The Dodgers have had no trouble putting traffic on the bases in this series. Turning those chances into a bigger number on the scoreboard has been the tougher part.
That’s the backdrop for the finale against Seattle, with Bryan Woo lined up for the Mariners. Woo has not matched the level he set last season, even though the underlying indicators haven’t completely fallen apart.
In fact, his FIP is lower than it was a year ago. But the results haven’t followed the same path.
After putting together back-to-back seasons with an ERA under 3.00 in 2024 and 2025, he hasn’t looked like the ace he became.
One of the biggest issues for Woo in 2026 has been what happens after runners reach. His strand rate has taken a sharp hit, dropping from 80.4% last year to 63.1% this season. That’s the kind of number that can turn a solid outing into a messy one in a hurry.
The Dodgers, meanwhile, have already seen enough of Luis Castillo and Emerson Hancock to know they’ve been getting men on base. In last night’s win, they collected 11 hits and drew just one walk, but still finished with only four runs. The difference was on the mound: Eric Lauer kept Seattle quiet and delivered the low-scoring win, while Justin Wrobleski in the prior game gave up homers at a dangerous pace.
On the Dodgers’ side, Roki Sasaki is back at Dodger Stadium after a dominant trip through New York. Across 12.2 innings against the Mets and Yankees, he allowed just one earned run. That blemish came on a home run, the same issue that has hurt him at his worst this season and helped Seattle win on Tuesday.
Thursday’s game info
In Other News...
Former Dodgers Breakout James Outman Is In A Brutal Spot Now
James Outmans path since leaving Los Angeles has turned into a cautionary tale for any hitter trying to rediscover the version of himself that once made him look like a future core piece. The former Dodgers breakout and NL Rookie of the Year candidate has seen his offensive production slide badly after moving on to the Twins and then the Tigers, and the strikeout issues that were manageable during his rise have only gotten worse as the at-bats have dried up.
Detroit has kept Outman on the roster for now, which at least buys him a little more time to sort through the mess. But the margin is thin, his playing time has been limited, and every day he remains in that spot only sharpens the question the Dodgers know well from a distance: whether the bat can get back to where it was, or whether this is simply what he is now. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Could Be Eyeing A Deadline Target Nobody Saw Coming
The deadline market has a way of turning familiar contenders into surprise bidders, and the Dodgers may be drifting toward one of the more unexpected names on the board. ESPNs Jeff Passan reported that Los Angeles is considering involvement in the trade market for Angels shortstop Zach Neto, a player with team control through 2030 and enough offensive punch to draw real attention even if his work at shortstop has been below average.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has already hinted that the last stretch before the deadline can produce moves nobody saw coming, and this would fit that mold. Any pursuit of Neto still sounds uncertain, but the possibility alone is notable for a club that is always looking for ways to improve, even when the fit is not obvious at first glance. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Fans Just Learned A Troubling Secret About Mark Walter
Mark Walter has spent much of the past year trying to project business as usual, making several public appearances after a health scare that was not disclosed when it happened. The Dodgers owners status matters well beyond the boardroom, because he sits at the center of one of the most visible ownership groups in sports and has long been viewed as the steady hand behind the franchises big-picture ambitions.
Now, though, the questions around Walter are no longer limited to his health. His leadership of his businesses is drawing fresh scrutiny at a time when he and his holding company, TWG Global, are already under federal review over financial dealings tied to Delaware life insurers he owns, leaving Dodgers fans with an uneasy reminder that the man steering the club is facing more than one kind of pressure. [Read more 🡒]