It’s getaway day for the Dodgers as they finish their three game series in Gotham City. The Dodgers came from behind again to beat the Mets on Saturday afternoon using five dingers (dingers) and more effective pitching from Rich Hill and the bullpen. Today they’ll go for the sweep on Sunday night baseball on ESPN. They’ve already broken the 2013 team’s record for a 50 game stretch by posting a 43-7 record. The 2013 club was 42-8. So this is the most dominating Dodger team of our generation and possibly of all time. The Dodgers are without doubt the best team in MLB.
In the game today the Dodgers will send Hyun-jin Ryu to the mound against Steven Matz. The battle of left handers will feature two hurlers who have both missed significant time with injuries. Ryu has 3-6 record and a 3.83 ERA in 15 starts this season. He has a 1.3 WHIP and 83 strikeouts against 26 walks over 84.2 innings pitched.
In 4 career starts against the Mets Ryu is 2-0 with a 2.16 ERA and he is 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA at Citi Field. Here is how the Mets have done against Ryu in the past.
Ryu vs. Mets
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | SLG |
| Neil Walker | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .125 | .125 |
| Jay Bruce | 8 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .375 | 1.125 |
| Rene Rivera | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 |
| Wilmer Flores | 6 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .333 | .333 |
| Curtis Granderson | 6 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .600 | 1.400 |
| Jose Reyes | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .200 | .200 |
| Asdrubal Cabrera | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .500 | 1.000 |
| Yoenis Cespedes | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 |
| Travis d’Arnaud | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .500 | 2.000 |
| Jacob deGrom | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .500 | .500 |
| Steven Matz | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 |
| Total | 53 | 50 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 10 | .280 | .580 |
Matz has made just ten starts this season in an injury riddled year. He’s 2-4 with a 5.50 ERA over 52.1 innings pitched. His strikeout rate has dropped from 8.8 to 6.2 so that’s concerning for the Mets. Matz has pitched well against the Dodgers. He’s 2-0 with a 2.50 ERA in 3 career starts against the boys in blue.
Matz vs. Dodgers
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | OPS |
| Enrique Hernandez | 12 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | .250 | .250 | .750 |
| Justin Turner | 12 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | .273 | .333 | .970 |
| Yasiel Puig | 11 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .000 | .091 | .091 |
| Austin Barnes | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | .667 | .667 |
| Cody Bellinger | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .500 | .667 | 1.667 |
| Logan Forsythe | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | .333 | .333 |
| Corey Seager | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | .333 | .333 |
| Chris Taylor | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Joc Pederson | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Hyun-Jin Ryu | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Total | 54 | 47 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 17 | .149 | .259 | .578 |
The Dodger lineup has Austin Barnes playing behind the plate since Yasmani Grandal is resting after suffering back spasms in the eighth inning of Saturday’s win. Kike Hernandez is back in center with a left hander on the mound.
Dodgers Lineup
Tonight's Dodger lineup at Mets:
Taylor LF
Seager SS
Turner 3B
Bellinger 1B
Forsythe 2B
Barnes C
Hernández CF
Puig RF
Ryu P pic.twitter.com/gLZBkw4UbQ— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 6, 2017
Oh and this guy ran 3 blocks to get an autograph from Puig. Those autograph hounds will go to great lengths to get their signatures. Crazy.
Enjoy the game!
This is too easy. It’s not supposed to be this easy.
I see the Yankees sent Sanchez down to work on his defense. I read it was because he has 12 PASSED BALLS! 12!! The horror! You think if Grandal gets one more they will send him down?
Well if they had a young Jeter(Seager), a Pettitte in his prime(Kershaw), a Rivera(Jansen) and the highest payroll in baseball they probably could live with the 12 pass balls also….
I just hope its not a pass ball (or a wild pitch that might have been catchable) that keeps the Dodgers from winning a title.
Could be.
It’s always something random.
Just enjoy this.
They SAT him down, he is still on the big league team and will start on Tuesday.
Ryu is looking like he did in 2013 and 2014. Lots of K’s and at em balls. Offense helping get a lead early.
Serious question:
Is there any Dodger fan out there who cannot be enjoying this?
Even the most ardent and irrational of #Fraudman. Even people like that Dodger Therapist have to be enjoying this, right?
I mean Ryu is arguably the 6th starter! Granted the Mets are poor, but this is very impressive.
A Dodgers starting pitcher has not allowed a run in four of past seven games. Better than that, starting pitchers in 12 games since Clayton Kershaw’s back injury:
1.82 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 61 K, 17 BB in 69 1/3 IP.
About to go 11-1
Also.
Great article on Framing, and how it can help Darvish:
https://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2017/8/6/16100648/yu-darvish-dodgers-framing-catchers-yasmani-grandal-austin-barnes-jonathan-lucroy-decline-receiving
http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/just-a-bit-outside/story/mlb-robot-umpires-instant-replay-managers-arguing-balls-strikes-future-082715
No need to fear technology. Get the glaring incompetence out of the game.
But, what then about those who make millions making fools of old weak eyed men?
Wow. I was in the kitchen (yes, no tv in the kitchen) and thought a fire cracker went off on the living room. Unbelievable. Had to watch that swing again.
Ryu pitched very well. Great to see!
Bluto just because people here complain and nitpick doesn’t mean we love or enjoy the team less. It’s just we’re getting old (are old) and talking shop precludes cheerleading for the most part. You get a bunch of old engineers together they are not talking about how great the accessories and logo looks on the new iPhone.
Man we are putting the hurt on the Mets ….
9 – 11 before Bellinger. 69 – 21 since. If this team wins 110+ games he should be the league MVP.
Correction. 70 – 21 since he was called up.
There are many surprises with this year’s club.