The Dodgers can’t seem to get anything going against New York in 7-2 loss.
Dodgers lose to Mets, 7-2
The two home runs landed within seconds Sunday afternoon. They were separated by hundreds of miles, one at Dodger Stadium, the other, at RingCentral Coliseum in Oakland, but connected as everything the Dodgers and San Francisco Giants do for the remainder of the regular season will be. Wherever they happen, against whichever teams they face.
At Dodger Stadium, New York Mets third baseman J.D. Davis clobbered a two-run home run off Dodgers right-hander Phil Bickford with two outs in the seventh inning to give the Mets a three-run lead. In Oakland, Donovan Solano clubbed a pinch-hit two-run homer in the eighth inning to put the Giants ahead 2-1 against the Athletics, their adversaries from across the bay.
The two swings produced another one in the standings once the scores held up for the rival clubs with the two best records in the major leagues. The Dodgers’ 7-2 loss snapped their nine-game winning streak and dropped them 2 ½ games behind the Giants in the National League West with 37 games remaining.
“We still have to take care of business and win ballgames,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Our fate is still in our own hands.”
We go to the ninth, 5-2 Mets
Mets: Right-hander Neftali Feliz now pitching for the Dodgers. Villar grounded to short. Pillar flied to center. Mazeika struck out swinging.
Dodgers: Right-hander Trevor May now pitching for the Mets. T.Turner flied to right. Muncy fouled to third. J.Turner fouled to the catcher.
Score after eight: Mets 5, Dodgers 2
Mets take 5-2 lead in the seventh
Mets: Right-hander Phil Bickford now pitching for the Dodgers. Nimmo popped to short. Alonso struck out swinging. Baez doubled to left. Davis homered to left. McNeil flied to left.
Dodgers: Right-hander Jeurys Familia now pitching for the Mets. Taylor grounded to third. Pollock doubled to left-center. Bellinger struck out swinging. Matt Beaty, batting for Bickford, popped to third.
Score after seven: Mets 5, Dodgers 2
Brusdar Graterol escapes jam, Mets still lead 3-2
Mets: Davis was hit by a pitch. Jeff McNeil, batting for Drury, doubled to center, Davis to third. Villar struck out swinging. With the infield in, Pillar grounded to short, Davis thrown out at home, McNeil to third. Stroman grounded to the pitcher, McNeil out at home.
Dodgers: McNeil in left. J.Turner popped to second. Seager flied to left. Smith struck out swinging.
Score after six: Mets 3, Dodgers 2
Mets lead Dodgers 3-2 after five
Mets: Right-hander Brusdar Graterol now pitching for the Dodgers. Stroman grounded to short. Nimmo singled to center. Alonso singled to right, Nimmo to second. Baez grounded into a 6-4-3 double play.
Dodgers: Graterol grounded to short. T.Turner grounded to second. Muncy struck out swinging.
Score after five: Mets 3, Dodgers 2
Dodgers close within 3-2 on Cody Bellinger’s single
Mets: Villar grounded to second. Pillar flied to center. Mazeika flied to right.
Dodgers: J.Turner flied to center. Seager singled to center. Smith flied to right. Taylor singled to third. First and second, two out. Pollock walked on five pitches, loading the bases. Bellinger singled to right, scoring Seager and Taylor, Pollock to third. Billy McKinney, batting for Price, was at the plate when Bellinger was caught stealing.
Score after four: Mets 3, Dodgers 2
It’s 3-0 Mets after three
Mets: Baez struck out swinging. Davis grounded to second. Drury struck out swinging.
Dodgers: Cody Bellinger lined to center. Price singled to right. T.Turner grounded to short, forcing Price. Muncy struck out swinging.
Score after three: Mets 3, Dodgers 0
It’s 3-0 Mets after two
Mets: Patrick Mazeika grounded to short. Marcus Stroman grounded to short. Nimmo walked on five pitches. Alonso struck out swinging.
