The Dodgers got the win they needed Saturday night, edging the Nationals 6-5 to take the series and move to 85-57. Tommy Edman delivered the swing that changed everything, launching a go-ahead three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh after also making a strong defensive play in center field earlier in the game.
Tyler Glasnow gave Los Angeles a solid start, working six innings and allowing four runs while striking out eight.
The victory came with a short-handed lineup, though. Shohei Ohtani missed his third straight game, and Dalton Rushing and Max Muncy were scratched before first pitch. Ohtani did take swings in the cage during the game, and the Dodgers will wait to see how he feels on Sunday before deciding whether to put him on the injured list.
“He did take some swings, and I think right now, honestly, I’m going to see how he comes in tomorrow," manager Dave Roberts said after Saturday's game. "But it was good to see that, during the game, all game, I think he was hitting.
I don’t know what intensity, but the hitting coaches said that he was swinging with some intent. He did not report pain during it.”
Rushing’s situation is also worth watching. He was throwing on the field before the game, then felt discomfort in his elbow. The catcher is coming back from a slightly torn UCL and will get imaging to determine whether he needs to return to the IL.
“He was doing some early throwing today, and it just kind of flared up,” Roberts said on Saturday. “We’ll just see how it feels [Sunday].”
Before the game, the Dodgers made a roster move of their own, activating right-handed pitcher Bobby Miller from the 60-day injured list. He is expected to be part of the pitching plan on Sunday, which will mark his first MLB action since May 2025.
To open a spot on the 40-man roster, Los Angeles cut ties with outfielder Alek Thomas. The five-year veteran had a brief run with the Dodgers after Andy Pages got hurt, going 4-for-19 with three runs batted in.
The lineup news on Saturday also included Max Muncy being scratched because he was sick.
In Other News...
Dodgers Lose Two Bats Late And Suddenly Face A Bigger Concern
The Dodgers arrived for their game against the Washington Nationals with another late shakeup to the lineup, and this one landed at a sensitive spot for a team already juggling health concerns. Dalton Rushing was scratched because of right elbow discomfort tied to a slightly torn UCL, while Max Muncy was also pulled because of illness, leaving Los Angeles to adjust on the fly before first pitch. Shohei Ohtani was still out of the lineup as well, adding to the sense that the Dodgers are trying to piece together offense while waiting for key names to clear.
Rushings situation is the one that naturally carries the bigger worry, because elbow trouble connected to a UCL is never the kind of detail a club wants to hear around a young bat. Muncy being sidelined by illness is more routine, and Ohtanis absence was already part of the picture, but losing another hitter right before a game forces the Dodgers to keep one eye on the scoreboard and another on the trainers room. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Could Get An Important Outfield Boost At The Perfect Time
Andy Pages has been out since Aug. 22 with a left hand fracture, and the Dodgers have spent the last stretch adjusting around his absence in center field. Pages also underwent surgery to insert a screw, but the recovery process has gone well enough that he is expected to start swinging a bat soon, a key step for a player whose value to the roster is tied to both his glove and his ability to keep the lineup moving.
Tommy Edman has handled most of the center-field work in Pages absence, giving the Dodgers a steady stopgap while they wait for more clarity on Pages timeline. The encouraging part for Los Angeles is that a return before the postseason still appears to be in play, which would give the club another option in the outfield right when October decisions start to matter most. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Suddenly Have A Rotation Problem They Can't Ignore
Eric Lauers rough outing against the St. Louis Cardinals turned into something more than just a bad night, as the Dodgers placed the left-hander on the 15-day injured list because of left elbow inflammation. Dave Roberts said Lauer was not feeling well during the start, and the timing leaves Los Angeles with a rotation issue it cant really brush aside for long.
The Dodgers are now down to four starters and have to sort through internal options while they wait on Lauers status. Emmet Sheehan, Roki Sasaki and Gavin Stone are among the names in the mix, which gives the club some possibilities, but also underscores how quickly one injury can put added pressure on a staff that was supposed to have more stability. [Read more 🡒]