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Los Angeles Times
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Dodgers Dugout: Breaking down the next opponent, the San Diego Padres
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. The Dodgers head to San Diego for a three-game series with the Padres starting tonight. Whichever team wins the season series will have an advantage when it comes to winning the division, plus it also will give them the tiebreaker advantage should the teams tie. These are the first three of 13 games against the Padres this season, so let's take a look at them. You can see all the stats on the Padres team page at CatcherElías Díaz (.224/.288/.321, 71 OPS+)Martín Maldonado (.174/.203/.267, 32 OPS+) Neither one of these guys can hit, but are solid defensively. Maldonado won a Gold Glove way back in 2017 with the Angels. However, it's players such as these two, guys who have trouble hitting, who seem to come up big against the Dodgers, dating all the way back to Brian Doyle and the 1978 World Series. Bonus facts: Díaz was named minor league catcher of the year by Baseball America in 2015. On April 18, 2014 against Pittsburgh, Maldonado hit a grounder to third. Pirates third baseman Pedro Álvarez fielded the grounder, but the cover had partially come off the baseball and was hanging off its side; Álvarez threw the ball to first but it fell apart in midair. So, Maldonado is one guy who can say he literally knocked the cover off the ball. First baseLuis Arráez (.276/.310/.397, 97 OPS+) Arráez has won three straight batting titles (2022 with Minnesota, 2023 with Miami, 2024 with the Marlins and Padres). You'll notice that despite this, he has played for three different teams. The reason is he draws no walks, has little power, and it is believed his glove is made out of cast iron. Winning three straight batting titles is nothing to sneeze at, but that's all he brings to the table. Bonus fact: In June 2023, Arráez had three five-hit games, tying the record for most five-hit games in a month held by Ty Cobb, George Sisler and Dave Winfield. Second baseJake Cronenworth (.242/.373/.403, 119 OPS+) Cronenworth is having a rebound season at the plate after a couple of off seasons, and he has always been solid with the glove. Guys such as Cronenworth usually don't get the headlines, but help you win ballgames in ways that don't always show up in the box score. Bonus fact: He hit his first career home run in 2020 off of Dustin May. Third baseManny Machado (.318/.382/.515, 150 OPS+) While, as Yogi Berra once said, 'Nobody likes Manny Machado,' the fact remains that he is a great player. Outstanding hitter, outstanding on defense. Bonus facts: Machado has a dog named Kobe, named in honor of Kobe Bryant. Baltimore Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer once said of Machado: 'He reminds me of how I think Cal Ripken Jr. would have been if he had played third base his entire career.' ShortstopXander Bogaerts (.236/.321/.324, 83 OPS+) All the power in Bogaerts' bat disappeared two years ago and hasn't come back. He has a career .447 slugging percentage, but he hasn't cracked .400 in a season since 2023. Bonus fact: Bogaerts is one of only six players in major league history to be born in Aruba. The elementary school he went to there is now named after him. Left fieldTyler Wade (.235/.326/.272, 71 OPS+)Brandon Lockridge (.224/.272/.276, 55 OPS+) Left field has been a black hole offensively for the Padres, much as it has been for the Dodgers. Jason Heyward has the most starts in left, but he's on the IL. And he wasn't hitting either. This is a prime example for when we discuss the fact that the Dodgers aren't the only good team with holes in the lineup, Bonus facts: Wade played 67 games for the Angels in 2021. Lockridge made his major league debut on my birthday, which is probably a bonus fact only interesting to me. Center fieldJackson Merrill (.299/.352/.461, 123 OPS+) Last season, Merrill finished second in rookie of the year voting, ninth in MVP voting, was an All-Star and won the Silver Slugger award. Pretty decent first year, I'd say. He's