In three video games in opposition to the Arizona Diamondbacks this week, the Dodgers greater than doubled their opponent’s hit whole, gave up solely eight runs and trailed for simply 5 whole innings.
And but, they misplaced the sequence.
After profitable 4 straight sequence, and profitable Monday’s opener behind Walker Buehler’s shutout, the staff struggled Tuesday and Wednesday, scoring simply 4 runs in two video games regardless of 14 hits.
They dedicated a few pricey errors, too, resulting in both game-tying or go-ahead rallies in every of the Diamondbacks’ wins.
They returned house from a six-game street journey managing solely a 3-3 report.
“I assumed we pitched nicely this sequence,” Roberts mentioned. “However outdoors of that I don’t suppose we had a superb sequence.”
Listed here are 5 takeaways on the great and unhealthy from the sequence.
Defensive errors
The Dodgers had a pleasant early cushion in Tuesday’s night time sport. Then Gavin Lux spiked a throw.
They'd fought again to tie the rating late in Wednesday’s sport. Then Max Muncy sailed a toss.
Neither mistake was the only cause for both of the Dodgers’ losses at Chase Area this week. However they modified the complexion of every sport, punctuating a pair of underwhelming performances from a staff that had gained 11 of its earlier 13.
“I don’t have a solution for it,” Roberts mentioned. “I count on it to get again to regular.”
Certainly, the Dodgers’ defensive numbers have nonetheless been stable thus far, with solely seven errors. They rank seventh within the majors in fielding proportion. They usually’re above the league common in superior metrics corresponding to defensive runs saved and zone ranking.
However each of their sequence losses — additionally together with their opening-weekend setback in opposition to the Colorado Rockies — have been marked by sloppy play within the area. For a staff that at present ranks third in runs per sport and first in earned-run common, protection has been one of many extra inconsistent points of the primary 18 video games.
“Up till this sequence, I assumed we performed good baseball, elementary baseball, catching it and throwing it precisely,” Roberts mentioned. “This sequence we didn’t do a superb job of that.”
Trea Turner producing runs
A leadoff hitter for many of his profession with the Washington Nationals, Trea Turner has by no means had greater than 77 RBIs in a season.
Now that he’s batting third for the Dodgers in his first full yr with the staff, Turner has been one of many extra prolific early-season run producers.
Turner picked up his sixteenth RBI in 18 video games Wednesday, driving in Mookie Betts to tie the sport with a two-out single within the eighth inning. That whole ranks sixth within the majors and is 5 greater than anyone else on the staff.
“With Mookie, Freddie [Freeman] in entrance of me, they get on a lot, they stroll a lot that I’m going to have my alternatives,” Turner mentioned. “I’ve simply bought to capitalize.”
Turner has been significantly productive with runners in scoring place. He's 11 for 26 (.423) in these conditions with three doubles, a triple and a 1.022 on-base-plus-slugging proportion. It’s retaining in step with a career-long development for Turner, whose .311 profession batting common with runners in scoring place is eight factors increased than his regular mark.
“I feel in these conditions he’s doing a greater job of staying within the strike zone,” Roberts mentioned. “Everyone knows he likes to swing the bat. He’s one of many extra aggressive guys in baseball. However for my part to persistently drive in runs, you need to keep within the strike zone and never increase, not be afraid to get right into a depend. I feel he’s doing a significantly better job of that.”
Justin Turner’s gradual begin
Each Justin Turner and Roberts had a sly look when requested concerning the third baseman’s gradual begin this season. They each know that, for a lot of his profession, Turner has struggled in April, then gotten sizzling the remainder of the season.
The Dodgers are hoping Turner can do it once more this season. Up to now, the 37-year-old is batting simply .206 and has a team-worst .511 OPS. He’s struck out 13 instances with solely 5 walks. And he hasn’t been driving the baseball like regular, with simply three doubles and no house runs.
“It at all times seems manner worse when your gradual month is April,” mentioned Turner, who has a profession .751 OPS in March and April, considerably worse than some other month. “However that’s what I’m going by proper now and I’m simply going to maintain working to grind by it.”
