Kim – 2-5, 2 runs
- Eliézer Alfonzo – 3-4, 2 runs, double (13)
- Noah Miller – 2-3, 1 BB, 2 runs, 2 RBI, double (11), triple (7)
- Teoscar Hernández – 1-4, 1 run, 2 RBI, HR (3)
Tulsa Drillers 3 – Corpus Christi Hooks (Houston) 0
After Christian Zazueta’ performance Thursday night, LHSP Adam Serwinowski pitched gem of his own on Friday. He completed 7.0 scoreless IP, allowing 1 hit, 2 BB, and struck out 6. In his last 7 starts, 40.0 IP, 1.575 ERA and 1.00 WHIP.
In the 5th inning, Tulsa’s C Hayden Gilliland hit a one-out ground rule double (2). 2B Sean McLain brought Gilliland home with a single. With 2 outs, McLain moved to 3rd on CF Mike Sirota’s single, and scored on SS Elijah Hainline’s RBI single.
Tulsa picked up a 3rd run in 8th when 3B Jake Gelof slugged his 15th HR.
RHRP Roque Gutierrez finished up for Serwinowski and pitched 2.0 scoreless innings to preserve the shutout and get his 1st save.
Sirota’s streak for reaching base has now reached 62 games. After reaching base 4 times on Thursday, he reached 3 more times on Friday.
- Sean McLain – 2-3, 1 run, 1 RBI
- Hayden Gilliland – 1-3, 1 run
- Jake Gelof – 1-3, 1 BB, 1 run, 1 RBI, HR (15)
- Mike Sirota – 1-2, 2 BB
Great Lakes Loons 9 – Lansing Lugnuts (A’s) 4
Great Lakes scored a run in the 1st when CF Eduardo Quintero doubled (17) and scored on SS Emil Morales’ RBI single and a 1-0 lead.
Lansing got 2 in the bottom of the 1st to take the lead. LHSP Sterling Patick allowed 3 straight singles and a SF to open the inning for a pair of runs.
Great Lakes jumped back out in front in the 3rd. 1B Jose D. Hernandez hit his 2nd HR to tie the score. Quintero walked, moved to 2nd on a WP, and continued to 3rd on a ground out. Quintero came home on Morales’ sac fly.
With Patick still on the bump, Lansing opened with a BB and single. Both runners moved up from E8 on the single. A groundout scored one and single brought home the second run of the inning, and a Lansing 4-3 lead.
Great Lakes took over from there. In the 5th, RF Samuel Munoz walked and scored on JD Hernandez’s 2nd HR (3). Quintero walked and scored on 3B Logan Wagner’s double (12). Wagner went to 3rd on a ground out, and scored on 2B Eduardo Guerrero’s RBI single. GL took a 7-4 lead.
RHRP Robby Porco relieved Patick with 2 outs in the 4th and got the final out. He pitched a scoreless 5th and 6th.
RHRP Nicolas Cruz saved RHRP Matt Lanzendorfer who loaded the bases with a single and 2 walks after getting the first two batters out. Cruz got the fly out to end the 7th. Cruz retired the side in order in the 8th with 2 K.
The Loons picked up 2 more in the 9th when Quintero singled and scored on Wagner’s HR (9).
LHRP Justin Chambers pitched a scoreless 9th to end the game.
- Eduardo Quintero – 2-3, 2 BB, 4 runs, double (17)
- Logan Wagner – 2-5, 2 runs, 3 RBI, double (12), HR (9)
- Jose D. Hernandez – 2-4, 2 runs, 3 RBI, 2 HR (3)
Ontario Tower Buzzers 9 – Visalia Rawhide (Dbacks) 1
Don’t look now, but RHSP Hyun-Seok Jang just backed up his last start with an even better outing. He pitched 5.0 scoreless innings on 3 hits, 1 BB, and 10 K.
Ontario scored in each of the first 5 innings. CF Kendall George walked and scored in the 1st.
In the 2nd, SS Joendry Vargas singled and LF Brendan Tunink walked. C Conner O’Neal singled home Vargas and moved Tunink to 3rd. 2B Javier Herrera hit a SF to score Tunink.
