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Daily Clips
July 29, 2015
LOS ANGELES DODGERS CLIPSWEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 2015
LA TIMES:Dodgers reportedly acquire Mat Latos, Michael Morse from Marlins – Steve DilbeckStrikeouts aren't helping Pederson – Bill ShaikinDodgers phenom Joc Pederson is going through a tough stretch – Steve DilbeckBrett Anderson bounces back, but Dodgers shut out by Sonny Gray – Steve DilbeckDodgers set sights on Cole Hamels and David Price – Bill ShaikinDodgers' Don Mattingly still dismisses Yasiel Puig trade rumors – Steve DilbeckDodgers' Justin Turner taken to emergency room to treat infection – Bill ShaikinWhy Dodgers' Jimmy Rollins is actually having a decent season – Steve DilbeckDodgers open kosher food stand at Dodger Stadium – Bill Shaikin
OC REGISTER:Anderson's good, but Gray's better as A's beat Dodgers 2-0 – Pedro MouraDodgers' Turner to emergency room with leg infection – Pedro MouraPimple gone wrong sends Dodgers' Justin Turner to ER – Pedro MouraOn deck: A's at Dodgers, Wednesday, 7 p.m. – Pedro Moura
DODGERS.COM:Kershaw a potential scratch from start – Ken GurnickDodgers close to getting Latos, Morse from Miami – Ken GurnickKershaw looks to continue roll in finale vs. A's – Jane LeeDodgers' offense gets nowhere against Gray – Steve Bourbon and Jane LeeTurner treated at hospital for infection on leg – Steve BourbonDodgers scout trade targets Price, Leake – Ken GurnickAnderson turns in quality start vs. former team – Steve BourbonDodgers lauded for vegetarian food options – Steve BourbonOKC's Seager homers, Bellinger hits two for Quakes – Alex M. Smith
LA DAILY NEWS:L.A. Dodgers defense has been upgraded just as the new management wanted – Mark WhickerL.A. Dodgers’ Carl Crawford back, but not in the same fold – Robert Morales
ESPN LA:Source: Dodgers land Mat Latos, Michael Morse in trade with Marlins – ESPN News ServicesClayton Kershaw dealing with sore hip/glute, report says – ESPN News ServicesTen teams under most pressure to trade; Tulo trade aftermath – Buster OlneyJuly swoons from Joc Pederson and Yasiel Puig proving costly – Mark SaxonRapid Reaction: Athletics 2, Dodgers 0 – Mark SaxonSonny Gray throws 3-hitter, Oakland A's beat Dodgers 2-0 – Associated PressJustin Turner sent to hospital with infection – Mark SaxonPhillies want 'best' offers for Cole Hamels by Wednesday – Jayson StarkTuesday's MLB trade news and views – ESPN.com
TRUEBLUELA.COM:Clayton Kershaw could be scratched from start vs. A's, per reports – Eric StephenDodgers acquire Mat Latos, Mike Morse, draft pick from Marlins for 3 minor leaguers, per reports – Eric StephenChris Anderson continues his up and down season – David HoodPablo Fernandez earns 1st U.S. win, Cody Bellinger homers twice – Eric StephenDon Mattingly backs slumping, frustrated Joc Pederson – Eric StephenSonny Gray dominates Dodgers in 2-0 A's win – Eric StephenDodgers notes: Carlos Frias, Chris Hatcher, Paco Rodriguez – Eric Stephen
Don Mattingly says he hasn't heard any Yasiel Puig trade talk – Eric StephenDodgers offense bereft of opportunities – Eric Stephen
DODGER INSIDER:The long view of Yasiel Puig – Jon WeismanLeg infection slows Justin Turner – Jon WeismanDodgers open Kosher food stand tonight, Jewish Community Night coming August 30 – Jon WeismanRemembering ’65: When Koufax hit – Jon WeismanAssemblymembers Jimmy Gomez and David Chu swap districts — but not allegiances – Yvonne Carrasco
YAHOO SPORTS:New Clipper Paul Pierce bounces ceremonial first pitch before Dodgers game – Dan DevineLEADING OFF: Kershaw's streak, All-Stars on new teams – Associated Press
CBS SPORTS:Marlins trade Mat Latos, Mike Morse to Dodgers: Four things to know – Mike Axisa
USA TODAY:Dodgers acquire Mat Latos, Michael Morse from Marlins – Ben Nightengale
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED:Dodgers' shaky rotation gets lift with trade for Marlins' Mat Latos – Cliff Corcoran
NBC LA:Gray Matters: Athletics Shut Out Dodgers 2-0 – Michael Duarte
FOX SPORTS:Rosenthal: Dodgers' Kershaw could be scratched from Wednesday start – Yahoo Sports
LOS ANGELES DODGERS CLIPS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 2015
LA TIMES
Dodgers reportedly acquire Mat Latos, Michael Morse from Marlins
By Steve Dilbeck
The Dodgers have begun their attempt to bolster their rotation, and if it isn’t that significant ace, it’s still
a nice upgrade.