Dodgers: Corey Seager struck out swinging. Will Smith struck out looking. Chris Taylor walked on seven pitches. Taylor stole second. AJ Pollock struck out looking.
Score after two: Mets 3, Dodgers 0
Mets race out to 3-0 lead
Mets: Left-hander David Price pitching for the Dodgers. Brandon Nimmo walked on six pitches. Pete Alonso struck out swinging. Javy Baez doubled to center, scoring Nimmo. J.D. Davis singled to right, scoring Baez. Brandon Drury grounded to first, Davis to second. Jonathan Villar singled to center, scoring Davis. Villar advanced to second and took third on a throwing error by Will Smith. Kevin Pillar fouled to the pitcher.
Dodgers: Right-hander Marcus Stroman pitching for the Mets. Trea Turner lined to left. Max Muncy lined to right. Justin Turner flied to right.
Score after one: Mets 3, Dodgers 0
Joe Kelly scheduled to join Dodgers this week after missing time with COVID-19
Joe Kelly is expected to come off the injured list this week against the San Diego Padres, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the club’s series finale against the New York Mets.
Kelly was placed on the injured list Aug. 10 without an official injury designation from the Dodgers. A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed that the right-hander had tested positive for COVID-19.
Kelly, 33, wasn’t sharp Friday in an outing for Class A Rancho Cucamonga on rehab assignment. He issued two walks and had a strikeout in one-third of an inning. Roberts said Kelly is scheduled to pitch an inning out of the bullpen for Rancho Cucamonga on Sunday (he started Friday’s game).
Kelly has a 3.34 ERA in 31 games for the Dodgers this season after missing the first month of the season following major offseason shoulder surgery. He’s in the third and final guaranteed year of a contract that will pay him $25 million through the three seasons. The Dodgers can exercise a $12 million club option for next season or give him a $4 million buyout.
Mookie Betts expected to return to Dodgers lineup Thursday vs. Padres
Mookie Betts took another step towards returning to the Dodgers lineup Sunday, completing a wide-ranging workout at Dodger Stadium before the team’s series finale against the New York Mets.
The outfielder took batting practice, did agility drills, took groundballs at third base, tracked down flyballs in right field, executed baserunning drills, and finished with long toss. Most importantly, he emerged without a pain in his right hip. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Betts is scheduled to come off the injured list Thursday against the San Diego Padres.
“Really encouraged,” Roberts said Sunday. “I think with a player who’s going through some things, you can tell from their disposition, their demeanor, and he’s in such a good place emotionally right now, which speaks to how his body feels.”
Before he returns, Betts will play in a simulated game at Dodger Stadium on Monday (the Dodgers are idle) and Tuesday and take Wednesday off. Right-hander Evan Phillips, who was placed on the injured list Saturday, will pitch to Betts in Monday’s simulated game.
Betts on Friday reported that right hip pain had hindered him since the first week of the regular season. It forced him to decide not to play in the All-Star Game. A week after the break, he landed on the injured list for the first time. A cortisone shot was administered, and he was back in the lineup after two weeks but the unbearable pain surfaced again 10 days later.
The Dodgers were in Philadelphia when Betts was sent to Los Angeles for tests. A bone spur in the hip was discovered. He received a second injection.
Betts said the second shot was far more effective than the first. He said he felt normal for the first time since spring training and doesn’t expect to need another injection. He said he’s confident that he can finish the season without missing more time because of the hip. Roberts echoed Betts’ optimism Sunday.
“Yeah, I am. I think the pain has subsided,” Roberts said. “I think I’ll be very mindful of giving him off days at certain points. But he’s in great shape, he feels good, and I see no reason why he’s not going to finish the season. I expect that, and he expects that.”
Barring a setback or another injury to another regular, Thursday would be just the second time that the Dodgers will have their full assortment of position players since acquiring Trea Turner at the trade deadline. Without it, they’ve still managed to win nine straight games and move within 1.5 games of the first-place San Francisco Giants entering Sunday.