In the 3rd, Ontario scored 2 more. 3B Mairo Martinus singled and continued to 3rd on RF Landyn Vidourek’s double (8). Martinus scored and Vidourek to 3rd on a groundout. Vidourek scored when Tunink reached on an error.
Ontario picked up the 6th run in the 4th on 1B Oswaldo Osorio’s 3rd HR.
In the 5th, Martinus opened with a single. With one out, Vargas doubled (17) and Martinus moved to 3rd. Martinus scored on Tunink’s single with Vargas to 3rd. Vargas scored on a WP for Ontario’s 8-0 lead.
LHRP Peter Bonilla made his Single A debut and retired the side with a BB and K.
RHRP Jose Cabrera was summoned in the 7th. Cabrera could not get out of the inning. 2 walks and HBP loaded the bases. There were a couple of WP in between. Cabrera recorded a K and then gave up a run-scoring single. RHRP Will Gagnon came in and struck out the next two batters to end the threat.
In the 9th, Martinus hit his 2nd double (20) of the game. Vidourek hit a ground ball that was thrown away and Martinus scored.
Gagnon pitched the final 2 innings allowing 1 BB and striking out 4.
- Mairo Martinus – 4-5, 3 runs, 2 doubles (20)
- Joendry Vargas – 2-5, 2 runs, 2 RBI, double (17)
- Oswaldo Osorio – 1-3, 1 BB, 1 run, 1 RBI, HR (3)
- Double – Landyn Vidourek (8)
ACL Dodgers 8 – ACL Rangers 2
- CF Agustin Acosta – 3-4, 1 run
- 3B Moises Bolivar – 2-4, 2 runs, 3 RBI, HR (7)
- RF Abel Lorenzo – 2-2, 1 BB, 1 RBI
- 1B Jose Gonzalez – 2-3, 2 runs, 1 RBI
- RHSP Tommy Case – 3.0 IP, 1 run, 2 hits, 1 BB, 3 K
- RHRP Jack O’Conner – 3.0 IP, 1 unearned run, 1 hit, 2 BB, 4 K
- RHRP Luis Gamez – 1.0 IP, 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 BB, 3 K
DSL LAD Bautista 4 – DSL Rays 3
17 year old German born LHSP Tom Apfelbaum pitched the best game of his career. His previous longest start was 3.0 innings. On this day, he completed 5.0 scoreless innings on 1 hit and 4 BB, with 4 K. Too many BB, but that is not surprising.
It was scoreless through 4. In the 5th, RF Jhosman Theran doubled (3) with 2 outs, and scored when SS Ezequiel Melburne singled.
The Rays tied it up in the 6th on a K with a WP, SB, and single.
DSL Bautista got a double (4) from DH Fran-Jean Haseth in the 6th. A fielding error and 3 walks brought home 2 runs.
The Rays scored an unearned run in the 8th.
Bautista scored the eventual winning run on a BB, SB and throwing error, and WP.
The Rays scored a run in the 9th on 2 hits and 2 BB to pull within 1, but that was as close as they were going to get.
Theran was the only Bautista batter with 2 hits.
DSL KC Fortuna 12 – DSL LAD Mega 11
- C Jose Rivas – 3-5, 2 runs, 1 RBI
- CF Helvin Mendoza – 2-2, 2 BB, 2 runs, 1 RBI
Discussion (69)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Hatred:
https://x.com/blakehharris/status/2071057466587254903?s=46
These are our all or nothing Dodgers. Welcome back Tommy Edman!
Rushing and Tucker break the game open, just like everyone anticipated!
Detroit is going to want pitching. They are said to be very interested in River Ryan. NYY has RHP Carlos Lagrange. Milwaukee? Their best pitching prospect is 21 year old RHP Bishop Letson. Ryan and Lagrange are 55 FV while Letson is 50.
