Kyle Tucker delivered the knockout blow Friday night in Miami, launching a seventh-inning grand slam that pushed the Dodgers to a 6-2 win over the Marlins and stretched their winning streak to eight straight.
The Dodgers entered the night with extra attention on Josue De Paula, who made his MLB debut in front of the buzz at loanDepot Park. The top prospect went 0-for-3 in his first big-league game.
He opened with a flyout to right fielder Esteury Ruiz, then drew a walk in the fourth with one out. In his final at-bat, De Paula grounded out to first baseman Kyle Stowers.
Blake Snell gave Los Angeles another strong outing, holding Miami to one run on four hits. The Marlins put pressure on him early, but Snell kept working out of it.
Otto Lopez singled in the first, only to be erased when Smith threw him out trying to steal second to end the inning. Miami again got runners aboard in the second, but Snell avoided damage and kept the game scoreless.
The Dodgers scratched across the first run in the third. Tommy Edman led off with a walk, Max Muncy followed with a single, and Tucker brought home Snell’s run support with a sacrifice fly.
De Paula’s night also featured a close call on the bases. With two outs in the fourth, he was initially ruled out trying to steal his first MLB bag after his hand came off the base and his leg was on the tag. After a manager’s challenge, the call was overturned and the inning ended.
Tucker kept building his night in the sixth. After driving in the opening run with the sac fly, he tripled with one out. Smith then added another run for Los Angeles with a single off Gusto.
Miami finally answered in the bottom of the sixth. After Javier Sanoja singled against Snell, Dave Roberts went to Evan Phillips. Agustín Ramírez then worked a strong at-bat and came through with an RBI double to trim the Dodgers’ lead to 2-1.
That margin didn’t last long. In the seventh, Los Angeles loaded the bases with two outs against the Marlins bullpen, and Tucker unloaded them. He crushed a grand slam off Cade Gibson, his first since summer of 2023, and finished the night with two hits.
The Marlins added one more in the eighth against Blake Treinen. Javier Sanoja led off with a triple, and Owen Caissie drove him in with a sacrifice fly.
The series continues Saturday at loanDepot Park at 1:10 p.m. on SportsNet LA, with Tyler Glasnow (4-0, 3.12 ERA, 0.88 WHIP) set to face Tyler Phillips (5-6, 3.51 ERA, 1.33 WHIP).
In Other News...
Dodgers Suddenly Face A Massive Tarik Skubal Problem
Tarik Skubal has quickly become one of the bigger names to watch on the pitching market, and for the Dodgers, thats both a good and a complicated thing. The left-hander has fit in well since joining Los Angeles, putting together a 2.93 ERA in seven starts and giving the club another high-end arm in a rotation that always seems to be thinking a step ahead.
Now comes the part that tends to follow elite pitching success in Los Angeles: the bidding war. Skubal is expected to hit free agency this winter, and projections already have his next deal somewhere in the $400 million to $500 million range, which would put him among the highest-paid pitchers in MLB history. The Dodgers are viewed as an early favorite along with the Toronto Blue Jays, and for a team that values star power as much as any in the sport, the question is no longer whether Skubal is worth it so much as how far theyre willing to go to keep him in the fold. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Just Raised The Stakes For Two Fast-Rising Outfield Prospects
The Dodgers used a late-season roster shuffle to give one of their best young outfielders a bigger stage, promoting Josue De Paula to help fill the spot left by Shohei Ohtanis injury. Its the kind of move that serves two purposes at once for a team in October pursuit: patch a big-league need now while also getting a longer look at a player who has climbed quickly through the system.
The ripple effect reached Double-A Tulsa, where Charles Davalan and Eduardo Quintero moved up from advanced Class-A Great Lakes. For Los Angeles, the timing matters as much as the promotions themselves, since the organization gets a chance to see how two fast-rising prospects handle a tougher level before the season turns to the playoffs and the front office starts sorting out who might be closest to helping down the road. [Read more 🡒]
Dave Roberts Gives Miguel Rojas A Meaningful Dodgers Moment
Miguel Rojas may be lining up for one more meaningful turn in a Dodgers uniform on September 13, with Dave Roberts confirming the veteran infielder is expected to start even though his opportunities against right-handed pitching have been limited this season. For a player who has already spent years carving out a role in Los Angeles and won two World Series with the club, it adds a fitting layer to a career that has always been about reliability and timing.
Rojas first made his name with the Miami Marlins from 2015 to 2022 before returning to the Dodgers, and this stretch has the feel of a final chapter coming into view. Roberts giving him the nod is more than a lineup decision, because it frames the day as a chance for one of the teams most trusted veterans to get a meaningful moment in what could be his last game for Los Angeles. [Read more 🡒]