“My anticipation is tempered because of what we’ve gone through this year, but all kidding aside, I am [excited about having the complete lineup],” Roberts said. “I’m happy, excited to get Mookie back. I expect it to go well.”
Betts would slot in where he usually does in right field, though Roberts did not completely dismiss the possibility of Betts playing in the infield down the stretch to manage the hip while keeping his bat in the lineup.
But the Dodgers’ infield is loaded with four All-Stars. They’ll need Betts to handle the outfield through October. So far, they’re saying they’re confident he can and will.
Dodgers look for 10th straight win with David Price on the mound
Dodgers win again, 4-3
Mets: Right-hander Kenley Jansen now pitching for the Dodgers. Pillar was hit by a pitch. Nimmo flied to deep left-center. Pillar tried to take second and the throw had him nailed, but Trea Turner couldn’t handle the throw. Man on second, one out. McNeil struck out swinging. Alonso struck out swinging.
Final score: Dodgers 4, Mets 3
We go to the ninth, 4-3 Dodgers
Mets: Right-hander Corey Knebel pitching for the Dodgers. Davis grounded to short. Travis Blankenhorn, batting for Loup, grounded to third. Villar singled to right. Patrick Mazeika, batting for Sisco, struck out swinging.
Dodgers: Mazeika catching. Right-hander Seth Lugo now pitching for the Mets. Seager flied to left. Taylor struck out swinging. Smith struck out swinging.
Score after eight: Dodgers 4, Mets 3
Mets close to 4-3 in the seventh on Pete Alonso’s homer
Mets: Muncy at first. J.Turner at third. Right-hander Blake Treinen now pitching for the Dodgers. Pillar grounded to third. Nimmo struck out looking. McNeil walked on seven pitches. Alonso homered to left-center, estimated at 377 feet. It’s 4-3 Dodgers. Conforto popped to short.
Dodgers: T.Turner singled to left. That’s it for Familia, left-hander Aaron Loup now pitching. Muncy grounded to the pitcher, forcing Turner. Austin Barnes, batting for Treinen, lined to right. Pollock flied to right.
Score after seven: Dodgers 4, Mets 3
Dodgers extend lead to 4-1 after six
Mets: Left-hander Justin Bruihl now pitching for the Dodgers. Smith grounded to second. Villar singled to right. Sisco grounded to first. Pujols stepped on the bag and ran down the runner for a double play.
Dodgers: Kevin Pillar in left field. Right-hander Miguel Castro now pitching for the Mets. Matt Beaty, batting for Pujols, singled to left. Beaty stole second. Pollock walked on six pitches. Seager walked on seven pitches, loading the bases with nobody out. Taylor walked on six pitches, scoring Beaty. Bases still loaded. That’s it for Castro. He is replaced by right-hander Jeurys Familia. Smith popped to second. Bellinger flied to shallow right. Justin Turner, batting for Bruihl, grounded to third.
Score after six: Dodgers 4, Mets 1
Dodgers lead 3-1 after five
Mets: Sisco struck out swinging. Hill grounded to second. Nimmo homered to right, estimated at 407 feet. McNeil doubled to right. Alonso was hit by a pitch. Conforto walked on six pitches. Davis struck out swinging.
Dodgers: Bellinger flied to right. Billy McKinney, batting for Scherzer, flied to right. T.Turner singled to left. Muncy grounded to third, forcing Turner.
Score after five: Dodgers 3, Mets 1
Chris Taylor’s homer gives Dodgers a 3-0 lead
Mets: Conforto flied to left. Davis bounced to short. Seager lost the ball when transferring to his throwing hand for an error. Smith struck out swinging. Davis stole second. Villar struck out swinging.
Dodgers: Pollock singled to left. Seager grounded into a 5-6-3 double play. Taylor homered to center, estimated at 404 feet. Smith struck out swinging.
