Within the standings, all is true once more within the Dodgers’ world. Clayton Kershaw was, nicely, Clayton Kershaw. The Dodgers received.
Within the field rating, all was not nicely. As you have already got guessed, the bullpen: 5 relievers had been wanted to cowl the ultimate three innings, during which the San Diego Padres put potential tying and/or go-ahead runs on base in every of these innings.
And, on Day 1 of Life With out Muncy 2.0, the Dodgers managed 4 hits.
With 40 video games to play, the Dodgers and Padres are tied atop the Nationwide League West. If Max Muncy can play in even a handful of these video games, the Dodgers will probably be grateful.
The Dodgers put their third baseman on the injured listing Friday afternoon due to a strained indirect muscle. When Muncy went on the injured listing final month due to a knee harm, the Dodgers led the majors in runs. He missed 25 video games, during which the Dodgers ranked final in runs.
Of the Dodgers’ 4 hits on Friday night, three had been delivered by the underside three batters within the lineup. Meaning Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Will Smith, Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernández and Andy Pages went a mixed 1 for 17.
“Max just has that balance in the lineup, as far as another left-handed (hitter),” Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned, “but also handles left-handed pitching and has the ability to get on base.
“He’s a threat. Now, without him, other guys have got to step up.”
The Dodgers’ left-handed bats, as of Friday: Ohtani, Freeman, outfielder Michael Conforto (.189) and backup catcher Dalton Speeding (.202).
It ought to go with out saying that Ohtani and Freeman stay imposing. It also needs to go with out saying that opponents would possibly nicely line up right-handers in opposition to the Dodgers, together with the Padres throwing Dylan Stop in opposition to them Saturday and Yu Darvish on Sunday.
Teoscar Hernández hits a solo dwelling run within the seventh inning throughout the Dodgers’ 3-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Friday evening at Dodger Stadium.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Instances)
“We’re going to see a slew of right-handed pitching,” Roberts mentioned. “There are going to be right-handers coming out of the pen.
“Our right-handers have got to be better.”
On that rating, essentially the most encouraging improvement for the Dodgers on Friday was Hernández hitting what turned out to be the decisive dwelling run.
“Teo came to life with a big homer,” Roberts mentioned.
Hernández hit 33 dwelling runs final season, when his OPS was a minimum of .762 in every month of the season. His OPS has been under .762 in every month this season besides the primary one.
Within the Dodgers’ first 29 video games, he hit 9 dwelling runs. Within the 93 video games since then, he has hit 10.
“Some days, it’s good. Some days, it’s bad,” Hernández mentioned. “Some days, it’s in between. Hitting is not easy. But I’m going to continue to keep working and try to be consistent for the month and a half, and hopefully in the playoffs.”
The pennant stretch comes first, and Roberts has religion in Hernández.
Mentioned Roberts: “It’s an easy bet that, when the stakes get higher, Teo is going to really show up for us.”
Muncy does that, in getting on base and in circling the bases. In October, when the pitching can rise to the event, so can Muncy.
His OPS is greater within the playoffs than within the common season. He walks far more typically. He can elevate the Dodgers’ lineup in October, if the remainder of the lineup can step up and assist get him there.