back for more of the same this season, hitting better than he did last year. He's also good with the glove. Bonus fact: Merrill is the first rookie in Padres history to make the All-Star team. Right fieldFernando Tatis Jr. (.259/.332/.461, 120 OPS+) Still one of the top players in the game, however, his numbers at the plate have declined since his return from an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs in 2022. His OPS+ in the three seasons before: 154, 156, 166. Three seasons after: 110, 130, 120. Won a Gold Glove in 2023. Bonus fact: In 2021, Tatis became the youngest player to appear on the cover of the 'MLB: The Show' video game. Designated hitterGavin Sheets (.250/.307/.460, 112 OPS+) Sheets is second on the team in home runs (11) and leads the Padres in RBIs with 38. He sometimes plays first base, with Arráez moving to DH. Starting pitchingWe will focus on the three pitchers scheduled to start against the Dodgers. Nick Pivetta (6-2, 3.16 ERA, 127 ERA+)Dylan Cease (1-5, 4.72 ERA, 85 ERA+)Randy Vásquez (3-4, 3.69 ERA, 109 ERA+) Pivetta signed a four-year, $55-million deal in the offseason and has earned every penny so far, striking out 76 in 68 1/3 innings while giving up 51 hits and 19 walks. He spent the previous five seasons with the Red Sox. Cease is the nominal ace on the team, but hasn't pitched like one. He finished fourth in Cy Young voting last season. He has pitched into some bad luck, as his Fielding Independent Pitching ERA is 3.20. Vásquez has a good ERA, but his FIP is 5.34, meaning he has had some good luck. Traditionally, this means you can expect his ERA to go up, and Cease's to go down as the season wears on. FIP is heavily used by GM's and members of a front office's brain trust to determine how well a pitcher is really performing, so it's a good stat to know. Click on the link above to be taken to a full explanation of it. Bonus facts: Cease's paternal grandmother, Betty Cease, played pro baseball in the 1940s..... Pivetta made his major league debut in 2017 against the Dodgers.... Vásquez was included in the package the Yankees sent to the Padres to acquire Juan Soto before the 2024 season. CloserRobert Suarez (1-1, 1.84 ERA, 21 saves) Suarez leads the majors with 21 saves, has blown only two saves and has allowed zero of five inherited runners to score. Bonus fact: Suarez is a two-time Japan Series champion. The Dodgers have 14 pitchers on the IL, the Padres have five. Which is one reason for this: Rotation ERASan Diego, 3.80Dodgers, 4.29 Bullpen ERASan Diego, 3.08Dodgers, 3.94 The Dodgers outhit the Padres (5.54 runs per game to 4.10), but the Padres outpitch the Dodgers. Which side will win out in these three games? In the season? We'll find out. It will be fun to watch. Who are your top 10 Dodgers catchers of all time (including Brooklyn)? Email your list to top10catchers@ and let me know. Many of you have asked for a list of catchers to be considered. Here are the 40 strongest candidates, in alphabetical order. Rod Barajas, Austin Barnes, Roy Campanella, Gary Carter, Con Daily, Rick Dempsey, Bruce Edwards, A.J. Ellis, Tex Erwin, Duke Farrell, Joe Ferguson, Jack Fimple, Yasmani Grandal, John Grim, Tom Haller, Todd Hundley, Charles Johnson, Chad Kreuter, Ernie Krueger, Paul Lo Duca, Al López, Russell Martin, Lew McCarty, Deacon McGuire, Jack Meyers, Johnny Oates, Mickey Owen, Babe Phelps, Mike Piazza, Joe Pignatano, Tom Prince, John Roseboro, David Ross, Mike Scioscia, Norm Sherry, Duke Sims, Will Smith, Zack Taylor, Jeff Torborg, Álex Treviño, Steve Yeager. Dalton Rushing was brought up because Austin Barnes could no longer hit and was not as good as he used to be behind the plate. Rushing went two for four in his first game and two for five in his second, and it looked like they were going to have to find a way to get his bat in the lineup more often. Since then, he has gone three for 24 with 16 strikeouts. The league always adjusts to new batters. The question now is: Can Rushing adjust back? The Dodgers also have a I'm all for giving established players a chance. It worked for Max Muncy. However, I just want to throw this out there: It's