Score after four: Dodgers 3, Mets 0
It’s 2-0 Dodgers after three
Mets: Rich Hill struck out swinging. Nimmo singled to right. McNeil struck out swinging. Nimmo stole second. Alonso struck out swinging.
Dodgers: T.Turner fouled to first. Muncy struck out swinging. Pujols grounded to second.
Score after three: Dodgers 2, Mets 0
Max Scherzer sure can pitch but he’s zero for the season at the plate
Dodgers starter Max Scherzer flied out to right in his first at-bat Saturday, making him 0 for 42 this season. He is hitless in 45 plate appearances (he has two sacrifice bunts and one sacrifice fly).
And he’s creeping toward a dubious record.
Wei-Yin Chen of the 2016 Miami Marlins was hitless in 49 plate appearances, the major league record of futility for a pitcher. Chen was 0 for 44 with five sacrifice bunts.
Scherzer hasn’t always been a horrible hitter. In 2009, his first full major league season, he batted .226 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. As recently as 2018 he batted .243 with the Washington Nationals, going 17 for 70 with only 14 strikeouts.
This season he was 0 for 35 with the Nationals and is 0 for 8 since being traded to the Dodgers on July 30.
It’s 2-0 Dodgers after two
Mets: J.D. Davis singled to center. Dominic Smith lined to center. Jonathan Villar grounded to the pitcher, Davis to second. Chance Sisco struck out swinging.
Dodgers: Chris Taylor attempted to bunt for a hit but was thrown out by Hill. Will Smith singled to right-center. Cody Bellinger flied to right. Max Scherzer flied to right.
Score after two: Dodgers 2, Mets 0
Dodgers take 2-0 lead on homers by Trea Turner and Albert Pujols
Mets: Right-hander Max Scherzer pitching for the Dodgers. Brandon Nimmo doubled to center. Jeff McNeil fouled to third. Pete Alonso popped to second. Michael Conforto lined to right.
Dodgers: Left-hander and former Dodger Rich Hill pitching for the Mets. Trea Turner homered to left, estimated at 374 feet. Max Muncy flied to center. Albert Pujols homered to right-center, estimated at 406 feet. AJ Pollock flied to left. Corey Seager grounded to first.
Score after one: Dodgers 2, Mets 0
Albert Pujols batting third against the Mets’ Rich Hill in a battle of 41-year-olds
Albert Pujols, 41, will bat third for the Dodgers against soft-throwing left-hander Rich Hill, who is also 41 and the oldest active pitcher in baseball. Pujols is the oldest player and nearly two months Hill’s senior.
Justin Turner is getting a day off and Max Muncy will play third base.
Trea Turner 2B
Max Muncy 3B
Albert Pujols 1B
AJ Pollock LF
Corey Seager SS
Chris Taylor RF
Will Smith C
Cody Bellinger CF
Max Scherzer RHP
New reliever Shane Greene gets crash course in Dodgers analytics
Reliever Shane Greene is the latest in the Dodgers’ series of bullpen reclamation projects, signed as a free agent after being released by the Atlanta Braves a week ago.
Greene, 32, was horrendous for the Braves, posting an 8.47 ERA in 17 innings over 19 appearances. As recently as 2019, however, he was dominant, racking up 22 saves and sporting a 1.18 ERA the first half of the season with the Detroit Tigers.
The Tigers traded him to the Braves at the 2019 deadline, and he was effective through last season as a middle reliever. He made four appearances in last season’s National League Championship Series against the Dodgers, allowing one run in 4 2/3 innings.
Greene said he sat down with pitching coach Mark Prior and others when he arrived in L.A. on Friday and had a long conversation.
“We talked about my changeup, how and when to use it going forward,” he said. “How I’ll be used, just getting everyone on the same page.”
The Dodgers, of course, are known for their advanced analytics. Greene has been introduced to that already.
“There’s a lot of info but they can simplify it,” he said. “They chop it up so I can digest it.
