Cody Snavely
Happy Monday! Here at DodgersBeat, we hope all the dads out there had a wonderful Father’s Day despite the news from this weekend’s games.
With Betts and Yamamoto’s injuries, along with updates on Bobby Miller and Clayton Kershaw, we have a lot to discuss in the latest edition of this Dodgers Notes series.
Week recap (6/10/2024-6/16/2024)
Rangers Recap: Former Dodgers all-star shortstop Corey Seager returned to Chavez Ravine to face his former club with the defending World Series Champion Texas Rangers in a three-game set.
The Dodgers offense was a force to be reckoned with in game one, hitting four home runs in one inning to secure a resounding 15-2 win over the Rangers.
However, despite a decent outing by Walker Buehler and the bullpen, the Dodgers offense went quiet the next two games, scoring only four runs combined.
The Dodgers would drop the first series of their six-game homestand as Seager would get his “revenge” by ambushing Buehler in that second game with a three-run home run.
- Game One: 15-2, W
- Game Two: 3-2, L
- Game Three: 3-1, L
Royals Recap: The surprising Kansas City Royals were next on the homestand, where Bobby Witt Jr.and the electric Royals pitching staff were set to rebound after their series loss to the New York Yankees.
However, the game took an unexpected turn as the Dodgers, at the bottom of their order, had other plans. Miguel Rojas and Chris Tayor’s back-to-back home runs tied the game at three, setting the stage for a thrilling 8th inning.
However, despite winning the series, the Dodgers lost two crucial players. Right-handed pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto could only go two innings before exiting the game with an injury.
In the deciding match, Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts was struck on the left hand, a blow that was later confirmed to have resulted in a fracture.
- Game One: 4-3, W
- Game Two: 2-7, L
- Game Three: 3-0, W
Betts & Yamamoto head to IL
The Los Angeles Dodgers suffered two massive blows in the last twenty-four hours on the weekend. They will be without right-handed pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto and all-star shortstop Mookie Betts for an extended period of time.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who was in top form in his last start against the New York Yankees, matching a career-high in seven innings pitched and reaching a top speed of 98mph, has been given an extended period of rest before his next start against the Royals.
The Dodgers, who have given Yamamoto more rest in his previous starts throughout the year, had many fans not looking too much into the pushback, but once Yamamoto took the mound on Saturday night, it was a different story.
Yamamoto, whose velocity was down 1.5mph compared to his season average, was pulled from the game. Later, the trainers, pitching coach Mark Prior, and Dave Roberts all seemed visibly stressed.
The Dodgers reported at the time that Yamamoto exited his start with triceps tightness, but after Sunday’s game, Dave Roberts confirmed that it was a strained rotator cuff. Roberts also stated that Yamamoto would be out for an extended period, but it was not considered season-ending.
As for Mookie Betts, the fallout of Betts the Dodgers will be in more trouble as it will be challenging to replicate what Betts was doing offensively this season atop the lineup.
Betts, who was hit by a 98mph fastball in his left hand in his final at-bat of the day, was immediately in pain. While nothing was confirmed until after the game, most fans were confident that his hand was likely fractured.
Those fears were realized after the game, where a soulless Mookie Betts talked to the media as the current National League Most Valuable Player favorite would be sidelined until mid-August at the very least.
Betts, 31, was hitting .304/.405/.488 with a .893 OPS, ten home runs, forty RBI, and nine stolen bases. In his absence, veteran shortstop Miguel Rojas is expected to get the majority of the playing time.
Kershaw & Miller updates
While the Dodgers suffered a setback with the loss of pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, they are set to regain strength with the return of Bobby Miller. The right-hander, who has been out of action due to injury, is expected to be activated off the 15-day IL on Wednesday in Colorado, potentially bolstering the team’s pitching rotation.
Miller has been sidelined since April due to shoulder inflammation after back-to-back medical starts against the Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Twins.
However, despite the impending activation, Miller did not have the best stat line during his four rehab starts. In fifteen innings pitched, Miller had a 7.80 ERA, ten strikeouts, and a WHIP of 1.80.
Miller struggled with his command throughout all his starts, but the velocity remained, and he came out of each start healthy, which is the primary goal.
On the other hand, the Dodgers’ veteran left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw is making significant strides in his recovery from offseason shoulder surgery. After multiple bullpens, live at-bats, and simulated games, the future Hall of Famer is preparing to take the next big step in his journey back to the mound.
Kershaw, 36, is set to start his first rehab assignment game for the Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes on Wednesday in what will be a lengthy rehab stint as Kershaw builds up his arm and velocity.
However, the goal of a mid-summer return is alive and well. Kershaw, among many Dodgers coaches, is ahead of schedule and stated that a six-week program would be enough for the lefty.
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