OKC Comets 9 – El Paso Chihuahuas (San Diego) 2
In the 1st inning, OKC jumped out to the lead with a one out HR (3) from CF Alek Thomas.
OKC picked up two more runs in the 2nd. 2B Ryan Fitzgerald singled and with one out stole 2B and went to 3rd on a ground out. DH Zach Ehrhard hit a 2-run inside the park HR to make it 3-0.
In the 3rd, LF Ryan Ward drew a BB. RF James Tibbs III singled and Ward moved to 2nd. SS Hyeseong Kim singled to load the bases, and 1B Matt Gorski hit a SF for the 4th run.
After breezing through the first 4.0 innings, LHSP Cole Irvin ran into a bit of trouble in the 5th. With 2 outs, Irvin gave up 3 straight singles and a run.
In the 6th, Irvin was tagged for an unearned run. For the night, Irvin finished 6 innings allowing 2 runs (1 earned), 7 hits, 1 BB, and 4 K.
OKC continued to put up runs. In the 6th, 3B Noah Miller doubled (13) and scored on Ehrhard’s RBI single. Ehrhard stole 2nd, and after Thomas walked, Ward plated Ehrhard with a single.
In the 7th, Kim and Gorski both walked, and after a GIDP, Miller hit a 2-run HR (10).
OKC scored their final run as they scored their first run…Alek Thomas solo HR (4).
Three excellent 1.0 scoreless and hitless innings of relief from RHRP Nick Robertson, RHRP Wyatt Mills, and LHRP Ronan Kopp.
- Zach Ehrhard – 2-5, 2 runs, 3 RBI, HR (14)
- Alek Thomas – 3-4, 1 BB, 2 runs, 2 RBI, double (7), 2 HR (4)
- James Tibbs III – 2-4, 1 BB
- Hyeseong Kim – 2-3, 1 BB
- Noah Miller – 2-4, 2 runs, 2 RBI, double (13), HR (10)
Tulsa Drillers 7 – Springfield Cardinals 3
One streak continues and one comes to an end. DH Mike Sirota’s streak of reaching base safely reaches 70, while 3B Jake Gelof’s streak comes to end at 44.
LHSP Adam Serwinowski did not dominate, but he pitched enough to get the win. Springfield started the scoring in the 2nd. First batter doubled and continued to 3rd on fielding error. A BB put runners on 1st and 3rd, and the next batter hit a ball to Serwinowski who threw home for the out. With runner on 2nd, Serwinowski gave up a single to RF. The run scored, by RF Zyhir Hope threw out the runner at 3rd. Serwinowski got the final out to end the inning.
Serwinowski was charged with unearned runs in the 3rd and 4th innings.
Tulsa scored 3 in the 3rd. SS Jose Izarra led off with a BB. With 2 outs, Izarra scored on Sirota’s triple (1). Hope followed with a 2-run HR (17).
1B Chris Newell hit a solo HR (16) to put Tulsa in the lead for good.
Hope was at it again in the 8th. LF Josue De Paula and Sirota singled. Hope slugged his 2nd HR of the game and 18th of the season. He had 5 RBI on the night and 76 on the year. He leads the Texas League by 9.
Tulsa got some good relief work from RHRP Roque Gutierrez (3.1) innings of scoreless ball. He allowed 2 singles in the 9th inning before giving way to RHRP Kelvin Ramirez. Ramirez faced 3 batters. He walked one and struck out 2.
- Zyhir Hope – 2-4, 2 runs, 5 RBI, 2 HR (18), 1 OF assist
- Mike Sirota – 2-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI, triple (1)
- Chris Newell – 2-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, HR (16)
Great Lakes Loons 8 – Dayton Dragons (Reds) 5
RHSP Aidan Foeller could not find those June results. He completed 4.2 innings, surrendering 3 runs on 4 hits, 3 BB, 8 K, and 1 2-run HR.
GL struck first in the 1st inning. RF Eduardo Quintero hit a solo HR (7).
Dayton tied it up in the 2nd. Foeller issued 2 BB, and with one out gave up a RBI single.
In the 5th, with 2 quick outs, the next batter singled and that was followed by a 2-run HR. LHRP Matt Lanzendorfer relieved Foeller and gave up a single, SB, and RBI single giving Dayton a 4-1 lead.