“We talked about pitch selection. Mechanics-wise I’m good.”
Mookie Betts and Clayton Kershaw inch toward returns
Mookie Betts ran at full speed and took an extended batting practice ahead of Saturday’s 1:10 p.m. game against the New York Mets. Betts has been on the injured list because of bone spurs in his right hip since Aug. 10.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Betts is no longer feeling pain in the hip after receiving a cortisone injection a week ago. The All-Star outfielder is expected to play in a simulated game Sunday and could return to the active roster next week.
“That was very indicative of how he’s feeling,” Roberts said. “He came out of it well. He’ll take hacks tomorrow, be down Monday, then do more Tuesday. He’s on his way.”
Betts was the only Dodger to hit before the game.
Clayton Kershaw, on the injured list since July 7 with left forearm inflammation, extended his throwing to about 120 feet before the game.
Dodgers win eighth in a row, top Mets 3-2
Mets: Right-hander Kenley Jansen now pitching for the Dodgers. Smith flied to center. Villar grounded to third. Mazeika struck out swinging.
Final score: Dodgers 3, Mets 2
Mets close within 3-2 in top of the eighth
Mets: Mazeika singled to right. Travis Blankenhorn, batting for the pitcher, struck out swinging. Nimmo hit a roller up the third-base line and beat it out for a single. First and second, one out. The runners move up on a wild pitch. McNeil struck out looking. Strike three was inside, and McNeil was irate, throwing his bat to the ground. Surprised he wasn’t thrown out of the game. Alonso hit a slow roller up the third-base line and reached first. The first two pitches to Alonso were strikes that were called balls. And that’s it for Buehler, Roberts removes him. As Buehler walks to the dugout, he yells at the plate umpire, who throws him out of the game, which is meaningless since he was already removed. Left-hander Alex Vesia now pitching for the Dodgers, facing the left-handed hitting Conforto. walked on 10 pitches, loading the bases with two out. Davis struck out looking. An intense half-inning.
Dodgers: Right-hander Seth Lugo now pitching for the Mets. T.Turner grounded to third. Muncy grounded to second. J.Turner struck out looking.
Score after eight: Dodgers 3, Mets 2
Dodgers lead 3-1 after seven
Mets: Davis grounded to short. Smith lined to right. Villar flied to left. Buehler has thrown 86 pitches through seven innings, giving up a run and four hits, with six strikeouts. He has walked none.
Dodgers: Right-hander Trevor May now pitching for the Mets. McKinney flied to center. Barnes struck out swinging. Buehler struck out swinging.
Score after seven innings: Dodgers 3, Mets 1
It’s 3-1 Dodgers after six innings
Mets: McNeil grounded to the pitcher. Alonso grounded to short. Conforto grounded to second.
Dodgers: Left-hander Aaron Loup now pitching for the Mets. Seager lined to left. Taylor struck out swinging. Bellinger grounded to short.
Score after six: Dodgers 3, Mets 1
Dodgers 3, Mets 1 after five innings
Mets: Mazeika grounded to second. Carrasco struck out swinging. Nimmo hit a slow roller out front and Barnes threw him out.
Dodgers: T.Turner flied to center. Muncy struck out looking. J.Turner grounded to short.
Score after five: Dodgers 3, Mets 1
Dodgers lead 3-1 after four innings
Mets: Alonso homered to right-center. Conforto singled to shallow right. Davis struck out looking. Smith lined to center. Villar struck out swinging.
Dodgers: McKinney struck out swinging. Barnes flied to left. Buehler struck out swinging.
Score after four: Dodgers 3, Mets 1
Dodgers lead 3-0 after three innings
Mets: Carlos Carrasco struck out looking. Nimmo flied to center. McNeil grounded to short.
Dodgers: Walker Buehler struck out swinging. T.Turner singled to center. Muncy doubled to right, Turner scoring. J.Turner walked on five pitches. Seager singled to right-center, Muncy scored, J.Turner to second. Taylor flied to right. Bellinger struck out swinging.
