Cody Snavely
Happy Monday! Last week, the Los Angeles Dodgers wrapped up a long eight-game road trip. The team only won one series against the Oakland A’s but dropped a three-game series in Houston and got swept by the National League West rival San Diego Padres in a short two-game series.
The 2024 Major League Baseball trade deadline also came and went this past Tuesday, July 30th, and the Dodgers were quite active in the final forty-eight hours, acquiring five players: Jack Flaherty, Kevin Kiermaier, Amed Rosario, Tommy Edman, and Michael Kopech.
All players made their Dodgers debuts except for Tommy Edman, who is still on the 60-day injured list but joined the team in San Diego to be evaluated by the Dodgers’ training staff.
However, the Dodgers return home in a funk despite starting out the second half of the season strong, winning in six of the seven games played. They went an abysmal 3-5 over their next eight games.
They will open a six-game homestand against two teams from Pennsylvania: the Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates.
But before that, there’s much to catch up on in the latest Dodgers Notes!
Week recap (7/29/2024-8/4/2024)
Padres Recap: After dropping a series in Houston against the American League West-leading Astros, the Dodgers turned their attention to a surging Padres team that, since July 1st, has climbed up the division leaderboard, putting pressure on the National League West-leading Dodgers.
It was a frustrating two games for the Dodgers, as the team lost in multiple ways. Starting with Tuesday night, the Dodgers bullpen blew yet another lead, a common theme over the last calendar month, despite a seven-inning performance by Tyler Glasnow in his second start off the 15-day injured list.
In game two, it was all Padres as they would feast off veteran left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw, along with some defensive miscues by Gavin Lux at second base and a failed bunt play by Kershaw.
It was the first start in Kershaw’s Major League career in which the lefty did not record a single strikeout. It also marks the first time since 2010 that the San Diego Padres have won the season series over the Dodgers.
- Game One: 5-6, L
- Game Two: 8-1, L
Athletics Recap: After a disappointing two-game series in San Diego, the Dodgers headed to Oakland to close out their eight-game road trip. This was also their final series in the Oakland Coliseum before the A’s transition to Sacramento while their proposed stadium is under construction in Las Vegas.
The surprisingly red-hot A’s, who were eight and four over their last twelve games entering play, would ambush right-handed pitcher Gavin Stone in game one as the once dependable rookie could not go more than four innings. It was also another start since entering July when the righty gave up four or more runs in five of his last six starts.
However, the Dodgers would get back on track, as newly acquired right-handed pitcher Jack Flaherty would make his Dodgers debut, throwing six scoreless innings en route to a victory. Ohtani would also join the 30-30 club after swiping a few more stolen bases and is on pace to potentially join the 40/40 club before the season ends.
In game three, the Dodgers will take the rubber match and head back home riding high. They will then get ready for another crack at the National League-leading Phillies, who have struggled since the all-star
- Game One: 5-6, L
- Game Two: 10-0, W
- Game Three: 3-2, W
Injury Notes
There were plenty of injury updates over the past week, including updates on Max Muncy, Mookie Betts, and Tommy Edman as we approach the home stretch of the 2024 regular season.
Mookie Betts, who has been out since Father’s Day on June 16th, has now not only begun fielding groundball and doing infield work but also started swinging a bat. According to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, he could potentially rejoin the Dodgers lineup around August 12th or 13th.
The Dodgers acquired Tommy Edman in a three-team trade on the eve of the 2024 Major League Baseball trade deadline. The deal also sent righty Miguel Vargas to the Chicago White Sox, who is also close to returning.
Edman, who was placed on the 60-day injured list after undergoing offseason wrist surgery and a sore sprained ankle, has yet to appear this season. However, David Vassegh on Dodger Talk stated that sources within the Cardinals organization believed Edman was around 10-15 days from returning.
Edman’s role once he returns is still unclear, as his versatility will allow the Dodgers to plug and play him anywhere. However, the Dodgers clearly need a center fielder, with Andy Pages slumping and James Outman inevitably being optioned once players return from the injured list.
Max Muncy, who has been out since mid-May with an oblique injury, had a breakthrough while visiting a chiropractor and has not begun to resume baseball activities and swinging a bat. While his return is not close, the Dodgers and their staff still expect Muncy to return before the end of the regular season and be a part of the Dodgers’ plans come October.
All three players were seen doing fielding work in Oakland, which is an excellent sign if the Dodgers are the team that needs their stars and role players to return to the lineup before that division leads withers away.
Right-handed starter Walker Buehler will make one more rehab start in Triple-A OKC before rejoining the Dodgers’ starting rotation. Buehler has been on the 15-day injured list with a groin injury. Still, it was also a way for the righty to figure things out in a private facility in Florida before rejoining the organization a few weeks ago.
Right-handed pitcher Bobby Miller, who was optioned to Triple-A after a horrible start in Philadelphia before the break, was also shut down and missed his start after adductor tightness following a bullpen session.
According to Dave Roberts, relief pitchers Bursdar Graterol, Ryan Brasier, and Michael Grove are also expected to rejoin the team in the coming weeks, with Grove being the first.
Once Grove returns, he will return to being a multi-inning relief pitcher, likely taking the role lefty Ryan Yarbrough had before he was DFA’d and traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for veteran center fielder Kevin Kiermaier.
Graterol, who has appeared in multiple minor league games on his rehab assignment, could rejoin the team this upcoming homestand. Brasier, who was seen throwing a bullpen at Dodgers stadium a week ago, could start his rehab games this week.
What is Amed Rosario’s role?
A topic that was of hot discussion in Oakland was the status of recently acquired utilityman Amed Rosario, who, until Sunday, had yet to start a game for the Dodgers almost a week after being acquired by the team.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was pressed about the issue in his pre-game scrum on Saturday, stating that Amed was acquired to be a platoon bat to hit against left-handed, a role similar to last season when the Dodgers acquired him at the deadline.
Honestly, to be quite frank, he’s not on this team, and we didn’t acquire him to be an everyday player — he didn’t play every day in Tampa — and to hit righties; that’s just kind of the way I see it.
Dave Roberts when asked why Amed Rosario was not in lineup on Saturday
However, in 2024, Rosario has hit both lefties (.316/.340/.449) and righties (.301/.326/.398) well and is, to many insiders and fans, a much better offensive option than Enrique Hernandez.
The confusion became more apparent after Roberts stated that Rosario would not start against right-handed pitching but, on Sunday, was in the starting lineup at shortstop, batting seventh against a righty on the mound.
Honestly, for a mathematically driven team, the numbers clearly support that Rosario should get much more playing time. While he may be a bit lackluster defensively, his offense is needed now more than ever in a lineup without Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and Max Muncy.
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