According to multiple reports, the Dodgers are exercising their financial muscle once again, acquiring
right-hander Mat Latos, first baseman-outfielder Michael Morse and a competitive first-round pick from
the Miami Marlins for three minor leaguers.
The Dodgers have yet to confirm the reports.
For the Marlins, the deal amounts to a familiar salary dump, but the Dodgers get a much needed solid
starter in the 27-year-old Latos, who can become a free agent at the end of the season.
Latos has made 16 starts for the Marlins this season, going 4-7 with a 4.48 ERA and 1.24 WHIP. He has
pitched better recently, going 2-2 with a 2.08 ERA in his last four starts.
For his seven-year career, Latos is 64-52 with a 3.43 ERA and 1.25 WHIP.
Morse lost his job at first base to Justin Bour after he hit just .214 with 12 RBI. Miami signed him the off-
season to a two-year, $16-million deal.
The nonwaiver trade deadline ends Friday, so the Dodgers are presumably still trying to work out a deal
for the Phillies' Cole Hamels or the Tigers' David Price.
Strikeouts aren't helping Pederson
By Bill Shaikin
In the first inning Tuesday, Joc Pederson struck out. In the fourth inning, he struck out again, and did not
run to first base on the dropped third strike. In the sixth inning, he struck out for a third time, and
scattered boos were heard at Dodger Stadium.
Pederson, the Dodgers' rookie center fielder, is batting .176 this month, with one home run. He leads
the National League in strikeouts, but the plate discipline that enabled him to thrive in the leadoff spot
has all but disappeared.
In 89 plate appearances this month, he has four walks and 28 strikeouts.
Manager Don Mattingly said the team has considered removing Pederson from the leadoff spot.
Although the Dodgers expected Pederson to strike out a lot, Mattingly said the strikeouts have gone
beyond even that generous allowance.
“I didn't think he'd strike out this much,” Mattingly said after the Dodgers' 2-0 loss to the Oakland
Athletics.
Mattingly said the frustration is evident in Pederson, whose slugging percentage has declined in each of
the first four months of the season. Mattingly chose not to single out Pederson for not running out a
called third strike.“You see that all the time,” Mattingly said. “You don't really want to see him not run
there.”
Pederson is batting .228 with 21 home runs, tied for the team lead with Adrian Gonzalez.
Mattingly said he expects Pederson to turn into “a monster” at bat once he fixes his swing.
“I know it looks like he swings for the fences all the time,” Mattingly said, adding: “It's not like he's not
working on stuff. He's frustrated.”
Turner out
Justin Turner spent several hours in an emergency room Tuesday for treatment of an infection on his
right thigh, Mattingly said.
When the Dodgers played in New York over the weekend, Turner reported what Mattingly said looked
like a “pimple on his leg.” Mattingly said Turner thought the issue was “like a bug bite.”
The Dodgers' medical staff administered antibiotics “to be careful,” Mattingly said, and Turner played
Sunday.
