
Dodgers pitching has been in constant struggle for a month, ever since Dustin May and Julio Urías got injured in the same week. But last week, the team showed us what could happen if they stopped hitting as well.
The Dodgers lost four of six games for the second straight week, exacerbated in a three-game sweep at home to their longtime rival Giants, including the worst home shutout loss since literally the 19th century.
After dropping 18 of their last 30 games, the Dodgers are in third place in the National League West, and are currently in third wild card position, only a game ahead of the Phillies.
Digging out of this morass requires stringing together wins, or stacking positive days as James Outman might say. But the Dodgers last won two straight games on May 29-30, which is not the month we are currently in.
Batter of the week
In a rough week for the offense, David Peralta stood out, hitting one of the Dodgers’ three home runs while hitting .429 and reaching base over half the time.
Pitcher of the week
Emmet Sheehan received two promotions last week, first getting the word he was headed for Triple-A, only to have those plans scrapped in lieu of joining the Dodgers. The 23-year-old dazzled against the Giants, allowing no runs and no hits in his six innings. He’s just the third pitcher ever to allow no hits in a major league debut of at least six innings. Though Sheehan left with a 4-0 lead, he suffered the same fate as the other two hitless-debuting pitchers — Ross Stripling in 2016 and Daniel Ponce De Leon in 2018 — with his team losing the game anyway.
Week 12 results
2-4 record
22 runs scored (3.67 per game)
42 runs allowed (7.00 per game)
.234 pythagorean win percentage
Year to date
39-33 record
389 runs scored (5.40 per game)
347 runs allowed (3.82 per game)
.552 pythagorean win percentage (40-32)
Miscellany
My name is…: This was another busy week for Dodgers rookies, with two more making their major league debuts. Emmet Sheehan dazzled on the mound in his start on Friday, and Bryan Hudson debuted on Saturday after eight seasons in the minors. They join Michael Busch (April 25), Gavin Stone (May 3), Bobby Miller (May 23), Jonny DeLuca (June 7), and Nick Robertson (June 7) as major league debuts this season. The last time the Dodgers had seven players debut within the first 72 games of the year was in 2006. The last year with more Dodgers MLB debuts through 72 games was in 1995, when nine such players did so by this point in the season.
All hands on deck: In Friday’s 11-inning loss to the Giants, the Dodgers used all 13 position players plus seven pitchers. Twenty players is the most used by the Dodgers in a game this season, one more than they used on both May 15 (12-inning game vs. Twins) and June 11 (bullpen game in Philadelphia).
Taken to the woodshed: Nothing went right for the Dodgers on Saturday, getting hammered by the Giants 15-0. It was the Dodgers’ worst shutout loss since an 18-0 defeat in Cincinnati on August 8, 1965. Saturday was the most lopsided shutout ever at Dodger Stadium, by any team. The last time the Dodgers were shutout in such a one-sided affair at home was 125 years ago, losing 15-0 to the Pirates at Washington Park in Brooklyn.
Transactions
Wednesday: Shelby Miller returned from bereavement leave, and Adam Kolarek was designated for assignment.
Friday: Emmet Sheehan was promoted from Double-A Tulsa by way of Triple-A Oklahoma City, and Michael Grove was optioned.
Friday: Max Muncy was placed on the IL with a hamstring strain, retroactive to Tuesday, and Michael Busch was recalled.
Saturday: Bryan Hudson was called up from Triple-A, and Tayler Scott was designated for assignment.
Game results
- Tuesday: Dodgers 5, White Sox 1
- Wednesday: White Sox 8, Dodgers 4
- Thursday: Dodgers 5, White Sox 4 (11 innings)
- Friday: Giants 7, Dodgers 5 (11 innings)
- Saturday: Giants 15, Dodgers 0
- Sunday: Giants 7, Dodgers 3
Previous reviews: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11
The week ahead
The Dodgers run the Ken Forsch gauntlet, taking the short trek to Anaheim for two games against the Angels followed by three games of boos at Dodger Stadium for the visiting Astros.
Michael Grove was optioned on Friday but remained with the team and could very well return to start what is now a TBD game on Wednesday against the Angels. The Dodgers’ weekend rotation is a guess, as it will depend on when Emmet Sheehan is slotted in after getting extra rest.
Tuesday’s TBS broadcast of Dodgers-Angels will be available locally with no blackout. Both Angels games will also be televised locally by Bally Sports West. Against the Astros, Saturday’s game is exclusively on Fox and Sunday is exclusively on ESPN.