The Dodgers will kick off the annual four game Freeway Series with the Angels on Monday evening. The first two games will be at Dodger Stadium and the final two games in Anaheim beginning on Wednesday. The Dodgers are literally on top of the world riding a ten game winning streak. They haven’t won eleven in a row since the 1993 sod squad.
In the opening game of the series former Dodger Ricky Nolasco will face Rich Hill. The former Dodger pitched for the boys in blue back in 2013. He only made 15 starts for the Dodgers that season and actually pitched pretty well. But he got hammered during the NLCS that year and is not a pitcher that can be counted on during a postseason start.
After pitching a few seasons in Minnesota, he came to the Angels. He’s been horrendous this season allowing an American League leading 23 home runs and posting a 2-9 record with a 5.23 ERA. He’s allowed over 10 hits per nine and has posted a 5.96 FIP. He’s struck out 71 and walked only 25 though. So he’s been able to miss bats and keep the walks to a minimum. Too many hanging pitches have led to his home run problems.
In five career starts against the Dodgers he is 1-2 with a 6.67 ERA. The way the Dodgers have been slugging the Ball of late probably means they’re going to eat him alive. Literally Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner and the rest of the gang are going to eat his crappy pitching for lunch.
Nolasco vs. Dodgers
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | OPS |
| Chase Utley | 48 | 43 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 8 | .279 | .354 | .843 |
| Logan Forsythe | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 3.000 |
| Yasmani Grandal | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .333 | .333 | .667 |
| Clayton Kershaw | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .667 | .667 | 1.333 |
| Total | 57 | 52 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 3 | 9 | .346 | .404 | .980 |
On the other side, left hander Rich Hill will counter for the Dodgers. Hill is striving to find his consistency as he has yet to pitch into the sixth inning all season setting a new MLB record for lack of length. In his last start he allowed just one earned run on four hits over five frames and struck out eight during a win against the Mets. He is 4-3 this season with a 4.73 ERA in 40 frames. He’s walked 26 and struck out 43 in nine starts. Command has been a huge problem this year for Hill.
Hill has a 6.23 ERA against the Angels in six appearances. He’s had issues with the Angels in the past but thankfully he won’t have to deal with Mike Trout, who is still out with a thumb injury. The Angels will also be without third baseman Yunel Escobar who is still battling a thumb injury as well. Look for Caleb Cowert to get the starts at third base instead.
Hill vs. Angels
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | OPS |
| Yunel Escobar | 10 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .300 | .300 | .600 |
| Albert Pujols | 9 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .250 | .333 | .958 |
| Ben Revere | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .250 | .250 | .500 |
| Danny Espinosa | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 2.000 |
| Cameron Maybin | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .500 | .667 | 1.167 |
| Kole Calhoun | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | .500 | .500 |
| Cliff Pennington | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Luis Valbuena | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 | .500 | 1.000 |
| Total | 35 | 30 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 6 | .300 | .400 | .800 |
The Angels have other injuries that have contributed to their mediocrity. Starting pitchers Matt Shoemaker, Andrew Heaney, Tyler Skaggs, and Garrett Richards are all still on the disabled list. Only Shoemaker is due to return sometime this season. Former Dodger Bud Norris is also out with right knee inflammation.
The Angles are essentially an average team. They’ve posted a 21-16 record at home and a 19-23 record on the road. They are currently in third place in the American League West with a 40-39 record 13 games behind Houston. The Angels do have a 38-28 record against the Dodgers over the last 66 games against the boys in blue.
The second game of the series and final game on the home stand will feature another former Dodger Jesse Chavez countering Kenta Maeda. The Angels have several former Dodgers on the roster.
In the third game in Anaheim on Wednesday will see Hyun-jin Ryu take the mound for the Dodgers, while the Angels have yet to announce their starting pitcher. Alex Wood will start the series finale and again the Angels have yet to announce their starter in that game too.
According to our friends at Numberfire, the Dodgers have a 57.1% win probability in the series opener. The rest of the series heavily favors the Dodgers as well. Game 2 gives them a 61.1% chance of winning and game three a 50.39% chance. In the fourth game the Dodgers are still favored with a 59.77% chance.
Cody Bellinger was named NL player of the week in an unsurprising announcement. Bellinger batted .370 this week with five home runs, three doubles, seven runs scored and 12 runs batted in. This is the second time in his career that he’s taken home the award for NL player of the week. The super kid leads the National League with 24 home runs.