The Dodgers were off Monday. Turner, the Dodgers' starting third baseman, was in the original lineup
Tuesday, but he was scratched and sent to the hospital after trainers noticed the infection had
worsened. Turner received intravenous antibiotics and oral antibiotics, Mattingly said, and the Dodgers
listed his condition as day-to-day.
Mazel tov
The Dodgers have a proud history of Jewish players, from Sandy Koufax and Norm Sherry to Shawn
Green and Pederson. They play in a city renowned for its Jewish culture and heritage.
So should it be so hard to get a kosher dog at a Dodgers game?
Not anymore. The Dodgers opened a kosher food stand Tuesday, in the right field plaza.
For now, the stand will offer three types of kosher hot dogs: regular ($9), jalapeno ($9) and Italian
sausage ($10).
The stand will be closed Friday nights and Saturday, when Jews celebrate Shabbat, and on Jewish
holidays.
Dodgers phenom Joc Pederson is going through a tough stretch
By Steve Dilbeck
You need patience with the young, sometimes painfully long patience. It’s difficult when you can see
how clearly talented they are, how limitless their future, and still how much they struggle.
No one doubts Joc Pederson’s ability. He did not come by those 21 home runs accidentally. Or those
National League-leading 122 strikeouts in 347 at-bats.
The Dodgers knew Pederson arrived with a reputation for swinging big and mounting the strikeouts.
Still, it was difficult to foresee he’d swing and miss to this extent.
Get news and notes on all the Dodgers matchups >>
“I didn’t think he’d strike out this much,” said Manager Don Mattingly. “This is more than I wanted.”
Pederson has been striking out in big numbers all season, but at least earlier he was still drawing walks.
His batting average might have appeared mediocre, but he walked so much he still ended June with a
.384 on-base percentage.
Now, though, he’s striking out more than ever and not drawing walks. In the month of July, in 92 at-bats,
he had 28 strikeouts and four walks and batted .163.
And for the first time Mattingly is admittedly concerned.
“Yeah, a little bit,” Mattingly said. “He seems to be frustrated.”
Pederson’s on-base percentage has dropped to a season-low .352, still a solid number, but he’s has only
a .239 on-base percentage for his 22 games in July. And that’s a poor number, particularly for someone
who bats leadoff.
Mattingly admitted there has been some thought to moving him down the lineup.
“We’ve been talking about it a little bit,” he said.
See the most-read stories in Sports this hour >>
None of this, however, is to imply that Mattingly and the Dodgers have lost any faith in the 23-year-old
rookie.
Despite his struggles and his obvious big swing, Mattingly said Pederson is working on making
adjustments.
“He’s working on different things,” Mattingly said. “I know it looks like he’s swinging for the fences all
the time. That’s not really what he’s trying to do. We’re working on him trying to get inside off the ball a
little bit, use his body more. It’s not like he’s not trying, not working on stuff. He’s frustrated.”
Mattingly said when Pederson does make the mechanical adjustments to his swing, “he’s going to be a
monster.”
But for now, it's continued work and additional patience.
“You still see the huge upside,” Mattingly said. “Everything about Joc is what I like -- as far as work ethic,
the kind of teammate he is, how he goes about his business. To me, when you have talent and work at
it, you’re going to see improvement. It’s not always easy during the course of a season.”
Brett Anderson bounces back, but Dodgers shut out by Sonny Gray
By Steve Dilbeck
The Dodgers breathed a tad easier Tuesday, even if it was on a night they were falling 2-0 to the Oakland
Athletics.
They could do absolutely nothing with right-hander Sonny Gray, who shut them out with a three-hitter,
but more encouraging for the long haul was the pitching of their own Brett Anderson.
Anderson left the last game he started a week ago in Atlanta in the third inning when he strained his left
Achilles’ tendon. Given his long history of injury, fears that a rotation already down two starters might
lose a third were difficult to fight ignore.
The Achilles' irritation did not prove serious, but Tuesday offered the first viewing of Anderson since the
injury. And it happened to come in the first game he pitched against his former club.