time for Hyeseong Kim to play more, and Michael Conforto to play less. That concludes today's lecture. Tony Gonsolin has been put on the IL with tenderness in his pitching elbow. The good news is an MRI scan showed no structural damage. But that just adds a new name to the list of pitchers on the IL: Luis GarcíaTyler GlasnowTony GonsolinBrusdar GraterolMichael GroveEdgardo HenriquezKyle HurtEvan PhillipsRiver RyanRoki SasakiEmmet SheehanBlake SnellGavin StoneBlake Treinen The good news is Michael Kopech and Kirby Yates have come off the IL and pitched Sunday. That should be of enormous help to the bullpen. But I believe the starting rotations right now is: Yoshinobu YamamotoDustin MayClayton KershawOne of those cardboard cutouts from the 2020 season89-year-old Sandy Koufax The Dodgers need to get Glasnow and Snell healthy or the staff will be in tatters by the time the postseason rolls around. A look at how some prominent Dodgers from the last few seasons are doing with their new team (through Sunday). Click on the player name to be taken to the Baseball Reference page with all their stats. Batters Cody Bellinger, Yankees: .261/.336/.454, 250 plate appearances, 11 doubles, 2 triples, 9 homers, 35 RBIs, 121 OPS+ Michael Busch, Cubs: .276/.374/.515, 227 PA's, 11 doubles, 3 triples, 10 homers, 38 RBIs, 155 OPS+ Jason Heyward, Padres, .176/.223/.271, 95 PA's, 2 doubles, 2 homers, 12 RBIs, 38 OPS+, on the IL Gavin Lux, Reds: .277/.367/.393, 218 PA's, 14 doubles, 1 triple, 2 homers, 26 RBIs, 108 OPS+ Zach McKinstry, Tigers: .271/.358/.417, 230 PA's, 10 doubles, 5 triples, 3 homers, 19 RBIs, 120 OPS+ Joc Pederson, Rangers, .131/.269/.238, 146 PA's, 5 doubles, 1 triple, 2 homers, 6 RBIs, 49 OPS+, on the IL Keibert Ruiz, Nationals, .255/.292/.332, 219 PA's, 10 doubles, 2 homers, 22 RBIs, 80 OPS+ Corey Seager, Rangers: .239/.297/.403, 145 PA's, 4 doubles, 6 homers, 12 RBIs, 100 OPS+ Chris Taylor, Angels: .222/.300/.444, 30 PA's, 3 doubles, 1 homer, 3 RBIs, 108 OPS+ (numbers with Angels only) Justin Turner, Cubs: .211/.302/.267, 106 PA's, 2 doubles, 1 homer, 11 RBIs, 67 OPS+ Trea Turner, Phillies: .300/.353/.446, 283 PA's, 13 doubles, 2 triples, 7 homers, 30 RBIs, 122 OPS+ Miguel Vargas, White Sox: .237/.319/.421, 257 PA's, 15 doubles, 9 homers, 29 RBIs, 109 OPS+ Alex Verdugo, Braves: .250/.305/.316, 164 PA's, 10 doubles, 11 RBIs, 76 OPS+ Pitching Walker Buehler, Red Sox: 4-4, 5.18 ERA, 48.2 IP, 53 hits, 17 walks, 44 K's, 80 ERA+ Jack Flaherty, Tigers: 5-6, 3.41 ERA, 71.1 IP, 53 hits, 23 walks, 85 K's, 117 ERA+ Kenley Jansen, Angels: 1-2, 4.64 ERA, 14 saves, 21.1 IP, 20 hits, 9 walks, 19 K's, 90 ERA+ Craig Kimbrel, Braves: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 IP, 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 K, designated for assignment Kenta Maeda, Cubs: 0-0, 7.88 ERA, eight IP, nine hits, six walks, eight K's, 52 ERA+, in the minors Ryan Pepiot, Rays: 3-5, 3.20 ERA, 76 IP, 64 hits, 22 walks, 64 K's, 121 ERA+ Max Scherzer, Blue Jays: 0-0, 6.00 ERA, three IP, three hits, 0 walks, one K, 77 ERA+, on the IL Ryan Yarbrough, Yankees: 3-1, 4.17 ERA, 45.1 IP, 39 hits, 13 walks, 43 K's, 96 ERA+ Is there a player you'd like to see listed here? Email me at and let me know. Monday: Dodgers (Dustin May, 3-4, 4.09 ERA) at San Diego (Nick Pivetta, 6-2, 3.16 ERA), 6:40 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020 Tuesday: Dodgers (TBD) at San Diego (Dylan Cease, 1-5, 4.72 ERA), 6:40 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020 Wednesday: Dodgers (*Justin Wrobelski, 1-2, 7.20 ERA) at San Diego (Randy Vásquez, 3-4, 3.69 ERA), 1:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020 *-left-handed Dodgers place starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin on the injured list Clayton Kershaw delivers exactly what the Dodgers need in win over Cardinals In 1988, Kirk Gibson scores from second on a wild pitch. Watch and listen here. Have a comment or something you'd like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Luis Arráez Shares Major Health Update After Frightening Collision