We have seen how SP depth has disintegrated the last few years, and this year as well. I do not believe it would be prudent to trade top pitching prospects for a rental pitcher, even one named Tarik Skubal. Next year LAD will not have Skubal or those pitching prospects that are traded. I am not convinced that LAD will be in a position to sign Skubal. We are already seeing the loss in draft picks, and the downward movement in slots for draft picks they do retain, decreased IFA budgets…even if there is no cap, I am sure those penalties will be increased, and not just $$$, but further draft and IFA restrictions for signing FA. Maybe they say teams that are $100MM > 4th tier will lose the top 2 picks. And for every additional year, they would lose the next pick.
I do not believe the Dodgers will want to trade their upper pitching prospects for a rental. That is just how I see it. OTOH, no NL team has EVER had a 3-peat, and only 2 teams in MLB history (NYY and Oakland) have had a 3-peat. Tarik Skubal makes every team’s October rotation, including LAD. That makes him an improvement. Does the chase of history push AF/BG to make such a move?
Pitching prospects who may be coveted include Ryan, RHP Christian Zazueta, LHP Zach Root and LHP Adam Serwinowski. I am not sure that rentals warrant the loss of these prospects. Pitching prospects are just too valuable for the future of the franchise. So unless they are chasing history, look for the Dodgers to drop down the prospect list for a #4 rotation pitcher who could be used in a starting role in playoffs if necessary. Preferably one who can also be effective in the bullpen.
If he was not on the IL, NYM RHP Clay Holmes fits that role. NYM gave up a lot for Freddy Peralta, they are going to want to recoup those prospects lost. I think he is a real SD target.
Sonny Gray? He did not pitch well under the big lights in NY. He pitched well in Oakland, Cincinnati, Minnesota, and St. Louis, and is pitching well in Boston. He signed with St. Louis because of its proximity to Tennessee. Will he approve a deal to LAD? He is Midwest to East. The problem is that option for 2027. It really is a $30MM mutual option with a $10MM buyout. That is a lot of $$$ for a 38 year old pitcher. The new team would be responsible for prorata share of $11MM for remaining 2026. Maybe LAD trades for Gray and assumes all obligations including the $30MM option or $10MM buyout. Maybe he will require LAD to exercise the option before approving a trade.
Dustin May? I do not believe that being only 0.5 games out of the WC that St. Louis would trade arguably their best pitcher right now. Certainly would be a big part of the St. Louis playoff rotation.
Trevor Rogers – I was an advocate, but the Dodgers already have that in Eric Lauer.
Two names that could prop up are Detroit’s RHSP Casey Mize and Washington’s LHSP Foster Griffin.
Sandy Alcantara – It is going to take a lot to get Miami to trade him. They have been playing excellent lately, and are only 1.0 game out of the WC. Max Meyer may be their best pitcher, Alcantara is the heart and soul of that rotation.
What would it cost in prospect capital for Aroldis Chapman?
8:40 PM ET
Dodgers (52-30)
Padres (43-37)
SP Y. Yamamoto R
7-5 2.65 ERA
SP Kyle Hart L (opener)
0-1 4.13 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
DH S. Ohtani L
CF Andy Pages R
1B F. Freeman L
SS Mookie Betts R
3B Max Muncy L
LF Tommy Edman S
RF Kyle Tucker L
C D. Rushing L
2B A. Freeland S
69° Wind 9 mph Out
Randy Vasquez R (will pitch after the opener)
6-5 4.17 ERA
LA hitters have not had much success against Vasquez.
Saturday Dodger Affiliates’ Schedule
4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Brooks Auger) at Lansing (Mitch Myers)
5 p.m.: Tulsa (Payton Martin) vs. Corpus Christi (Trey Dombroski)
6:35 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Jackson Ferris) at Reno (Kohl Drake)
6:35 p.m.: Ontario (TBA) at Visalia (Jesus Escobar)
River Ryan on the IL due to hamstring. 2nd time this year that he has gone on the IL for hamstring issues.
https://x.com/FabianArdaya/status/2070655326253392014?s=20
This makes the need for SP even more pressing. The depth is now gone and the team is hoping that Snell and Glasnow will come back healthy, and that Sasaki and Sheehan find the strike zone, or when they do it is not sitting on a tee.
I appears yesterday was a good reason to not pay for Apple TV.
