Dodgers Preview: After 1-5 Road Trip, Dodgers Return Home for 3-Game Set Against Rockies

LOS ANGELES, CA—Well, that wasn’t a fun road trip. Heading into last week after taking four of six at Dodger Stadium, the Los Angeles Dodgers kicked off a six-game East Coast road trip versus two divisional bottom feeders in the Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles.

It was a perfect opportunity for the Dodgers to not only pad their lead in the National League West but also close the gap on the Philadelphia Phillies’ lead for the number two seed in the National League.

The Dodgers went 1-6, including a dreadful loss on Saturday when right-handed pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto took a no-hitter into the ninth inning. Still, the bullpen blew the game, unable to get one measly out.

While the Dodgers did rebound on Sunday, thanks to veteran ace Clayton Kershaw and three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani, the team now leads the NL West by one game and is four games back of the Phillies.

Now, the team will kick off a series against the Colorado Rockies, a team with over a hundred losses, and a series the team must take advantage of.

Since the trade deadline, the Dodgers are two games under .500 with a 16-18 record in that span. On Sunday, the Dodgers got their first win of September after losing the first five.

Now they’ll face a Rockies team with 103 losses on the season and are 2-8 over their last ten games.

Anything less than a sweep will feel like a loss, but losing two of three to Colorado will be sinking further than rock bottom.

Game One: Tyler Glasnow (1-3, 3.41 ERA) vs Chase Dollander (2-12, 6.77 ERA)

Game Two: Emmet Sheehan (5-3, 3.59 ERA) vs Germán Márquez (3-12, 6.19 ERA)

Game Three: Blake Snell (LHP) (3-4, 3.19 ERA) vs Kyle Freeland (LHP) (4-14, 5.10 ERA)

Game Times

Game One: 7:10 PM PT, SportsNet LA, Rockies.TV

Game Two: 7:10 PM PT, SportsNet LA, Rockies.TV

Game Three: 7:10 PM PT, SportsNet LA, Rockies.TV

Who’s in & Who’s Out?

Just as things were looking up on the injury front for the Dodgers, they proceeded to lose both of their catchers due to various injuries.

All-Star backstop Will Smith left Wednesday’s game in Pittsburgh early after a foul ball hit his right hand. Although Smith was able to finish the inning, he was removed before his next at-bat.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stated that Smith’s X-rays came back clean, and after undergoing a CT scan, it showed a minor bone bruise that the right-handed slugger will likely have to manage for the rest of the season.

The Dodgers don’t anticipate an IL stint for Smith, but if he’s unable to play during the Rockies series, they could be forced to and backdate the injury.

Just a few days later, rookie catcher Dalton Rushing was also removed from the game early after fouling a ball off his right shin on Friday in Baltimore.

Unlike Smith, Rushing was in immense pain and was helped off the field by Dave Roberts and a trainer. After the game, Roberts confirmed X-rays were negative and a CT scan showed a deep right leg bone bruise.

It’s unclear how much time Rushing will miss on the IL, but his regular season could be over.

In the meantime, the Dodgers are rocking three catchers on their active roster: Will Smith, Ben Rortvedt, and Chuckie Robinson.

Dave Roberts also confirmed that left-handed pitcher Alex Vesia and third baseman Max Muncy will be active off the injured list on Monday.

Both stars have been on the IL for an oblique issue, but should be ready to go and help the Dodgers for the stretch run.

One name that is not ready yet is utilityman Tommy Edman, who has been out since August 1st with a right ankle sprain.

The Dodgers and Edman hope his ankle is healed enough to play in center field, a position he has exclusively played with the Triple-A Comets so far.

However, in Edman’s five games played, four have been as the designated hitter, so perhaps his ankle is not fully one hundred percent.

Right-handed pitcher Brock Stewart, who was placed on the 15-day injured list shortly after being reacquired at the trade deadline due to shoulder inflammation, was seen throwing a bullpen session at the Dodgers’ Arizona complex.

Stewart hopes to return before the end of the regular season.

Right-handed pitcher Tyler Glasnow had his Friday start in Baltimore scratched due to back tightness and is considered day-to-day per Dave Roberts.

Glasnow flew back to Los Angeles to have a CT scan, which came back clean, and the right-hander is set to take the ball during tonight’s game versus the Rockies.

Day-to-day (2): Tyler Glasnow, Will Smith

10-day Injured List (2): Tommy Edman, Dalton Rushing

15-day Injured List (1): Brock Stewart

60-day Injured List (8): Roki Sasaki, Tony Gonsolin, Brusdar Graterol, Michael Grove, Gavin Stone, River Ryan, Kyle Hurt, Evan Phillips

Not much has gone right this season for the last-place Rockies, and that’s no different from an injury standpoint.

As we enter the final stretch of the 2025 regular season, Colorado will likely be without right-handed pitcher Zach Agnos after he left his last appearance in late July with a right flexor strain.

However, the right-hander was set to throw off a mound over the weekend, meaning he could return in the final week of the season, if the Rockies don’t just shut him down.

The Rockies’ most recent injury came in late August with right-handed pitcher Dugan Darnell tearing his left hip labrum. The right-handed underwent season-ending surgery, and the recovery time is around eight months.

Day-to-day (00):

10-day Injured List (00):

15-day Injured List (2): Zach Agnos, Seth Halvorsen

60-day Injured List (4): Jeff Criswell, Kris Bryant, Thairo Estrada, Dugan Darnell

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