The results were mostly all positive. Anderson (5-6) went seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits
and a walk. His leg may yet be a bit sore, but his arm looked just fine. He did not exactly appear nimble
around the mound, though in truth, he never exactly does.
He did get into some quick early trouble when Billy Burns drove his first pitch of the night into center for
a hit and he walked Mark Semien. Brett Lawire hit a sharp bouncer to Adrian Gonzalez, who got the
force at second.
Anderson, somewhat hobbling off the mound, had no chance to cover first to complete a possible
double play. When Billy Butler bounced out, Burns scored to give the A’s a 1-0 lead.
It stayed that way until the seventh when Josh Reddick, the only hitter in Oakland’s lineup with double-
digit home runs, hit a solo shot into the right-field pavilion. It was Reddick’s 13th home run of the
season.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers were getting nowhere with Gray (11-4). The A’s right-hander did not allow a
baserunner until Gonzalez doubled with two outs in the fourth. Howie Kendrick’s singles in the seventh
and in the ninth were the only other hits Gray allowed.
Gray lowered his ERA to 2.16 with the shutout,, lowest in the American League. It was the eighth time
this season the Dodgers have been shut out.
Gray struck out nine, including Joc Pederson three times, and walked one.
Dodgers set sights on Cole Hamels and David Price
By Bill Shaikin
The golden arms have thrown their final pitches before the trade deadline. It is all up to the front offices
now.
With Cole Hamels or David Price, the Dodgers would take one giant leap toward the playoffs, and their
first World Series victory since 1988.
The Philadelphia Phillies have told Hamels he would not start for them until Friday's deadline has
passed. And, as the Oakland Athletics beat the Dodgers, 2-0, on Tuesday, Price pitched for the Detroit
Tigers, with a Dodgers scout on hand.
The Dodgers would love Price, although they are not entirely sure whether the Tigers will trade him.
They would like Hamels, too, with either one joining Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke in a star-studded
rotation.
If the Dodgers do not get either one, or even if they do, they could trade for a non-elite starter, with
candidates including Mike Leake of the Cincinnati Reds, Yovani Gallardo of the Texas Rangers, Jeff
Samardzija of the Chicago White Sox, Tyson Ross, James Shields or Andrew Cashner of the San Diego
Padres, and Jesse Chavez of the Athletics, who starts against the Dodgers on Wednesday at Dodger
Stadium.
The Dodgers and Athletics had serious discussions about Chavez last off-season.
On Tuesday, Oakland ace Sonny Gray pitched his second shutout this season, backed by a home run
from Josh Reddick.
Gray got his first major league hit, a single, and limited the Dodgers to three hits. He leads the American
League with a 2.16 earned-run average; the Dodgers' Zack Greinke leads the National League at 1.37.
Dodgers starter Brett Anderson, who scattered five hits over seven innings, said he had a "selfish"
interest in the trade deadline.
"I hope we get Cole Hamels," he said, smiling. Anderson explained that he could offer his No. 35 to
Hamels, but he had not determined what that ransom might be.
With the deadline looming, the game was played amid the backdrop of trade chatter from far and wide.
"I'm always interested to see what happens, not only with our front office but throughout the game,"
Anderson said. "It's kind of a fun time to follow baseball and be around it."
The Dodgers have been exploring trades for a starting pitcher since April, when Brandon McCarthy's
season ended after four starts because of a torn elbow ligament. Manager Don Mattingly, asked
whether he would be disappointed if the team did not acquire a starter this week, graciously backed the
players in his clubhouse.
"I always look at it like, we win with this club right here," Mattingly said. "Any time you say you'll be
disappointed if you don't get something, that means you'll be disappointed with the guys you have.
"I don't want to be the guy saying, 'I don't like my club.' I like my club."
Mattingly noted that the biggest trades do not necessarily make the biggest differences.
"Sometimes, clubs get a guy they think is going to make a difference," Mattingly said, "and he doesn't do
anything."
The Dodgers consider Yasiel Puig a difference-maker. So do other teams, but Mattingly said the Dodgers
front office has not made him aware that Puig is under discussion in trade talks.
