Cody Snavely
Happy Monday! After a disappointing week of baseball, the Dodgers got back to their winning ways this time around, winning five of their six games played.
Despite some fluctuations in the offense, a trend that emerged after Max Muncy‘s injury, the Dodgers’ pitching and defense stood tall, playing a pivotal role in their continued dominance in the NL West. As of Monday, they hold a 6.5-game lead.
However, the Dodgers have a huge week of games that will put them to the test, along with a potential October preview with a three-game set with the American League-leading New York Yankees. But there is much to discuss on the injury front, too, in this latest Dodgers Notes.
Week recap (5/27/2024-6/2/2024)
Mets Recap: The Los Angeles Dodgers came into New York on a five-game losing skid after dropping back-to-back series to the Arizona Diamondbacks and Cincinnati Reds.
Fortunately, the Dodgers were not alone in their battle as Mother Nature intervened, postponing Monday’s game and setting up a doubleheader for Tuesday. In game one, Tyler Glasnow played his part, but it was a collective effort that saw the Dodgers’ offense come alive in the 9th inning, with Chris Taylor‘s RBI bunt sending the game to extras.
The Dodgers would take the lead and never look back in the series, also winning the next two games. The offense woke up from their slumber in the series finale, scoring ten runs and sweeping the Mets in three games.
- Game One: 5-2 F/10 W
- Game Two: 3-0 W
- Game Three: 10-3 W
Rockies Recap: The Dodgers, who have been in a funk since losing those already-mentioned series to the Diamondbacks and Reds, got back on track with a sweep in New York, but they would return home for a short three-game homestand to face the Rockies, a team fresh off beating the Cleveland Guardians.
The Rockies caught the Dodgers off guard, winning the first game thanks to a big day from young Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar. However, after an embarrassing loss at home, the Dodgers rebounded, winning the next two games and, ultimately, the series.
The Dodgers’ offense, still in its funk, would provide just enough run support to complement some great pitching from Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Gavin Stone as they prepare for a huge six-game road trip to Pittsburgh and New York to face the Pirates and Yankees.
- Game One: 4-1 L
- Game Two: 4-1 W
- Game Three: 4-0 W
Miller & Kershaw close to returning
The Los Angeles Dodgers are set to get two big pieces returning to their starting rotation in the coming weeks: Bobby Miller and Clayton Kershaw.
Let’s delve into Miller’s rehab journey. His recent performance in Rancho was a mix of ups and downs, showing signs of progress in terms of command and execution. He conceded three runs on five hits and walked one in 3.1 innings.
We should expect Miller to get one more rehab start before being activated for the 15-day IL.
However, the big news is left-handed veteran Clayton Kershaw is close to six weeks away from being activated off the IL to rejoin the Dodgers sometime in late July or early August.
Kershaw faced live hitters in a bullpen session over the weekend, and the plan is to throw two more in the coming weeks before starting his first rehab session.
For more in-depth information, check out my latest article below.
Muncy shut down indefinitely
The most significant loss on the injured list right now is left-handed hitting third baseman Max Muncy, who was placed on the IL in early May with an oblique injury.
Muncy, who made strides defensively this offseason while continuing to hit with power and get on base via a walk, is a valuable part of the Dodgers lineup after Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Will Smith.
So far in 2024, Muncy has had a .223/.323/.475 slash line with a .798 OPS. However, in the last seven days prior to his IL stint, Muncy was hitting .040 and only 7-for-40 in May.
Despite Dodgers manager Dave Roberts hinting at an early return for Muncy, a setback injury to his rib cage in Arizona has dashed those hopes. Muncy is now sidelined from all baseball activities, with no firm timetable for a return, adding to the uncertainty.
If Muncy is set to miss an extended period of time, it could significantly influence the Dodgers’ trade deadline decisions. The bottom of the order, currently the team’s biggest hole, may need to be addressed, making the trade deadline a crucial period for the team.
Inconsistent offense due for a test this week
With the Dodgers securing five wins in their last six games and triumphing over the New York Mets and Colorado Rockies in back-to-back series, there’s a glimmer of hope despite the team’s occasional offensive inconsistencies.
The Dodgers begin a six-game road trip and travel back to the East Coast, where they will face off with the young, up-and-coming Pittsburgh Pirates and the revitalized New York Yankees in a three-game weekend showdown.
While the Pirates may currently sit in fourth place in the National League Central, their top ten starting rotation ERA (3.64) and the presence of two dominant starters, Paul Skenes and Jared Jones, promise an intriguing challenge for the Dodgers in this series.
Jared Jones, the Pirates’ number three-ranked prospect entering the 2024 season, has had an excellent start to his career, pitching to a 3.55 ERA in 63.1 innings pitched. Jones currently has a nasty pitch selection, a plus fastball, and ranks 94th in velocity, averaging 97.2mph.
However, the big test will be against right-handed flame thrower from Louisiana State University Paul Skenes, who was called up in May and has made four starts, collecting two wins in forty-four dominant innings with a 2.45 ERA.
The Dodgers’ struggle against fastballs, with a -6.5 run value, is a significant concern that has been acknowledged by players like Gavin Lux, reflecting the team’s collective frustration.
After the Pirates series, the Dodgers head back to New York for an inter-league matchup with the American League-leading New York Yankees.
It will be a highly watched weekend series with three primetime games between two historic franchises that have been forever linked in baseball history.
The Dodgers offense will face a Yankees pitching staff that ranks first in team ERA (2.78), second in starting pitching ERA (2.78), and third in bullpen ERA (2.87), all in a season without their $300 million ace, Gerrit Cole.
The Dodgers’ pitching staff, which has kept them in plenty of games so far this season, will get a considerable test facing off two of the best hitters in the sport in Juan Soto and Aaron Judge, who has been on a tear since the end of April.
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