For a while, the Los Angeles Dodgers looked mediocre, not like the reigning champions. But now, they are starting to look every bit the powerhouse they were expected to be. And the Saturday night trashing of the Toronto Blue Jays they did only added to the momentum of the team. Shohei Ohtani managed his 40th home run of the season, and Blake Snell struck out 10 in five shutout innings.
The offense erupted with a six-run inning to seal the blowout at Dodger Stadium. Max Muncy also got the scoring started with a two-run homer in the fourth before Ohtani launched his epic shot to the center. Then Mookie Betts and Dalton Rushing drove in two, and Any Pages did a two-run double.
Blake Snell, in his second start since returning from IL, allowed just three hits and three walks. And honestly, Dave Roberts is thrilled but still wants improvements.
Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Roberts, talking to the reporters, didn’t want the wins to get to their heads. The skipper said, “It’s important. This is the time we’ve got to hone our focus and mind the little things. When you watch us nightly, there are things we can get better at and need to get better at. I think the good quality of starting pitching has certainly helped. Defensively, I like where we’re at, and the at-bats have been considerably better. As a result, we’re seeing more runs on the board.” And given how things change in MLB, Roberts’ way seems smart.
Now, one piece the Dodgers have been missing is Enrique Hernandez, the $6.5 million fan favorite. He has not played since July 5 due to an elbow injury. Roberts just offered a brilliant update that Hernandez is not pain-free. He has resumed throwing and is participating in baseball activities. The target for his return is around September 1, though Roberts mentioned that the timeline is “a broad, vague, grayish kind of date.”
And sure, Hernandez’s numbers this year have been underwhelming, just a .195 average. However, his postseason record slaps, and he has a leadership quality. These are irreplaceable assets, and without him, the Dodgers will have that missing link, right? Now his return might just be the final boost the Los Angeles Dodgers need for a sharp play in October. But Hernandez’s news is not the only positive update.
Los Angeles Dodgers receive double dose of good news!
The Los Angeles Dodgers are riding on a wave of good news, it seems. Already, Hernandez’s update is encouraging, and then you have the Dodgers’ rotation begin to strengthen, given Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, and Emmet Sheehan all returned from the IL in the past month. This depth is crucial, and now even Roki Sasaki seems to be on the right path. The club has some encouraging news about the flamethrower, after multiple hiccups. He is set to begin his rehab assignment Thursday after being sidelined since May 13 with a shoulder injury.
Sasaki will throw three innings for Triple-A as part of his buildup. Now, LA has really held on to patience when it comes to their young starter. They let their deep pitching staff hold on to give the Japanese rookie here ample time to heal. He did throw three simulated innings on Friday, totaling around 45 pitches, and his fastball is at 96-97 mph, so an encouraging improvement. “I’m just really relieved that I’m pain-free. So I’m really taking this time to focus on the delivery, and that’s something that I’m really excited to do.” Sasaki had mentioned through his interpreter.
Roberts, meanwhile, wants Roki Sasaki to really gain that confidence back. “We want Roki to gain some real confidence in taking down 22–24 hitters, commanding the baseball. I don’t know exactly what that looks like yet, but we’ve got to get him back to competing. In the coming weeks, we’ll know more.” In eight MLB starts, Sasaki has a 4.72 ERA with 22 walks and 24 strikeouts. His command has been inconsistent, and his velocity did dip. But he still is new and needs some time before showing his Japan self is what most feel.
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