Score after three: Dodgers 3, Mets 0
Dodgers 1, Mets 0 after two innings
Mets: Michael Conforto was hit by a pitch. J.D. Davis singled to center, Conforto to second. Domonic Smith flied to center. Jonathan Villar struck out swinging. Patrick Mazeika struck out looking.
Dodgers: Chris Taylor singled to center. Cody Bellinger flied to center. Billy McKinney flied to right. Austin Barnes struck out looking.
Score after two: Dodgers 1, Mets 0
Dave Roberts has high praise for Blake Treinen
After Blake Treinen received a rare ninth-inning appearance to close out Thursday’s win over the Mets, Dave Roberts spent much of his Friday media session praising the relief pitcher.
“I think his ability to take the baseball, to get left and right(-handed hitters) out,” Roberts said. “To get the best part of the order out. To give me the latitude to deploy him, whether it’s the sixth, seventh, eighth or ninth inning.”
Treinen, a closer with the Oakland A’s before coming to L.A., is often deployed in high-leverage situations. He has a 1.84 ERA with 10.6 strikeouts per nine this season, both significant improvements from 2020.
“The role of closer is a role, a title,” Roberts said. “He is all about helping the team win. And he has shown that year in and year out. And again, sometimes the biggest leverage situation isn’t the 9th inning. It speaks to his intelligence and he understands that.”
Injury updates on Clayton Kershaw and Mookie Betts
Clayton Kershaw has been playing catch in the outfield all week. But Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is still unable to say when he’ll take the next step.
“I know he got out to 120 [feet] today,” Roberts said before Friday’s game against the Mets. “And it was coming out good. I don’t know what the next progression is. Once he gets on the mound in that first bullpen back, I’ll be pretty excited. But I just don’t know the date yet.”
Kershaw, who has been out with left elbow inflammation, last pitched on July 3, throwing four innings and giving up three runs against the Nationals. He started throwing on flat ground earlier this week, and will eventually move to throwing off a mound.
With Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin and Julio Urías all on the IL and Trevor Bauer on paid administrative leave, the Dodgers have gone with bullpen games in three of their last four coming into Friday, David Price being the only regular starter to go.
The Dodgers did get some news with their pitching staff, though, as Joe Kelly spent Friday in Rancho Cucamonga on a rehab assignment. Kelly has been out since Aug. 10.
“We’ll see how that goes,” Roberts said. “If it goes well and he feels good, there’s a potential for Sunday activation.”
The Dodgers also added right-handed pitcher Shane Greene to the active roster ahead of Friday’s game, moving pitcher Evan Phillips to the injured list with a right quad strain. Greene, a former All-Star with the Tigers, has thrown just 17 major league innings this year, posting an 8.47 ERA with the Braves. The Dodgers also designated Conner Greene for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.
Roberts said that nothing had changed with Mookie Betts’ recovery since he started to work out on Thursday. Betts still plans to play a simulated game in the next few days and took swings in the batting cage yesterday. Though the Dodgers don’t plan to work out on the field before Saturday’s game, Roberts was hopeful Betts might swing the bat then as well.
“He’s trending in the right direction,” Roberts said.
Dodgers lead 1-0 after one
Mets: Right-hander Walker Buehler pitching for the Dodgers. Brandon Nimmo grounded to second. Jeff McNeil grounded to second. Pete Alonso grounded to third.
Dodgers: Right-hander Carlos Carrasco pitching for the Mets. Trea Turner doubled to right. Max Muncy flied to center, Turner to third. Justin Turner grounded to short, T.Turner scored. Corey Seager flied to left.
Score after one: Dodgers 1, Mets 0
Thirty-three years ago today: Kirk Gibson scores from second on a wild pitch
Dodgers defeat Mets, 4-1, get good news about Mookie Betts
On Thursday afternoon, before the Dodgers’ 4-1 win over the New York Mets, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had a brief conversation with Mookie Betts. Roberts asked the star right fielder about the pain in his right hip that had hampered him since the start of the season. The answer said it all.