Opposing pitchers likely enjoyed the last week, if only because they didn't need to face pesky San Diego Padres star Luis Arráez. That brief reprieve is over, as Arráez is expected to come off the injured list Tuesday. San Diego placed Arráez on the 7-day concussion IL last Monday, less than 24 hours after his frightening collision with Houston Astros second baseman Mauricio Dubón. Advertisement Replays showed the All-Star designated hitter's face colliding with Dubón's arm or elbow. Both players went to the ground, with Arráez remaining down until a stretcher took him off the field. Arraez took ground balls at first base before Saturday's 4-1 loss to the San Diego Padres. The two-time Silver Slugger said he's free of the symptoms that forced him into concussion protocol. San Diego Padres designated hitter Luis ArráezThomas Shea-Imagn Images 'I just want to sleep,' Arráez said, via the San Diego-Union Tribune. 'I don't want to see people around me, but the doctor says it's normal,' Arráez added. 'Now I feel good. I'm excited to be here. I can't wait to get back.' Advertisement San Diego is getting Arráez back at the right time. The third-place Padres have lost seven of 10 after their strong start. Arráez hit .287 with three home runs, seven RBI, and a .755 OPS over his first 96 plate appearances. The three-time defending batting champion incredibly struck out only twice in that span. Former All-Star outfielder Jason Heyward should also rejoin the Padres this week. Heyward hasn't played since April 16 because of left knee inflammation. Related: Padres' Luis Arráez Sends Clear Message After Frightening Injury Sunday Related: Concerns Mounting About Yankees' All-Star Slugger Amid Strange Start
Los Angeles Times
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Could two first bases prevent Luis Arráez-like collisions? Padres manager Mike Shildt not opposed to it
Umpires call it a train wreck, a play that results in a horrific collision through no fault of the baserunner or fielder. No interference or obstruction is called. It's considered 'just baseball' and seemingly unavoidable. The most recent example began with a bunt by Luis Arráez of the San Diego Padres against the Houston Astros on Sunday. First baseman Christian Walker fielded the ball and tossed it to second baseman Mauricio Dubón, who'd raced over to cover first. Dubón's momentum carried him directly behind the base as he touched it with his foot to record the out. Arráez, meanwhile, motored up the line and through the base, then slammed into Dubón. Arráez got the worst of it, suffering a concussion that landed him on the injured list. Throughout baseball history, such collisions have been met mostly with grimaces and shrugs. Nobody likes seeing an injury, but the game is the game and, as the saying goes, it hasn't changed in 150 years. Now, though, tweaking rules and introducing concepts are in vogue, whether to improve the pace of play with a pitch clock, increase stolen bases with larger bags, or address player safety by eliminating catchers blocking home plate. Addressing collisions at first base might be next. They are frequent, and often result in serious injury. An abbreviated list of memorable train wrecks at first base: — 2023: The Minnesota Twins' Royce Lewis flips over Cleveland Guardians first baseman Gabriel Arias and lands on his face, with his neck bending as his legs fly up and over his body.— 2022: Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. gets his free hand stepped on while stretching for a throw. — 2017: The Philadelphia Phillies' Bryce Harper hyperextends his left knee when he lunges to beat a throw and slips on a wet base during a crowded play at first. — 2013: The New York Mets' Eric Young steps on the right ankle of Atlanta Braves pitcher Tim Hudson, who is covering the bag on a ground ball to first baseman Freddie Freeman. Hudson suffers a fractured ankle. And, of course, Dodgers first baseman Max Muncy suffers a torn ulnar collateral ligament when the Brewers' Jace Peterson slams into his left arm as he reaches into the base line to catch a throw in the last game of the 2021 regular season. Muncy is out for the entire postseason and the injury lingers into the next spring. 