The Dodgers hit the All-Star break on a rough note, dropping four of their last six at home and getting swept by the Diamondbacks after taking two of three from the Rockies in a run of one-run games. It was a week that never really let them breathe.
Shohei Ohtani was still the loudest bat in the lineup. He didn’t pitch because he’s receiving treatment on his left knee, but he kept doing damage at the plate, launching four home runs and accounting for 80 percent of the Dodgers’ team total. On Tuesday against Colorado, Shohei Ohtani hit his 300th career home run.
Justin Wrobleski also gave the Dodgers something to hang onto. He worked seven innings again against the Rockies on Tuesday, punched out nine, and then got the news on Saturday that he had been named an All-Star.
The week ended with a 2-4 record. The Dodgers scored 23 runs, or 3.83 per game, and allowed 37, which came out to 6.17 per game. Their pythagorean win percentage for the week sat at .295.
For the season, the Dodgers are 61-36. They’ve scored 506 runs, good for 5.22 per game, and allowed 357, or 3.68 per game. Their pythagorean win percentage is .654, with a 63-34 mark attached to it.
There were also a couple of roster moves on Monday. Pitcher Carlos Durán was added to the 40-man roster and optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he was already pitching, and catcher Chuckie Robinson was designated for assignment.
At the plate, Ohtani led the way with 25 plate appearances, five runs, eight hits, one double, four homers and seven RBI. Andy Pages chipped in a strong week as well, while Tommy Edman, Hyeseong Kim, Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy, Miguel Rojas and Kyle Tucker all contributed in varying degrees. The Dodgers finished the week with 46 hits, eight doubles, five homers and 21 RBI.
On the mound, Wrobleski’s seven-inning start stood out in a rotation that otherwise took its lumps. The starters combined for a 4.45 ERA across 30.3 innings, while the bullpen posted a 4.56 ERA over 25.2 innings. Ben Casparius, Justin Wrobleski, Emmet Sheehan, Roki Sasaki, Tyler Glasnow, Jack Dreyer, Anthony Banda, Alex Vesia, Michael Kopech, Tanner Scott, Landon Knack, Blake Treinen and Justin Hurt all appeared in the week’s pitching line.
The break now gives Dave Roberts and his coaching staff a trip to Philadelphia for the All-Star Game, where Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy and Andy Pages are in the National League starting lineup. Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Justin Wrobleski are also available to pitch. Ohtani won’t make the trip after getting treatment on his left knee.
After a pair of true off days Wednesday and Thursday, the Dodgers come back with a nine-game road trip next Friday in the Bronx against the New York Yankees, wrapping up the Frtiz Peterson gauntlet.
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Dodgers Seem Ready To Make A Deadline Bet Fans Did Not Expect
Dalton Rushing has handled the Dodgers catching duties with Will Smith sidelined, and the early returns have given the club a workable bridge at a spot that can get thin in a hurry. Rushings offense has been solid enough to keep Los Angeles from feeling pressure to chase a big-name catcher, even as the organization continues to monitor how he handles the role on a day-to-day basis.
For now, the more likely deadline move appears to be adding catching depth at the minor-league level rather than bringing in a major-league regular. The Dodgers are still balancing Rushings development with Smiths recovery, and there is at least a sense that the club may be more comfortable with the current path than it has let on publicly, even if that remains only part of the picture. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Prospects Gave Fans Plenty To Notice During Futures Game Break
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Back in the minors, the rest of the system kept moving along with the kind of mixed bag that usually fills a midseason update, from home runs to strong pitching performances across the affiliates. Great Lakes, Oklahoma City and Ontario all had notable individual efforts to track, and with more games on the schedule soon, there will be another chance for these prospects to keep making their case before the next round of attention shifts back to the big club. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Finally Have A Real Blake Snell Return Timeline
Blake Snell is finally moving into the next phase of his recovery, with the Dodgers set to send the left-hander out on a rehab assignment this week after elbow surgery. It is the first concrete step toward getting him back into the rotation, and it gives the club a clearer sense of how the rest of his buildup will unfold.
The expectation is for Snell to make four to five rehab outings as he works toward a workload of about 90 pitches before rejoining the major league roster. For a Dodgers staff that has been waiting on more certainty, the assignment matters because it turns his return from a vague hope into a real process, even if the final date still has some room to breathe. [Read more 🡒]
