After the first two games of this Cardinals series, it wouldn’t have been hard to talk yourself into a bad ending for the Dodgers. They’ve already been blown out once, and they’ve already watched Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tanner Scott give away a three-run lead in a loss that sent them to their first extra-inning defeat of the season. If this finale goes sideways too, the whole set could end up wearing the label of most frustrating series of the year.
But the matchup on deck changes the mood fast: Tarik Skubal against Quinn Matthews, a rookie making his fifth start. That’s the kind of pitching edge that can make a rough stretch feel a lot less ominous.
That’s been the story around the 2026 Dodgers in plenty of these spots. The recent results can look ugly, but once the next elite arm or favorable matchup comes into view, the worry tends to fade.
Skubal, who was traded to the Dodgers knowing he was joining a powerhouse, has still had to carry a heavy load just to keep his record from slipping the wrong way in his first month with the club. The offense hasn’t been firing at full strength, and he’s gotten only three runs of support per game over his five starts.
Even so, the Dodgers have won three of those games, and all three were decided by one run.
There’s been another notable thread in this series, too: big production from the shortstops on both sides. Mookie Betts has already piled up four extra-base hits in the series, but he’s been outslugged by the Cardinals’ ninth-place hitter, Thomas Saggesse.
Saggese has launched three of St. Louis’ seven home runs in the series, which is two more than he had all season before arriving at Dodger Stadium.
For the Dodgers, though, Betts finding another gear still matters more than almost anything else in the bigger picture.
In Other News...
Dodgers Shut Down An Unlikely October Hero With Bigger Questions Ahead
Will Kleins improbable rise out of the Dodgers bullpen has run into a tough pause at the worst possible time. The right-hander was shifted to the 60-day injured list because of right elbow discomfort, a move that closes the book on his regular season and forces the club to shuffle its relief corps heading into the final stretch.
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
The Dodgers bullpen churned again around an 8-6, 10-inning loss to the Cardinals, with the club making another round of roster moves that underscored how fragile the pitching picture has become. Blake Treinen came off the injured list, Eric Lauer went on the 15-day injured list, and Will Klein was shifted to the 60-day injured list because of elbow issues, leaving Los Angeles juggling availability even as the calendar tightens.
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 🡒]