The Dodgers finally got some offense Tuesday night, but eight runs still weren’t enough to cover for the mess on the mound. Now they hand the ball to Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and if the bats can even come close to that number again, Los Angeles should like its chances.
Yamamoto’s most recent start was the kind that reminds you just how sharp he’s been. He worked 6 1/3 innings and gave up only a leadoff homer to Braves catcher Drake Baldwin before settling in and matching Chris Sale pitch for pitch. Sale, of course, shut the Dodgers down completely and finished off the complete-game shutout.
That outing fit the pattern for Yamamoto this season, and especially in August. He has posted a 1.95 ERA this month, but it has come with just a 1-2 record.
The bigger issue has been run support. L.A. has scored three or more runs behind him only twice in his past six starts, and five of those games were decided by one run, leaving him with almost no room to breathe.
Wednesday brings a different kind of test. Instead of staring down a starter, Yamamoto will be facing a Cardinals bullpen that was used lightly on Tuesday night. Ryan Fernandez threw 1.2 innings in that game, but the rest of the relief corps hasn’t been taxed much over the last few days and should be fresh.
There is one encouraging note for the Dodgers: Yamamoto has already seen the Cardinals twice and hasn’t allowed a run in 11 innings against them.
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Blake Treinen was activated to take Kleins spot, giving the Dodgers another familiar late-inning arm as they sort through October planning. The bigger question now is whether Klein will be available for the postseason at all, and for a team that has leaned on unexpected contributors before, his health suddenly matters just as much as his emergence did. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Suddenly Have A Pitching Question They Can't Ignore
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The more concerning development came after the game, when Dave Roberts said one Dodgers pitcher has hit a setback in his recovery and is currently shut down because of arm fatigue. For a team that keeps trying to patch together innings on the fly, it is the kind of update that can change the conversation quickly, especially with October in view and the margin for more pitching trouble growing thinner. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Left A Rising Outfielder Waiting For One Frustrating Reason
The Dodgers used their roster expansion to bring up catcher Dalton Rushing and infielder Alex Freeland, but the move also left outfielder James Tibbs in Triple-A for now. Tibbs had been in the conversation for a call-up after turning in a strong run at the top minor-league level, yet the club chose the more straightforward path by leaning on players already on the 40-man roster and keeping its options open.
For a prospect with Tibbs profile, the delay is more frustrating than alarming. He remains one of the organizations more intriguing young outfielders and is still viewed as a player who should get to the majors in the next couple of years, but this first opening never materialized. For now, the Dodgers are prioritizing flexibility over a longer look at a bat that had at least put itself firmly in the discussion. [Read more 🡒]