Dodgers Preview: Dodgers Close Out Final Homestand with Four-Game Set vs Giants

LOS ANGELES, CA—Following a challenging start to the series against the Philadelphia Phillies, where the Los Angeles Dodgers lost the first two games mainly because of their bullpen, they managed to salvage the final game with a shutout thanks to Blake Snell. The team will now finish the 2025 season at Chavez Ravine with a four-game weekend series against the San Francisco Giants. 

It’s the final meeting between the two historic rivals, with the Dodgers taking two of three last weekend in the Bay. Still, it’s a massive series with postseason implications as the Giants are on the outside looking in and the Dodgers are looking to lock up a postseason spot and win another National League West title.

Entering tonight, the Dodgers’ Magic Number to clinch a postseason spot is just two, and to clinch the NL West, it sits at eight after the San Diego Padres won yesterday over the New York Mets.

After dropping their series last weekend to the Dodgers, the Giants have struggled mightily and have just four wins over their last ten games. In that time, they’ve been overtaken by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League Wild Card hunt and sit two games back of the sixth seed, which the Mets currently hold.

The Dodgers, despite dropping a series to the Phillies, showcased a lot of strengths as October draws closer, but none have been bigger than the starting rotation.

Since August 1st, the Dodgers’ rotation leads all of Major League Baseball in fWAR, innings pitched, ERA, and FIP. If it weren’t for the bullpen in Games One and Two, there’s an argument to be had that the Dodgers sweep the Phillies after strong performances from Emmet Sheehan, Shohei Ohtani, and Blake Snell.

In their previous nine meetings this season, the Dodgers have six wins, and one more win this series will give them the season series win.

The Dodgers’ hold on the NL West is still tight, meaning every win and loss matters in the final ten games of the season, and with the team heading toward a Wild Card series, they want to right the ship now before it’s too late.

Game One: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (11-8, 2.66 ERA) vs Logan Webb (14-10, 3.34 ERA)

Game Two: Clayton Kershaw (LHP) (10-2, 3.53 ERA) vs Robbie Ray (LHP) (11-7, 3.50 ERA)

Game Three: Tyler Glasnow (3-3, 3.05 ERA) vs TBD (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Game Four: Emmet Sheehan (6-3, 3.17 ERA) vs TBD (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Game Times

Game One: 7:10 PM PT, SportsNet LA, NBC Bay Area, MLB Network (out-of-market-only)

Game Two: 7:10 PM PT, Apple TV+

Game Three: 6:10 PM PT, SportsNet LA, NBC Bay Area

Game Four: 1:10 PM PT, SportsNet LA, NBC Bay Area

Who’s in & Who’s Out?

All eyes are on one Dodgers All-Star catcher, Will Smith, as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts does not think he’ll be ready to be activated off the 10-day injured list when eligible on Saturday.

Smith has continued to participate in bullpen sessions but has yet to throw or hit, making it easy to envision him missing the rest of the regular season as the team hopes his hand heals.

Right-handed pitcher Kyle Hurt is also making waves with the Triple-A Comets as he continues his rehab assignment. With the bullpen struggles, Dave Roberts stated yesterday that the right-hander is under consideration for the bullpen for October.

Brock Stewart is scheduled to make his second and final rehab appearance tonight for the OKC Comets before possibly returning tomorrow off the 15-day injured list.

Stewart would be a massive boost for the Dodgers’ bullpen, which is looking to right the ship before the postseason.

After Roki Sasaki resolved a “little calf situation” during his latest rehab start, manager Dave Roberts stated he will make at least one additional appearance with Triple-A Oklahoma City. After that, it remains TBD.

Day-to-day (1): Max Muncy

10-day Injured List (1): Will Smith

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

As the final three weeks of the regular season begin, the Giants are mostly healthy, with only a few minor injuries on their roster.

The Giants will need to keep up their playoff efforts without one of their key hitters, as they placed first baseman Dominic Smith on the 10-day injured list Saturday due to a right hamstring strain.

Melvin mentioned that the Giants won’t have a definitive schedule for Smith until he consults with team doctors. With just 15 games remaining, it’s uncertain whether he will have enough time to come back before the season ends.

The two latest injuries affected their pitching staff, as left-hander Carson Whisenhunt and right-hander Landen Roupp were both placed on the 15-day injured list in late August.

Whisenhunt has been experiencing a back strain but recovered enough to pitch in a bullpen session at Oracle Park on September 8th, aiming to return in late September.

Roupp was placed on the injured list due to a left knee bone bruise. He has resumed his throwing program, reaching ninety feet, and will continue throwing off flat ground for the rest of the week.

Day-to-day (00):

10-day Injured List (1): Dominic Smith

15-day Injured List (2): Landen Roupp, Carson Whisenhunt

60-day Injured List (3): Tom Murphy, Erik Miller, Randy Rodríguez

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