He added with a chuckle: “The calendar’s on the brink of flip, so positively trying ahead to that.”
Turner mentioned he did make an adjustment to his batting stance this week, opening up a bit of extra following a pregame hitting session Tuesday.
“Obtained a bit of bit higher outcomes,” he mentioned after hitting a double that night time. “Not precisely what you’re hoping for, however positively felt higher, seeing the ball higher.”
Turner’s underlying numbers are nonetheless regarding. He ranks nicely under the league common in common exit velocity, onerous hit proportion and anticipated batting common and slugging proportion, in line with Baseball Savant.
Roberts, nevertheless, maintained confidence that Turner can flip issues round.
“He’s a man who’s not essentially a tinkerer however he could make changes,” Roberts mentioned. “He hasn’t discovered his stride but within the batter’s field. However [Tuesday] was a superb signal.”
Might making progress
There was a well-known face within the Dodgers clubhouse this week, as Dustin Might confirmed up earlier than Tuesday’s sport to throw a bullpen session and get in some work across the staff.
When the season began, Might remained on the staff’s Camelback Ranch spring coaching complicated in close by Glendale, Ariz., to proceed his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgical procedure final yr. He labored alongside different injured pitchers together with Danny Duffy and Victor González (who additionally got here to Chase Area on Tuesday).
Might, who was one of many Dodgers’ most promising younger pitchers earlier than getting damage final yr, continues to be concentrating on a return over the past third of the season. He mentioned Tuesday’s bullpen session was the ninth of his restoration, and the primary to incorporate a pitch apart from the fastball (his cutter). He’s lastly beginning to see the top of his restoration.
“Getting shut, yeah,” he mentioned. “Beginning to throw breaking balls feels extra regular. … Simply getting again to truly being on the mound is an efficient feeling.”
Might mentioned he has discovered to turn out to be affected person, , one thing that has stunned stunning himself.
“Going by the rehab, realizing that it was an extended course of, I assumed I used to be going to be very impatient, desirous to get going,” he mentioned. “However having talked myself by it loads, as I used to be going by, it’s been very straightforward on the thoughts.”
Might’s subsequent massive milestone: Dealing with reside hitting, one thing he expects to do in a few month.
“That’s once you get the adrenaline again,” he mentioned. “You need to get anyone out in entrance of you. You need to make sure that your pitches are literally the place you need them to be.”
Pitching damage updates
It seems like Tyler Anderson may very well be staying within the Dodgers rotation for some time.
That’s as a result of injured left-hander Andrew Heaney, who had gotten off to a robust begin this yr earlier than shoulder discomfort that landed him on the injured listing (and thrust Anderson into the rotation), nonetheless isn’t near returning to the mound.
Roberts mentioned Heaney hasn’t began to throw once more, and that the staff is “going to be fairly conservative” together with his restoration.
“We’re going to verify it’s a gradual course of,” Roberts added.
Roberts acknowledged the longer Heaney is shut down, the longer it would take for him to construct arm energy again up earlier than returning to play.
“There’s a threshold or a breaking level the place it’s nearly such as you’ve bought to start out again over so far as a spring coaching buildup,” Roberts mentioned. “We’re not there but. However the extra time earlier than he picks up a baseball, the longer the buildup goes to be.”
Some good pitching information for the Dodgers: Tommy Kahnle (Tommy John surgical procedure) may very well be able to rejoin the major-league membership as quickly as subsequent week, as soon as he completes his minor-league rehab project. Caleb Ferguson (Tommy John surgical procedure) and Victor González (left elbow irritation) are nearing rehab assignments, too, placing them on observe for a possible major-league return in mid-to-late Might.
The staff may even be capable to carry 14 pitchers for many of Might, after MLB and the gamers union agreed to delay the reinstatement of the 13-pitcher most till Might 30. At the moment, the Dodgers have 16 pitchers on the lively roster, after they have been expanded from 26 to twenty-eight for the beginning of the season following the lockout-shortened spring.
“To provide us one other month of an additional pitcher is large,” Roberts mentioned.
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