"If something was really going on, they would tell me," Mattingly said.
Of course, he spoke Tuesday, and the deadline is Friday. In the meantime, Puig is batting .194 since the
All-Star break, with two home runs, two walks and 12 strikeouts in 36 at-bats.
"Before the break, he looked a little rough," Mattingly said. "Since the break, I'm not sure what the
numbers are but the at-bats have been better for me. I think he's been fine, but he hit a couple homers
recently. I think he's been better."
Up next
Kershaw (8-6, 2.51 ERA) faces the Athletics' Chavez (5-10, 3.45) on Wednesday at 7:10 p.m. at Dodger
Stadium. TV: SportsNet LA. Radio: 570, 1020.
Dodgers' Don Mattingly still dismisses Yasiel Puig trade rumors
By Steve Dilbeck
The Dodgers returned home Tuesday, and sure enough, there was Yasiel Puig. He showed up only a few
minutes before the team was due on the field to stretch, but he was on time, and perhaps more
significantly, still in a Dodgers uniform.
Baseball’s nonwaiver trade deadline is Friday and Puig’s name has popped up in trade rumors, which
although it could be significant, more likely means very little.
Get news and notes on all the Dodgers matchups >>
But rumors the Dodgers are willing to move him aren’t going away. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale was
reporting Monday the Dodgers had made Puig available, though teams were showing more interest in
their prospects.
Manager Don Mattingly continued to maintain Tuesday that there had been no Puig trade discussions
he was aware of.
“I’m assuming that if something was really going on, they would tell me,” Mattingly said.
I’d assume so too, though this is the Dodgers’ first year under the Andrew Friedman-Farhan Zaidi front
office regime and it’s difficult to be certain how they’ll operate at the trade deadline.
Outwardly, Puig seems unaffected Tuesday by the rumors. He was still loud and preening in the
clubhouse Tuesday before the Dodgers’ game with Oakland. Seemed like any other Dodgers’ pregame.
Puig is still only 24, still reeks of untapped potential, is signed to a very reasonable contract and cannot
become a free agent until 2019. This is not a player a team would typically look to move. But if he could
be dealt to get a No. 1 pitcher in return, the Dodgers would be foolish not to listen.
“Everyone’s always available if you really look at it,” Mattingly said. “But there’s been no talk between
the front office to me, saying we’re looking to do this or we’re trying to do this. I read a little bit of it, but
it really hasn’t filtered down to us.”
Puig told The Times’ Dylan Hernandez he does not want to be traded, but he recognizes the business
aspect to baseball.
“I'll play anywhere,” Puig said. “I came to the United States [from Cuba] to play baseball. Baseball is the
same anywhere. If they want to trade me, that's their decision. I can't do anything about that.”
Mattingly said with the popularity of social media, potential trades at the deadline have taken on
increased scrutiny and fueled speculation. He said the challenge becomes keeping players focused on
the daily task at hand.
“On the field level, you’re really trying to keep guys focused on what we’re doing,” he said. “I’m looking
at it like this is our club and we’ll win with this club. We try to keep guys from going outside that.
“I like my club. I think we’re capable the way we stand. That being said, there are always rumors, and
speculation and you wonder what’s going on.”
Dodgers' Justin Turner taken to emergency room to treat infection
By Bill Shaikin
The Dodgers sent third baseman Justin Turner to the emergency room Tuesday afternoon for treatment
of an infection on his right thigh, Manager Don Mattingly said.
When the Dodgers played in New York over the weekend, Turner reported what Mattingly said looked
like a "pimple on his leg." Mattingly said Turner thought the issue was "like a bug bite."
The Dodgers' medical staff administered antibiotics "to be careful," Mattingly said, and Turner played
Sunday.
"It wasn't bad there," Mattingly said. "They looked at it as this little bitty thing."
The Dodgers were off Monday. Turner was in the Dodgers' original lineup Tuesday, but he was scratched
and sent to the hospital after trainers noticed the infection had worsened.