'I definitely felt like my arm wasn't there,' Muncy said. Several if not all of those calamitous collisions could have been avoided with one simple solution: Follow the lead of NCAA baseball and utilize two first bases, an orange or green one for the runner and a white one for the fielder. The injury to his three-time National League batting champion Arráez fresh in his mind, Padres manager Mike Shildt said on the 'Starkville' podcast with Jayson Stark and Doug Glanville that common sense dictates Major League Baseball explore the two-base solution. 'I wouldn't be opposed to it,' he said. 'I haven't seen it or played with it, to form a real strong opinion. But conceptually, it's one of those things where you go: You know, why not? I mean, we want our players to be safe and on the field. ... Conceptually, it does check some boxes to me that make sense — that listen, let's just create a lane for everybody.' Shildt said Arráez seems to be recovering well so far. 'He's sore, as you would expect,' Shildt said. 'But nothing from a CT scan that's alarming in the cervical area or the jaw line, because he got a little abrasion on his jaw. And cognitively, [he's] alert, remembers what's taken place, is testing positively to this point on anything relative to the concussion side of it.' Pushback on implementing double first bases might come from purists, but player safety has become an overarching concern as salaries have increased. The average MLB salary this year is $5 million, which is what Dubón will make. Arráez will make $14 million. The collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2026 season. Top of the agenda for owners in negotiations will be the creative spending of deep-pocket teams such as the Dodgers and Mets. Another hot-button topic is player safety, which union chief Tony Clark mentions at every turn. Double first bases, anyone?
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Padres' Luis Arráez stretchered off field, taken to hospital after scary collision at first base vs. Astros
Padres' Luis Arráez stretchered off field, taken to hospital after scary collision at first base vs. Astros Luis Arraez was taken to a hospital after a scary collision at first base on Sunday ngiht in Houston. (Thomas Shea-Imagn Images) (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / Reuters) Padres designated hitter Luis Arráez was carted off the field and taken to a local hospital Sunday night after a scary collision at first base during San Diego's game against the Houston Astros. Arráez ran directly into Astros second baseman Mauricio Dubón while trying to make it to first after a sacrifice bunt in the first inning of the matchup at Daikin Park. Arráez and Dubón collided hard and both immediately fell to the ground, though Dubón jumped back up quickly. Advertisement Arráez rolled straight over to his left shoulder, however, and he remained down completely motionless for quite some time while Dubón and the Padres' first base coach checked on him. Others quickly ran out to help him, too. Arráez was eventually placed onto a stretcher and taken off the field. He was moving his limbs and gave a thumbs up as he was carted down the right field line, via the San Diego Union Tribune's Kevin Acee. Arráez was taken to a local hospital for further testing. The team said he was stable, conscious, responsive and able to move his extremities. Further specifics on his condition are not yet known. Advertisement The game resumed after about a 15-minute delay. Arraez holds a .287 batting average with seven RBI and three home runs this season. The 28-year-old was traded to the Padres by the Miami Marlins last May. He led the National League with 200 hits last season and held a .314 batting average in 150 games. The team then struck a one-year, $14 million deal with him this past offseason. The Padres entered Sunday night's game, the final of a three-game series with the Astros, with a 15-6 record. The Astros won the first two games of the series. The Padres will wrap up their road trip with a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers starting Monday.
