The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Francisco Giants 3-1 on Tuesday night to keep even with the San Diego Padres for the NL West lead. They will face the Giants one more time before another off day and heading to the Windy City.
Before Wednesday night’s game, David Price returned to the team. Price had been on the Covid IL but cleared them before the game. He will not be reinstated to the team just yet, as he needs to get his arm built back team. He will travel with the team to Chicago, as he has never been to Wrigley Field. Then he will go to Arizona to work on ramping up his arm.
Mike Yastrzemski also was activated from the Covid-IL before the game for the Giants.
The starters for Wednesday night’s game are Alex Wood and Tony Gonsolin. They last time they appeared in the same game was Game 6 of the 2020 World Series. Dodger fans will hope for the reverse in how each pitcher performed in that game.
Manager Dave Roberts spoke to reporters before the game about players that haven’t yet gotten going and the rumors about the new baseballs.
On Justin Turner, he said that JT will stay in the sixth slot while he tries to work through his issues at the plate.
“I do know he’s preparing like he always has,” Roberts said. “I think there’s been some hard contact in there, there hasn’t been the walk, which is not what he normally does as far as the on-base. … He’s a pro, man. I’m going to keep running him out there”.
JT is currently sporting a .179/.224/.256/.480 slash line with one home run.
Roberts also talked about the baseballs and how many hits off the bat are not going out of the park and instead dying at the warning track.
“I think it’s, certainly the humidor has something to do with it. Just talking to players I think the ball is softer. There’s some raised seems, I think they’re a little bit higher, so that creates more drag. So I think all-encompassing the ball is just not flying as well”.
When asked about if there has been consistency to this point, he said “I think so. I think that is just, hitters are not getting rewarded. But I think that as far as kind of the results, I think that’s consistent around baseball, which I think is a good thing.”
He was also asked if hitters are going to have to adapt, he said “I do think that the results will be different as the weather gets warmer. The ball will start to carry more. That’s hitter to hitter, and I think that, for me as a hitter, I would adapt and try to hit the ball more on a line, knowing that you can hit the ball 103 MPH at an ideal, optimum trajectory and not get rewarded. So something’s got to change. If the ball is not going to change and the humidor is the humidor, you’re still trying to be productive offensively.”
Joe and Orel had Kershaw on from the dugout during the game tonight. He spent an inning with them and I think, once he retires, Kasten should offer him 20 million a year to be the new color guy. He’s absolutely great. Insight into what a player thinks, on and off the field stuff and a great sense of humor. He’d be spectacular except for the fact that there’s no way he’d want to travel for the entire season to do it. Maybe he could do it remotely.
I see no reason Kershaw can’t pitch through his 35 year. Work on that change he’s been avoiding and he can skate through 5 on 65 pitches. That seems to be all that’s necessary for Roberts.
Humidifier. Soft balls. But I still see exit velocities over 100 Our guys are so used to upper cutting everything they have forgotten how to drive the ball in the gap and down the lines. We saw a bit of that last night and it looked good. The ball will reach the fences in July and August. Until then, and again in September/October, line drives please.
I don’t see why you would want Kersh to pitch through his year 35 when he could become the color guy on the broadcasts starting tomorrow.
All kidding aside, he seems to be having a ball this year. Smiling all the time, really enjoying himself. Whether this is his last year or he goes 10 more, I hope that smile stays. After all, he’s getting paid millions to play a game and after 15 years, he’s still doing it better than most.
I want Kersh to pitch to 40. 130 inning a year. 25 starts. 75-90 pitches per outing.