Dodger Thoughts

Jon Weisman's outlet for dealing psychologically with the Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball and life

Dodger rotation is day to day, but aren’t we all

LOS ANGELES DODGERS V PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

Phillies at Dodgers, 12:10 p.m.
Chase Utley, 2B
Josh Reddick, RF
Corey Seager, SS
Adrián González, 1B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, LF
Rob Segedin, 3B
Scott Kazmir, P

By Jon Weisman

Ross Stripling will start Friday for the Dodgers in their series opener against Pittsburgh, Dave Roberts said before today’s series finale against Philadelphia.

Rich Hill is being given more time to resolve his blister issues. Stripling, who threw five shutout innings Sunday against Boston, will be pitching on four days’ rest.

The Dodgers remain undecided for their weekend starters against the Pirates. Brandon McCarthy is the top choice for Saturday, but the Dodgers are holding off until after a scheduled Thursday bullpen session before making it official. If not, Julio Urías would be the most likely replacement (on four days’ rest).

Brett Anderson could make his first start of the season for the Dodgers as soon as Sunday, five days after his most recent rehab start. Otherwise, Kenta Maeda would be lined up to pitch the homestand finale on four days’ rest.

In lineup news …

Justin Turner, the one-time “three days on, one day off” semi-regular at third base, is getting a scheduled day off after making 27 consecutive starts dating back to July 6. In those 27 games, Turner has a 1.032 OPS with 11 doubles and 10 homers. Rob Segedin takes his spot at third.

Yasmani Grandal is starting on the day game after a night game, no doubt a combination of having an off day Thursday and Grandal being absolutely unconscious at the plate. Grandal is now second among National League catchers in weighted runs created with 130, behind Washington’s Wilson Ramos.

Grandal has also taken over the team lead in walks (47) despite being seventh in plate appearances. Among MLB hitters with at least 300 trips to the plate, Grandal is eighth with a 15.3 percent walk rate. Ahead of him: Bryce Harper, Joey Votto, Jose Bautista, Matt Carpenter, Brandon Belt, Mike Trout and Paul Goldschmidt.

Finally, with Turner out, Josh Reddick has been moved up to second in the batting order, ahead of Corey Seager. Reddick is 2 for 27 with two walks as a Dodger. The contact has been there, but Roberts did speculate today that Reddick might be pressing and overswinging. There’s no loss of confidence in Reddick, who in a sense is echoing the slow starts that many of the hottest Dodgers had in 2016, before the team rose to grab a share of first place in the NL West.

For you scoreboard watchers: San Francisco is playing at Miami in a game that might end before today’s Dodgers-Phillies game begins.

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3 Comments

  1. Earth’s rotation, day to day.

  2. Phillip Neri

    Day game after a night game…he hasn’t taken many days off.

    Phillip Neri gododgers1958@gmail.com

    >

  3. oldbrooklynfan

    It’s hard to imagine the Dodgers winning in the post season, including the wild card game if that’ll be the case because we don’t know who will be the starting pitchers.

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