“He said it was gone,” Roberts said. “And he said it with a smile. I haven’t seen him smile like that in quite some time.”
Betts worked out in left field at Dodger Stadium ahead of his team’s win with a trainer because he’s on the injured list with a right hip injury that has lingered since April for the second time in a month. He is optimistic — after emerging pain-free — that there won’t be a third stint.
“First time I’ve felt normal in a long time,” Betts said. “So, super excited.”
We go to the ninth, 4-1 Dodgers
Mets: Left-hander Alex Vesia now pitching for the Dodgers. Nimmo struck out swinging. McNeil grounded to second. Alonso grounded to short.
Dodgers: Muncy struck out swinging. J.Turner was hit by a pitch. Seager grounded into a 6-3 double play.
Score after eight: Dodgers 4, Mets 1
Dodgers lead 4-1 after seven
Mets: Right-hander Brusdar Graterol now pitching for the Dodgers. Smith grounded to short. Villar was hit by a pitch. Mazeika lined to right. Villar took second on a wild pitch. Travis Blankenhorn, batting for the pitcher, grounded to second.
Dodgers: Right-hander Trevor Williams now pitching for the Mets. Taylor walked on five pitches. Bellinger lined to center. Matt Beaty, batting for the pitcher, struck out swinging. T.Turner lined to short.
Score after seven: Dodgers 4, Mets 1
Dodgers lead 4-1 after six innings
Mets: Right-hander Phil Bickford now pitching for the Dodgers. McNeil struck out swinging. Alonso grounded to third. Conforto singled to left-center. Davis struck out looking.
Dodgers: Turner singled off the pitcher’s right hip. Seager struck out swinging. Smith struck out looking. Pollock flied to right.
Score after six: Dodgers 4, Mets 1
Dodgers lead 4-1 after five innings
Mets: Villar lined to right. Mazeika singled to left-center. Walker grounded to third, Mazeika to second. Nimmo grounded to the pitcher.
Dodgers: Pollock flied to right. Taylor grounded to third, and the ball was thrown past the first baseman allowing Taylor to take second. Bellinger grounded to short, Taylor to third. The ump initially called Bellinger safe but it was overturned on appeal. Bellinger was out by half a step. Billy McKinney, batting for the pitcher, doubled to left-center, scoring Taylor. T.Turner singled to right-center, scoring McKinney. Turner stole second. Muncy flied to right.
Score after five: Dodgers 4, Mets 1
It’s 2-1 Dodgers after four
Mets: Alonso singled to right. Conforto lined to short. Davis doubled to left, scoring Alonso. That’s it for Phillips, he is replaced by left-hander Victor González in his return from the disabled list. Smith lined to second. Davis thought there were two outs and was running when the ball was hit and was easily doubled off second.
Dodgers: J.Turner flied to right. Seager grounded to short. Smith flied to left.
Score after four: Dodgers 2, Mets 1
Dodgers lead 2-0 after three
Mets: Patrick Mazeika lined to first. Taijuan Walker grounded to short. Nimmo singled to center. McNeil grounded to second.
Dodgers: Evan Phillips struck out looking. T.Turner singled to short. A diving stop by Villar, but Turner is just too fast to throw out on a play like that. Turner tried a delayed steal and beat the throw, but tripped and came off the bag. He was tagged out. Muncy struck out looking.
Score after three: Dodgers 2, Mets 0
Dodgers lead 2-0 after two
Mets: Newest Dodger Evan Phillips, a right-hander, now pitching. J.D. Davis grounded to second. Dominic Smith struck out swinging. Jonathan Villar flied to left.
Dodgers: Seager walked on five pitches. Will Smith doubled to right, Seager to third. AJ Pollock grounded to second, Seager scoring, Smith to third. Chris Taylor grounded to first, Smith scoring. Cody Bellinger popped to third.