GL came right back with 5 in the bottom of the 5th. 1B Cameron Decker and C Chase Adkison singled. After an out, CF Charles Davalan hit a RBI single. Quintero followed with a 2-run triple. 3B Logan Wagner doubled (15) to score Quintero, and 2B Eduardo Guerrero doubled (10) to score Wagner.
GL scored two more in the 6th. Decker led off with a BB and moved to 2nd on Adkison’s single. DH Jose D. Hernandez hit an RBI single and on a throwing error on the play, Adkison and Hernandez moved up. Davalan lined into a DP with Adkison scoring.
RHRP Joseilyn Gonzalez entered in the 7th and gave up a solo HR to finish the scoring.
RHRP Alex Makarewich continued his see-saw season with 2 good innings. He did not allow a hit, walked 2, and struck out 1.
- Charles Davalan – 2-4, 1 run, 1 RBI
- Eduardo Quintero – 2-3, 1 BB, 2 runs, 3 RBI, triple (2), HR (7)
- Chase Adkison – 2-3, 1 BB, 2 RBI
- Doubles – Logan Wagner (15), Eduardo Guerrero (10)
Ontario Tower Buzzers 22 – Inland Empire 66ers (Seattle) 21
RHRP Jholbran Herder was the opener for a bullpen game. 2.0 scoreless innings, no hits, 2 BB, and 2 K.
We can ignore the pitching in this one. Ontario was up 16-0 after 3.0 innings, then the relievers took over. Ontario held on with 7 in the 9th before getting the final out with the tying run in scoring position.
Ontario scored 22 runs on 20 hits and 7 walks.
- DH Jaron Elkins – 3-5, 1 HBP, 3 runs, 3 RBI, double (17), HR (12)
- 3B Mairo Martinus – 2-5, 1 HBP, 3 runs, 5 RBI, HR (11)
- RF Ching-Hsien Ko – 2-5, 1 BB, 3 runs, 5 RBI, triple (2), HR (14)
- SS Joendry Vargas – 3-6, 2 runs, 3 RBI, HR (8)
- LF Brendan Tunink – 4-6, 2 runs, 1 RBI, double (15)
- C Francisco Espinoza – 2-5, 1 BB, 3 runs, 1 RBI
- 2B Javier Herrera – 2-4, 1 BB, 1 run, 1 RBI, double (6)
ACL Dodgers 8 – ACL Athletics 7
DSL LAD Mega 9 – DSL Athletics 8
What Is a Backup Catcher Really For?
by Bumsrap
Rob walked into the coffee shop carrying a baseball glove.
Dawn looked up.
“You joining a men’s league?”
“No.”
Ethan grinned.
“Catching bullpen sessions in the backyard?”
“Worse.”
Rob dropped into his chair.
“My grandson wanted someone to catch while he practiced pitching.”
“How’d that go?”
Rob rubbed his left hand.
“I’ve reached the age where every fastball feels personal.”
The three laughed.
“I’ve got a newfound respect for catchers,” Rob admitted. “Those foul tips aren’t an accident. They’re a lifestyle.”
Dawn smiled.
“So, what’s on your baseball mind today?”
Rob didn’t hesitate.
“The Dodgers.”
“They usually are.”
“Will Smith’s getting close to coming back.”
“And?”
“If Dalton Rushing goes back to Oklahoma City, people will say the Dodgers gave up on him.”
“If he stays, he’ll catch once or twice a week.”
“I don’t get it.”
Ethan leaned back.
“I think you’re asking the wrong question.”
Rob rolled his eyes.
“You’ve been waiting all morning to say that.”
“I have.”
“The question isn’t whether Rushing should stay.”
“It’s what the job of a backup catcher really is.”
Rob shrugged.
“Seems obvious.”
“Does it?”
“Sure.”
“He catches every fifth day.”
“Gives the starter a rest.”
“Maybe pinch hits once in a while.”
Ethan smiled.
“That’s the title.”
“What’s the job?”
Rob looked puzzled.
“Aren’t they the same thing?”
Dawn shook her head.
“I don’t think so.”
She took a sip of her coffee.
“A backup catcher has to know every pitcher.”
“He has to know every hitter.”
“He has to understand scouting reports.”
“He has to remember how a hitter reacted to a slider three weeks ago.”
“He visits the mound when a rookie starts rushing.”
