Cody Snavely
Happy Monday! The Dodgers had two tough series this past week, facing two young flamethrowers in Pittsburgh and traveling to New York to face the American League-leading Yankees.
The Dodgers wrapped up the six-game road trip with a balanced record of three wins and three losses, but the real triumph was their significant victory in New York. Now, the team is ready to bring that winning spirit back home for a six-game homestand, starting with a match against the defending 2023 World Series Champion Texas Rangers.
But before that, let’s catch up on all the latest Dodgers news we saw this past week in the latest Dodgers Notes series.
Week recap (6/3/2024-6/9/2024)
Pirates Recap: The Los Angeles Dodgers kicked off their six-game road trip with a match in the Steel City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but would be met with two of arguably best young starting pitchers this season in Jared Jones and Paul Skenes.
The dynamic duo of Jones and Skenes proved to be a tough match for the Dodgers. Jones and the Pirates bullpen managed to keep the Dodgers at bay, winning 1-0 over Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow. In a significant milestone, Glasnow became the first pitcher in the 2024 season to reach the century mark in strikeouts, a testament to his exceptional performance.
The Dodgers faced a formidable challenge in Paul Skenes, a right-handed flamethrower who allowed only three runs in five innings while striking out eight. Despite the efforts of James Paxton and the Dodgers pitching staff, the offense was unable to capitalize on multiple opportunities, falling just short of a comeback win.
Thankfully, the Dodgers were able to squeak away with a win in the series’ final game, taking advantage of a much slower left-handed starter in Bailey Falter.
- Game One: 0-1, L
- Game Two: 6-10, L
- Game Three: 11-7, W
Yankees Recap: In what is an early favorite for the most anticipated series of the year, the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers travel to New York to face the evil empire that is the New York Yankees.
The Yankees, who are having an excellent year thanks to a healthy Aaron Judge and newly acquired left-handed hitting outfielder Juan Soto, have steamrolled through the American League so far. They led not only the American League East but the entire American League as well and entered this series with the best record in Major League baseball.
The Dodgers, who were playing ‘mediocre’ baseball, made a stunning statement in the heart of the New York crowd. They clinched game one in extra innings, a victory that not only shocked the home team but also set the tone for the series. This triumph was largely attributed to a dominant start by right-handed pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who tossed seven shutout innings.
The Dodgers offense would drop eleven runs in game two, supporting rookie Gavin Stone, who has continued his two-month stretch of dominance, and Teoscar Hernández, smacking two home runs and collecting six RBIs on the night.
- Game One: 2-1, W
- Game Two: 11-3, W
- Game Three: 6-4, L
Injury Notes
Before the Sunday Night Baseball series finale, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shared a promising update. Right-handed pitcher Brusdar Graterol, who has been diligently working on his throwing program, has advanced enough to start throwing bullpen sessions at the Dodgers Arizona complex.
Graterol, 25, has been out of action for the entire 2024 season due to a shoulder injury. He made a brief appearance in a Cactus League game before being sidelined.
Graterol is one of many Dodgers bullpen pitchers on the IL who contributed significantly to the team’s second-half success in 2023, posting an ERA under two.
Another relief option that has begun throwing again is rookie pitcher Kyle Hurt, who was shut down in April and transferred to the 60-day IL due to shoulder inflammation pitched in a rehab game this past week.
During his one inning of work, Kyle Hurt showed his potential, reaching 98mph and coming out of the inning healthy. This is the best news the team could receive, and it’s a testament to the support and patience the Dodgers are showing their young righty.
Clayton Kershaw pitched two innings of a simulated game at Rancho this past week, and per Dave Roberts, the veteran left-handed pitcher hit 90mph on the radar gun.
Roberts stated that Kershaw’s next step is a three-inning simulated game. He will likely start a lengthy rehab assignment as he prepares for a hopeful late July/early August return.
Bobby Miller completed yet another rehab assignment this past week in what was likely his last stint in the minors before rejoining the Dodgers rotation.
Miller pitched four innings, allowing one run on two hits, two walks, and two strikeouts on seventy-two pitches. While the Dodgers wanted to get Miller up to five innings, this was arguably his best start so far on rehab.
The Dodgers are also set to play twelve straight games and will need all the arms they can get with many around the team, assuming once Miller is activated, the Dodgers will utilize a six-man rotation.
Trade deadline season
As we enter the middle of June, trade rumors are becoming more rampant as we approach the July 30th trade deadline.
With the Dodgers making a staggering investment of over one billion dollars this past winter, the anticipation for a World Series champion roster was not just a fleeting hope. It was a high expectation. However, this season has revealed several areas that need attention, underscoring the importance of addressing these issues to meet the team’s potential.
For starters, the bottom of the order and its struggles have been well documented. The combination of Chris Taylor, James Outman, Gavin Lux, and Enrique Hernandez has not been getting the job done, as the Dodgers’ seven-through-nine hitters rank bottom of the league in average, on base, and OPS.
The absence of Max Muncy, a string left-handed power bat in the middle of their lineup, is another massive issue the team may have to address if Muncy is set to miss an extended period with his oblique injury.
Many MLB insiders have begun sharing their thoughts on the Dodgers deadline splash, with names such as Bo Bichette and Luis Robert Jr. as potential options.
Please continue to check out the DodgersBeat website and social media. In the coming days, I will break down what MLB insiders are saying about the Dodgers’ deadline plans.
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