Turner, 30, the Dodgers' starting third baseman, leads the team in batting average (.323), slugging
percentage (.563) and OPS (.950.) He has 13 home runs -- a career high -- in 87 games.
Why Dodgers' Jimmy Rollins is actually having a decent season
By Steve Dilbeck
Jimmy Rollins is batting .212 and has a .271 on-base percentage, and you scream:
They have to get rid of this guy! What are they waiting for, bring up phenom Corey Seager now!
But as the kids used to say, cool your jets. Rollins is actually not having a terrible season. He’s mostly
having a pretty good one.
Remember, he is playing at probably baseball’s weakest offensive position. An average-hitting shortstop
is a prize these days. And if you stack up the rest of his numbers against current major league
shortstops, you’ll discover he’s actually doing all right.
His offensive production rates either in the middle of most shortstops' numbers or in the top half.
Among all MLB shortstops Rollins ranks fourth in homers (11), sixth in runs (44), is tied for eighth in
steals (an admittedly low eight), 14th in RBIs (33) and slugging percentage (.355), and is tied for 17th in
doubles (14).
Those may be well below his MVP stats of 2007, but they are still very respectable numbers. Certainly
not the kind that should warrant cries for his exit and hasten the rise of Seager.
Likewise he may not cover the same ground at age 36 that he once did, but he has been a serious
upgrade at shortstop over Hanley Ramirez. Rollins’ .978 field percentage and eight errors both rank
ninth in MLB. He and second baseman Howie Kendrick have stabilized the defense.
Seager, meanwhile, gets to continue his development without being rushed. After starting the year
tearing it up at double-A, he is having more modest success at triple-A. Despite all the hyperbole, Seager
is hitting .274 with eight homers and 35 RBI in 297 plate appearances for Oklahoma City.
And, of course, he’s only 21. No need to prematurely push for his arrival. Rollins is doing just fine, and
after starting the second half 0 for 16, has six hits in his last 14 at-bats — three for homers.
Maybe there are greater heights awaiting Rollins in the second half. But for right now, he’s doing just
fine.
Dodgers open kosher food stand at Dodger Stadium
By Bill Shaikin
The Dodgers have a proud history of Jewish players, from Sandy Koufax and Norm Sherry to Shawn
Green and Joc Pederson. They play in a city renowned for its Jewish culture and heritage.
So should it be so hard to get a kosher dog at a Dodgers game?
Not anymore. The Dodgers are opening a kosher food stand, located next to Tommy Lasorda's Trattoria
in the right field plaza.
For now, the stand will offer three types of kosher hot dogs: regular ($9), jalapeno ($9) and Italian
sausage ($10). The Dodgers say additional kosher offerings will be added as the season goes on.
The stand will be closed Friday nights and Saturday, when Jews celebrate Shabbat, and on Jewish
holidays.
OC REGISTER
Anderson's good, but Gray's better as A's beat Dodgers 2-0
By Pedro Moura
LOS ANGELES – The first pitch Brett Anderson threw Tuesday night was redirected right back at his head.
He swerved out of the way while the ball off Billy Burns’ bat seared through the middle of the infield, as
if an omen of what was to come.
It was not. For the rest of his night, Anderson pitched in control, inducing 14 ground-ball outs over seven
innings in his first start since he exited an outing early with an irritated Achilles’ tendon. But Burns’
single alone was nearly enough to cause the Dodgers to lose their third straight game, as Oakland’s
rookie center fielder came around to score the decisive run in a 2-0 Athletics victory at Dodger Stadium.
“It wasn’t easing into the game, throwing a couple pitches and getting the swing of things,” Anderson
said. “It was a rocket at your face the first pitch. You realize you’re back at it. My stuff wasn’t great, but,
coming off an injury scare, I’ll take it.
“Unfortunately it wasn’t enough against one of the best pitchers in the game.”
All-Star right-hander and American League ERA leader Sonny Gray dominated the Dodgers (56-45) in a
complete-game effort, striking out nine, allowing three hits and walking just one batter. He threw 81
strikes among 110 pitches.