“He calms down a veteran who’s suddenly lost the strike zone.”
“And he has to be ready if the starting catcher gets hurt in the third inning of Game Six.”
Rob nodded slowly.
“I never think about any of that.”
“Most fans don’t,” Ethan said.
“We judge catchers by the only thing we regularly see.”
“Hitting.”
“Exactly.”
Rob leaned forward.
“So then why not let Rushing do all that?”
“Because there’s another job,” Dawn said.
“What?”
“Becoming the Dodgers’ catcher of the future.”
She continued.
“If Smith comes back healthy, Rushing might catch once a week.”
“Maybe twice.”
“But in Oklahoma City he catches almost every day.”
“He calls games.”
“He works with different pitchers.”
“He learns through repetition instead of observation.”
Rob frowned.
“So sending him down could actually help him?”
“It often does,” Ethan replied.
“The Dodgers aren’t choosing between two catchers.”
“They’re choosing between two investments.”
“One investment helps today’s team.”
“The other develops tomorrow’s catcher.”
Rob thought about it for a moment.
“So the best backup isn’t always the most talented catcher.”
“Not necessarily.”
“It depends on what your organization needs.”
“If your future catcher still needs experience…”
“…playing once a week may not be enough.”
“If your championship team needs someone the pitching staff completely trusts…”
“…experience might matter more than upside.”
Dawn smiled.
“It’s one of the few positions where development and winning sometimes pull in opposite directions.”
Rob laughed.
“So everybody arguing about whether Rushing should stay or go…”
“…might actually be answering different questions.”
Ethan pointed at him.
“Now you’re getting it.”
“Some people are thinking about this season.”
“Others are thinking about the next five.”
The waitress arrived with the check.
Rob reached for it.
“You know,” he said, “I’ve spent years judging backup catchers by batting average.”
“And?”
“I’ve been grading about ten percent of the job.”
Dawn stood.
“The funny thing is, if a backup catcher is doing his job well…”
“…most fans hardly notice him.”
Ethan smiled.
“And that’s probably the highest compliment he can receive.”
Rob picked up his glove.
“I’m still not volunteering to catch my grandson tomorrow.”
Dawn laughed.
“Smart.”
“Why?”
“You’ve got another hand.”
Discussion (71)
Disagree, not disagreeable
I love building a team from within. That being said a trade I could see the Dodgers make under the condition that Will Smith injury is worst than what is being reported, is the Dodgers trade for a veteran catcher to back up Rushing. Just throwing a name for an example is Realmuto of the Phillies. He’s definitely on the back side of the mountain and I’m not sure what his contract is like. He’s having a tough time at the plate this season but as soon as last season his numbers weren’t bad. The Dodgers should be able to get him without losing a top 20 prospect. If Smith is ready to come back soon, forget this post.
Latest BA mock ($$$$$)
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2026-mlb-mock-draft-6-0-latest-first-round-pick-predictions-for-every-team/
40. Dodgers — Eric Becker, SS, Virginia
Also, Passan does a trade deadline primer for each team.
(I’m honestly unsure of what/if/where the ESPN paywall is anymore)
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/49306462/2026-mlb-trade-deadline-addition-top-contender-moves-dodgers-brewers-braves-yankees-phillies
Interesting under the Rangers:
Long term, the Rangers would love to address their catching needs. And while by no means are the Dodgers shopping Rushing, they’ve got Will Smith at catcher and some guy at DH, and opportunities will be limited for the foreseeable future. Were Rushing to move, the Rangers wouldn’t be the only ones interested. (Imagine that left-handed swing at Yankee Stadium.) But Texas president of baseball operations Chris Young loves fiery players, and the fit goes well beyond need.
For LAD:
Other teams need Skubal more, certainly, but that’s of little concern to the Dodgers. …while they could nibble around the margins like they did at the last deadline, the opportunity to not only add Skubal to their rotation but prevent the chance of having to face him in a crucial game is tantalizing… The Dodgers don’t necessarily like making deals with negative expected value in their model, but if the price for another banner amounts to ….
Saw this cool stat online, didn’t verify the numbers on baseball reference or any other site.