Score after two: Dodgers 2, Mets 0
No score after one inning
Mets: Right-hander Corey Knebel pitching for the Dodgers. Brandon Nimmo grounded to third. Jeff McNeil struck out swinging. Pete Alonso singled to left-center. Michael Conforto popped to first,
Dodgers: Right-hander Taijuan Walker pitching for the Mets. Trea Turner flied to left. Max Muncy fouled to third. Justin Turner flied to right.
Score after one: Dodgers 0, Mets 0
Fernandomania @ 40: Valenzuela didn’t take it easy on friends
Fernando Valenzuela pitcher faced Angels broadcaster José Mota, then a minor leaguer with the Texas Rangers, during spring training in 1986. Before the game, Valenzuela playfully told Mota he’d throw him exclusively fastballs. Then Mota stepped into the batter’s box. Listen to what happened next:
Mookie Betts lined up to come off injured list next week
For months, while Mookie Betts posted production below his lofty standards, questions about his physical health circulated. Was a sore forearm the reason for his relative struggles? Was it a balky back? Was it his tender left shoulder? Was he just not playing well?
On Thursday, the Dodgers outfielder revealed the reason was none of those ailments that sporadically cost him a few games through the All-Star break. And it wasn’t that he suddenly regressed from an MVP-caliber cornerstone. The problem all along was his right hip.
“It’s been like this since the first week of the season,” Betts said before the Dodgers opened a four-game series against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium.
Betts, 28, played through the injury until he couldn’t anymore a few days after the All-Star break when he was first placed on the injured list. He received a cortisone injection to numb the pain and returned after a week, on August 1, only to land back on the injured list 10 days later.
A doctor then discovered the problem: a bone spur in the hip. He’ll likely need surgery to shave or remove the spur, but he elected to push that possibility to after the season. Instead, he received a second cortisone shot that he said has been more effective.
“First time I’ve felt normal in a long time,” Betts said. “So, super excited.”
Betts participated in drills with a trainer Thursday – drills that he said he had “no chance” of completing before his second injection – and didn’t feel pain in the hip.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Betts is scheduled to play in a simulated game Sunday and do more work Monday. He then could go on a rehab assignment – Betts said he prefers that route – before being activated by the end of the week.
Betts said he doesn’t anticipate needing another cortisone shot before the end of the season. He said expects to finish the year without missing any more significant time resembling the player that helped lead the Dodgers to the World Series last season.
“I feel normal now,” Betts said. “I feel like in spring training now.”
Corey Knebel to open series opener against Mets
Team unveils ‘Los Dodgers’ jerseys
With nods to a heavily Latino fan base and to the murals that grace the streets of Los Angeles, the Dodgers will take the field this weekend with “Los Dodgers” across their chests.
The Dodgers will be dressed almost entirely in blue: blue pants, blue jerseys and blue caps, with “Los Dodgers” in place of the interlocking LA logo on the caps.
The combination of blue jerseys and blue pants is a first in the 138-year history of the franchise, the team said.
The jerseys include a splash at the end of each sleeve, intended to represent the spray paint used for street art.
ICYMI: Dodgers rout the Pirates, 9-0
The chant was so weak that, at first, it seemed almost like a question.
In first baseman Max Muncy’s initial at-bat in Wednesday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, between pitches, a faint few smatterings of “M-V-P” rang out amid a packed Dodger Stadium crowd.
Perhaps the lack of conviction was due to San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. and his 34 home runs this season. Perhaps it was due to the stretch run that Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper is having. Perhaps it was the fact that Muncy had cooled off ever-so-slightly since the All-Star break.
But after the Dodgers slugger rounded the bases for the second time in just the fourth inning for his fifth home run in the last four games, pulling him within mere percentage points of Harper for the National League lead in OPS the fans’ earlier meek cries turned into a loud endorsement.