If the Los Angeles Dodgers could somehow manage to maintain their pace of one clunker game followed by two to three good ones, well then they’d be in great shape at the end of the season.
The Dodgers just finished a road trip which took them to San Diego and Milwaukee. The first game of each series was not great, but they managed to scrape two hard fought wins in San Diego, and then cruise to another two wins in Milwaukee.
Along the way, however, they lost one of their starters. Noah Syndergaard pitched the first inning of his start on Tuesday before being removed with what the team called a cut on his finger. Video evidence from the broadcast showed it looking more like a huge blister that had busted open. Syndergaard is slated to throw a bullpen Saturday, and if he makes it out of that ok, he could pitch in his spot on Monday. If he can’t go, Gavin Stone also had a start on Tuesday, and could be recalled to replace Syndergaard in the rotation.
“Just watching him play catch today, he was ripping it and it was covered up,” Manger Dave Roberts told reporters on Friday. “Tomorrow is gonna be a big day for him. He’s gonna throw a bullpen. And if he can get out of that, I don’t see why he wouldn’t make the start on Monday.”
The youth movement has helped lead the team. James Outman is slashing .281/.374/.578/.952 with eight home runs. Miguel Vargas is starting to heat up, and routinely flashing the leather.
In fact, the entire organization from top to bottom is producing right now.
Walker Buehler appears to be inching closer and closer to a return this season. He has now begun to throw off a mound again, but has yet to progress to a true bullpen session.
Neither Jimmy Nelson nor Daniel Hudson appear ready to return anytime soon. Nelson was shut down 10 days ago, and it is not known when he will start throwing again. Hudson is still dealing with scar tissue in his knee, and his potential return is “still down the road”.
The Dodgers now return home to face the Padres again, and now have a four game lead over the third place Friars.
Before Friday’s game, two roster moves were made. J.D. Martinez returned from the injured list, sending Michael Busch back down to Triple-A in the corresponding move. Martinez had been dealing with a back issue.
Caleb Ferguson returns from the paternity list, the last (we think) in a long line of brand new Dodger babies. Wander Suero also returned to Oklahoma City.
Pitching matchups for the weekend will see Dustin May and Blake Snell Friday, Julio Urías and Joe Musgrove on Saturday, and Tony Gonsolin and Ryan Weathers on Sunday.