According to Gurnick, but not up on Dodgers site yet, McCarthy to 10 day DL with knee problem, and Stripling sent to OKC. Both Brock Stewart and Trayce Thompson spotted at the Stadium during afternoon workouts. Derek Norris officially released by the Rays who traded for Marlins SS Hechevarria.
I missed that Stewart had been sent down. But then again, you blink and you miss the transaction.
Who would Thompson replace?
Never mind just read the update. Stewart and Thompson in. McC and Strippling back to their respective homes.
Stewart was sent down when Stripling was called up. Normally he would have to stay at AAA for 10 days, but he is replacing McCarthy who is on the DL and Thompson takes Striplings place. Hard to follow sometimes. And it can be confusing. Fernandez was promoted to OKC from Tulsa. He was hitting over .300 down there. No lineup posted yet, but Corey was on the field stretching.
Now official…….McCarthy to 10 day DL, Ross Stripling optioned to AAA. Brock Stewart and Trayce Thompson recalled. Dodgers back to a 5 man bench. No starting lineup posted yet….
Tonight’s line up just posted……Utley 2B Taylor LF Turner 3B Bellinger 1B Grandal C Pederson CF Puig RF Hernandez SS Hill P.
I don’t get that line up!
Taylor plays shortstop better then Kike, and Kike a plays better in the outfield.
I totally agree with you MJ. Kike has much more OF experience, and Taylor is a much better SS than Kike. I would guess Roberts just likes Kike at SS, but most of his errors have been at SS.
Michael
There are times when Roberts makes these line ups, that he doesn’t have to have that many players out of there regular positions, but he does.
That just doesn’t make sense!
I agree, Kike has made 7 errors this year, 3 at SS 1 each at 2nd and 3rd, and 2 in the outfield. I am not sure, but I think Freeman plays SS too. Makes no sense to have a natural SS playing LF when the guy playing SS has more experience out there. Now that Thompson is back, he could have put him out there. The defense would be awesome with Thompson, Pederson and Puig.
Stripling did give up a run the last time he pitched.
I think Stewart is going to be important with Urias out.
I hope Brock can pitch like he did last year, once he pitches a game or two, in the bigs.
The way they called them up, I have to think Stewart is a candidate to take a start that was earmarked for McCarthy. Stewart normally would have had to stay in AAA 10 days, but since he replaces McCarthy he does not. Thompson replaced Stripling, which gives the Dodgers a 5 man bench for the first time in over a month.
I read that Stewart was suppose to make his start tomorrow in AAA.
They replaced him with Sierra. Fernandez was promoted to AAA from Tulsa. Got a double in his first AB.
Looks like I won the bet with patch.
What bet was that? McCarthy to DL? Or as we call him, McBrittle…
McBrittle to the DL was a no brainer. Like I said, the better bet is EVERY Dodger starter will serve time on the DL. Any takers?
The bet was that McCarthy would go on the disabled list at least once before the season ended. Patch bet me that he wouldn’t. Easy bet.
Yeah, I got that. And I agree, easy bet to win.
I’m saying every Dodger, even Kershaw, will get a DL rest sometime this year. No response on that yet.
Probably. It wouldn’t surprise me. Most of them are injury prone
Most? All of them but Kershaw have already used the DL. It’s not even July.
I guess 9 of 10 is “most” isn’t it.
The use of the 10 day has become part of the strategy. As I have suggested, it might work. Not the way I would prefer it, but so far so good.
Lol… yup. I’m defeated. Pick a charity and I’ll donate 20 bucks. Just please no weird left wing organizations.
I will use the opportunity to promote a couple of organizations I was hoping Scott would’ve been donating to.
https://projecthero.org/
http://www.challengedathletes.org/
No Problem Patch. I was going to suggest donating to Jerry’s kids, but go ahead and pick your favorite charity. Easy bet for me. The kids are the ones that benefit from McCarthy’s constant injuries.
They get beat by a guy who is 2-9 with a 5 plus ERA. Not only do they lose, but they only get 5 hits doing it. They hit the ball hard in the first inning and after that it was like they were using a rolled up newspaper. Shut out too. Hill pitched decent and he was a little snakebit by balls that were not hit hard. But that walk to Nolasco sealed his fate. Walking the pitcher is a huge no no. Walks have been his big bugaboo all year.
Can’t win if you don’t score.
As we have been told many times by the saberphants – wins don’t mean anything.