Good for Walker. I always like the guy, he was just a head case.
5 walks and 1 HBP in 4 innings for Sasaki is just bullshit. 55% strike rate.
Sasaki’s starts and Tuckers at bats should be on Apple TV all the time.
I think Ryan Ward’s time with the Dodgers is about to end.
Rules about Life in Dodger Baseball:
1. You can’t fake urgency.
2. You can’t create urgency when there is none.
3. When you are great (and you know it), sometimes you are just on cruise control.
4. When there is no urgency, it’s not a Game at the Ballpark – it’s a day at the Country Club.
5. For the first 3/4 of the season, these guys are sleepwalking.
6. There will be a time… maybe in late August or early September, when they “flip the switch” and go into Beast Mode.
7. Enjoy the rare air of first place.
8. Whatever needs to/ happen… will happen!
I do not agree that bringing up Kim is a good idea. For the type of hitter he is, he still strikes out way too much. 29 times in 113 at bats. He has little power. He has not been using his speed at all. He has just 2 steals in 28 games His OPS is below .700. He is an excellent fielder, but with Edman back, and Freeland doing a decent job at second, he is just not needed. What is needed is a power influx in the outfield. Call is an excellent defender and gets on base a lot but has little power. Pages has not homered in quite a while. Ward has 3 but is not consistent enough to play every day. Teo should be back when they arrive in Sacramento. They need production out of the two hole no matter who hits there. I say move Freeman into the two slot. It is one of his best slots in the lineup. To hell with all of the left-right left crap. Move Mookie into the three hole and Max in the cleanup role at least until Smith gets back. Bat Rushing 9th. He has become a hole in the order.
Simon: Padres have won two pennants 84 and 98. In 2022, after beating the Mets in the Wild Card series, they lost the first game of the LDS to the Dodgers. They then won the next three games eliminating the 111-win Dodgers. Now, they might not have ever won a World Series but make no mistake they have been a thorn in the Dodgers side the last several years. LA was on the brink of elimination again in 24. It took a huge performance in a bullpen game in game 4 of the LDS to tie the series, then another shut out by Yoshi and the pen to win game five and advance. Beating the Mets and Yankees after that draining series was relatively easy. The Padres stars are not performing up to the back of their baseball cards. But there is a ton of talent on that team. Their fans and the team get fired up when LA comes into town. They have players who to Dodger fans are unlikeable. Especially Machado. Tatis Jr. is not well liked either. But they always seem to rise to the occasion when LA comes to town. The Dodgers need to play their best when they face the Padres, because one little opening and hte Beat LA chants begin.
With ‘everyone’ below expectations, we are in first place. Maybe having the chefs overperform is enough
The boys put it all together last night for complete Nothing game.
Buehler was all over the edges last night. Good for him. As compared to our guy who has great stuff and no command. If June is Tucker’s month, then bring back Conforto!
Time to DFA RP Jonathan Hernandez and his 8.27ERA.RP Evan Phillips should be ready soon.
I see that (soon-to-be-28) Jacob Amaya is with AAA Reno Aces, hitting .254.
After a quick start at AA, Chase Harlan is struggling, not surprisingly. He is at .154… It takes time.
Logan Wagner is playing 3B and hitting .305 after coming back from the IL.
The guy at the grill above sure looks well fed. I wonder what his home to first time is? Home to first in line for burgers. If the team is what he eats, they’ll be in shape. Round is a shape, right? He also appears to have the forearms of a silver back. Maybe he’s all hit no field.
For a team that “sucks”, the Padres sure handled the Dodgers easily.
Simon, I swear there are times I have no clue what you’re talking about. Is it a generation gap?
Roki. Great stuff. Can’t put it where he needs to.
The team 0fer WRISP again.
Mookie’s Savant page is improving. Hard hit remains poor. Bat speed doesn’t qualify. Base running value is poor. But his OPS is suddenly league average. 7 for his last 20, with 2 BB. Time to move him back into the 2 hole? Maybe. Pages hasn’t looked good there. .586 OPS in June.
Ok, put that one in the rear view. Remember, the padres suck.
Jang & Gagnon shoved