The Dodgers left Sunday night with a 7-5 win over the Nationals and a few more roster questions answered.
Los Angeles moved to 86-57 behind a late surge that featured Mookie Betts delivering the biggest swing of the game. Betts broke a tie with a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth, capping a comeback after the Dodgers had already dug in with a four-run fifth. Max Muncy collected three hits, Tommy Edman had a multi-hit night and drove in the first run of that fifth-inning rally, and Bobby Miller was the pitcher in line for the win after making his first major league appearance in nearly 16 months.
Miller worked three innings in his return to a big league mound, while Justin Wrobleski struck out six but gave up four earned runs on eight hits over three innings.
Before the game, Dave Roberts gave the clearest update yet on Shohei Ohtani’s status. Ohtani missed his fourth straight game Sunday, but he did take part in a batting cage session over the weekend, and Roberts sounded encouraged about where things stood.
“[Saturday] was a good day,” Roberts said of Ohtani's time in the cage. “He came out of it feeling well. So if nothing else changes, or [it] continues to trend, I see him in there [Monday].
“[Sunday] he’s going to go through his work and should be good to go [Monday] … Until he’s written in the lineup, we don’t know 100 percent, but I’m hopeful.”
There was tougher news elsewhere on the roster. Dalton Rushing went back on the injured list with right elbow discomfort only days after being activated following a month-long absence tied to a slightly torn UCL. In a corresponding move, the Dodgers recalled rookie catcher Eliezer Alfonzo Jr.
Another move is coming Monday, with right-hander Emmet Sheehan set to be promoted from Triple-A. Roberts said Sheehan’s job will be to start Monday’s game, or potentially come in behind an opener and handle a bulk role. Sheehan has been optioned back to Oklahoma City twice this August and carries a 5.29 ERA in 20 major league starts this season.
In Other News...
Dodgers May Have A Postseason Bullpen Option Nobody Saw Coming
The Dodgers added Tarik Skubal and Kris Bubic ahead of the trade deadline, and the bigger question now is how each fits when October arrives. While Skubal brings obvious front-line value, Dave Roberts also singled out Bubic as a name to watch, noting both his experience and the progress he has made in his rehab work after landing on the injured list in mid-May.
Bubic has been working back through assignments and has shown enough along the way to keep his postseason path open. For a Dodgers club that always wants as many usable arms as possible in the playoffs, the possibility of turning a rehabbing starter into a bullpen option is the sort of depth move that can matter late, even if the final answer is still to be determined. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Could Soon Cut Short One Young Infielders Opportunity
Andy Pages is starting to work his way back from the fractured left hand he suffered Aug. 21, and the first encouraging sign for the Dodgers is that he has begun hitting off a tee without pain. While Pages has been sidelined, Los Angeles has patched together the outfield and infield with a mix of Alek Thomas, Tommy Edman and Alex Freeland, a reminder of how quickly one injury can ripple through the roster and create opportunities in a hurry.
Freeland has been the name to watch in that shuffle, even if his bat has not given the Dodgers much reason to slow down the next move. Because he still has minor league options left, his place on the roster looks especially vulnerable once Pages is ready to return, and the front office may not have much choice if it wants to restore the lineup and keep its defensive alignment where it prefers it. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Hand Emmet Sheehan A Big Late Season Opportunity
With Eric Lauer headed to the injured list, the Dodgers are turning to Emmet Sheehan for an important late-season chance against the Reds. The right-hander was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City and is now getting a big-league assignment at a time when Los Angeles is still fine-tuning its pitching mix for October.
Sheehan has earned the look with his recent work in the minors, and the Dodgers are clearly hoping that form carries over when the games start to matter most. For a club already thinking ahead to the postseason, this start offers both a chance to stabilize the rotation and a reminder that there is still room for one more arm to make a case. [Read more 🡒]