Mookie Betts with the Red Sox:
794 games, 139 HR, 470 RBI, .301 AVG, 134 OPS+, 34.6 fWAR, AL MVP, 1 World Series title
Mookie Betts with the Dodgers:
794 games, 163 HR, 473 RBI, .275 AVG, 134 OPS+, 29.3 fWAR, 3 World Series titles
I’m a little confused by Bums’ colloquy above.
Is there any reporting anywhere that Rushing would go back to the minors? Or the Dodgers have any inclination to even consider this?
And doesn’t Rushing also get starts at DH?
But it does raise an interesting question about when does the window for starting catcher for the Dodgers not named Will Smith open? My best guess? Three years?
Mark, any update on the new site/upgrade? Looking forward to it.
Bill Plunkett has an article out today about Snell and his recovery from surgery.
Apparently he was not only experiencing elbow pain but also pain in his shoulder. Once they did the surgery on his elbow, the shoulder pain went away as well. Seems as if he was doing something with his throwing motion to avoid the elbow pain and that was affecting his shoulder.
He’ll be doing a live hitter bp this Saturday but from what he’s seen so far, his curveball is better than it’s been in years. He’s totally jazzed to get back on the mound in a real game.
Don’t know if his comments or what management has seen in his limited throwing so far will have any effect on what they do at the deadline, but I guess we’ll know soon enough.
Trade for Skubal and Chapman and call it a day.
Once again…to err is human.
Alex Call screwed up and he knew it. That’s why he was laughing. It’s a defense mechanism. The Dodgers love him and anybody who thinks he’s gonna get jettisoned is smoking some good dope….or maybe just a dope. Only an injury or two will give Suwinski or Thomas a call up.
The kids will all stay put.
Book em
Dodgers visiting White House on July 23rd!!!
Good for them!
I read some negative comments about Rojas somewhere, but we shouldn’t forget that it’s just a simple, unimportant game since it won’t affect the season standings in the slightest. We simply have to remember that without Miguel Rojas, the Dodgers wouldn’t be back-to-back champions.
Yahoo Sports this morning suggested that the Dodgers will be one of four teams who will basically go all in at the trade deadline. The others were the Astros, Yankees and Brewers.
Last week, Badger and I had some conversation about baseball bats. Today, I came across an article by Zach Dean | Fox News, who reported.
“On Wednesday, USA Baseball and the National Federation of High School State Associations (NFHS) announced that the NFHS Rules Committee voted to expand permitted bat drop weights in high school baseball to include -4, -5, and -6.”
For those who don’t know, “bat drop weights” is the difference between a bat’s length (in inches) and its weight (in ounces). For example, the current rules say a bat must be -3, or a drop-3. If a bat is 31 inches long, it must be weigh 28 ounces. That’s standard practice for bats in high school baseball.
“Starting in 2028, players will be able to legally use a lighter bat, hence the -4, -5, or -6. USA Baseball sold the move as a necessary one to “keeping more athletes in baseball and supporting their long-term development.”
I used to call the first generations of metal bats “Electric Bats”. All the weight was loaded into the barrel and it was a war-club. Remember college baseball with scores like 21 to 17?
“BBCOR” bats were introduced in 2012 and are basically just a toned-down version of the old “Electric” aluminum bats. And the BBCOR bats performed much closer wood bats.
Anyway, high school baseball mandated these bats after the 2011 season at both the college and high school level, and it’s been pretty much business as usual ever since. Why USA Baseball decided to allow players to make them lighter all of a sudden is puzzling.
I’ve never once seen nor heard of a player walk away from high school baseball because the bat was too heavy.
Basically, USA Baseball has now put a lighter bat in the hands of a 220-pound, 5-tool prospect who can already tear the cover off the ball.
What’s the problem with that? Well, there’s 2 obvious reasons this is stupid. One is safety. I can’t imaging a high school pitcher tossing up his 85mph fastball to a quality high school hitter and have a line drive taken in the head. Second, scouts would prefer prospects use wood. There is always the question of how well a kid will transition from a very forgiving metal bat, to wood when he gets into pro ball. This makes that question even bigger.
Once upon a time, MLB offered to provide all of the wood bats the colleges wanted to keep wood in the games. The NCAA backed away from that offer, fearing massive lawsuits from the metal bat companies. So, we have had metal bats since about 1973.
Leave it to some bureaucrat to make some stupid ruling for fix shit that isn’t broken. And get your grandkids who pitch in youth baseball a set of body armor
Thursday’s Dodger Affiliates’ Schedule
4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Sean Patick) vs. Dayton (Kyle McCoy)
5:00 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Davis Martin) vs. Springfield (Chen-Wei Lin)
5:05 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Jackson Ferris) vs. El Paso (Evan Fitterer)
6:35 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) vs. Inland Empire (Jose Romero)
I haven’t seen the lowlights of Alex Call’s challenge flops, but some LADT stalwarts are sharpening the knives….
AVF wants to send Call down. And Mark suggests Sirota as a replacement.
Interesting!
I doubt that Call is in great peril…. but would be fun to see what Sirota can do if he is thrown into the deep end. Heck, if they played in the Angels’ system, the OF in Anaheim right now might feature de Paula, Sirota and Hope, freeing Trout to DH.
Should Sirota leapfrog OKC? He’s a bit older than Hope and de Paula, and his defense provides another edge.
But would his progress be derailed if the Dodgers front office prematurely promotes him?
That’s the risk. Consider the case of Miguelito. He’s an all-star now, but viewed in retrospect, the Dodgers may have rushed him three seasons ago before he was really ready.
Is Jack Suwinski still in OKC? Did he get hurt or lurch into a slump? I assumed his fast start and ML experience might put him high on the depth chart. There’s a reason the Dodgers are the oldest team in MLB. They like veterans. They like the tried-and-true.
Last season the Dodgers brought in Call at the trade deadline to shore up the OF and bench. If the brain trust is now unhappy him, the Dodgers could also consider the trade market, where Taylor Ward and other proven veterans should be available as rentals.
But it would interesting to see Sirota get a shot.
Or Tibbs. Or ???
This lineup sure looks different when Ohtani is flapping. Looked like he was chasing flies with a broomstick.
I don’t see a problem with having two first string catchers. There are a lot of innings in a Dodger season.
As I see it the problem with Kim is he hits too many singles and isn’t turning them into scoring opportunities by stealing bases. His batting average is about the same as Tibbs, but he doesn’t walk much, he’s only stolen 5 bases there and for as powerful as he obviously is, his slug sucks. Something is wrong there. I wonder what might be going on with him? Maybe he needs to go someplace where his skills could be developed. Someplace where swinging for the fences no matter the count or situation isn’t as emphasized.
Could Call suddenly come down with a mysterious injury and A. Thomas be called up? Never know!
Sasaki? Head scratching !!!
So what’s the difference between Alphonso and Chuckie Robinson? Just curious.
I’m in charlotte this morning. My wife and I went to see the doobie brothers and Santana last night. Fantastic show! I love the doobies. Both Tom Johnston and Michael McDonald were great!! The Truliant Amphitheater was packed and rocking! Santana was great too! Never one of my favorites, but the music was great. Dude can still play the hell out of the guitar!
Got back to the hotel and turned on the tv and to my delight, espn had dbacks and padres on. If that wasn’t enough, jolly Jess was on the crew! Scanned the channels and ended up watching Elf. Not my favorite movie but better than the alternative!
Update by Bumsrap above!
I’m with you. I would love to see the kids. But when a 40 man roster spot is more precious than all the gold in Fort Knox I have doubts. It’s got to be frustrating. But keep kicking ass and you’ll get your cup of coffee . The cream always rises to the top.
Book em
Thanks again to Jeff for bringing the minors to our attention.
Knowing these prospects so well does bring up questions. Like with OKC having Tibbs, Erdhard, Fitzgerald Thomas and, Kim all hitting over .280, with varying positions and skills, why are we t even entertaining any thoughts on FAs for the future. Erdhard had his second inside the park to go along with his 14 homers, a double and an SB. Tibbs slugged another one. Fitzgerald is hitting..312 and Thomas is proving he should get a call up. Kim, despite the dissing, plays nearly all field positions with finesse and has cut his Ks while hitting .281. Probably not a starter but a good bench piece.
My point is that we have so much talent at AAA that we really don’t need any offensive FAs through 2028 when those studs in A ball will be matured.
Call is a nice backup player,but there are much better options at Oklahoma City with either power or speed and should be utilized and a player should be promoted to take his spot on the roster,preferably a left handed bat.Call has options remaining.
If you’re interested in watching the MLB DRAFT this Saturday:
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