“He’s really, really good,” Anderson said of his former teammate in the Oakland organization.
In the first inning, Gray threw all of his pitches for strikes. He retired the first 11 Dodgers before allowing
a two-out double to Adrian Gonzalez. He walked Andre Ethier in the fifth inning, but Ethier was quickly
erased on a botched hit-and-run play.
Howie Kendrick had the Dodgers’ other hits, a leadoff single in the seventh and a two-out single in the
ninth. In the seventh, Gonzalez grounded him to second before Yasmani Grandal lined out and Yasiel
Puig struck out.
In the ninth, Gonzalez followed Kendrick by slamming a ball deep to center field, causing fans to think of
a tie before Burns settled under it short of the warning track.
Joc Pederson struck out swinging three times against Gray and popped out in his fourth attempt against
him. This month, the All-Star rookie has struck out 28 times in 92 plate appearances, walked four times
and posted a .239 on-base percentage, more than 100 points worse than his marks in April, May or June.
Don Mattingly acknowledged he has concerns about Pederson. He said he’s considering moving him out
of the leadoff spot. And he tried to remain hopeful.
“I know he looks like he swings for the fences all the time, but that’s not really what he’s trying to do.
He’s trying to get inside the ball,” Mattingly said. “At some point Joc’s going to get that front-side thing,
and he’s going to be a monster.
“He’s going to be tough to get out.”
Gray got him out with ease Tuesday. Over four plate appearances, he threw Pederson 17 pitches, 16 of
which were strikes. Pederson swung and missed six of them and foul-tipped two more.
After Burns’ 102-mph single in the first, A’s shortstop Marcus Semien walked, and Burns advanced 180
feet on two groundouts to score.
Josh Reddick was one of two position players in the A’s lineup who had been teammates with Anderson
in Oakland. In the seventh inning, the right fielder slammed a two-seam fastball that moved the
opposite direction Anderson intended into the bleachers for the game’s other run.
Anderson put his head in his hands as the ball left the field. It was Reddick’s second home run of the
season against a left-handed pitcher, in his 90th opportunity.
Dodgers' Turner to emergency room with leg infection
By Pedro Moura
LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner is in the emergency room with what the team
described as a pimple that went wrong.
On Sunday in New York, Turner reported feeling the pimple on his right leg. He was prescribed
antibiotics. The expectation was it'd heal a bit over Monday's off day and he'd start tonight's game at
Dodger Stadium without issue.
"And then it turned into something big," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said this afternoon.
When Turner arrived at the ballpark, Mattingly had him penciled in to start against Oakland ace Sonny
Gray. He was then examined by the Dodgers' medical staff and then sent to the ER when it was
determined the injury had worsened.
It's unclear what the next step will be. Alberto Callaspo replaced him in tonight's lineup. Mattingly said
the Dodgers hope to have a better idea of Turner's status by the time tonight's 7:10 p.m. game
concludes.
Turner, 30, exited Sunday's loss in New York early in favor of a pinch runner. He has been the Dodgers'
best hitter this season, batting .323 with a .387 on-base percentage and .563 slugging mark.
He began 2015 as the team's utility infielder following a breakout 2014. When Juan Uribe faltered, he
took over third on a nearly full-time basis.
A Cal State Fullerton product, the Dodgers first signed Turner to a minor-league deal with a spring-
training invitation in Feb. 2014. This season, he's making $2.5 million.
In further Dodgers news, right-handed reliever Chris Hatcher (oblique strain) will make another
appearance in a minor-league game as part of a rehab assignment Wednesday with High-A Rancho
Cucamonga. Right-handed starter Carlos Frias (back) will follow with a second rehab start on Friday for
the Quakes.
Mattingly said Frias threw 50 pitches in total during his first appearance, but only half those came in the
game. He was removed before finishing his first inning and threw the rest of the allotted pitches in the
bullpen.
Catcher A.J. Ellis (right knee inflammation) caught a bullpen session today and could be nearing a return.
Here are the full lineups for tonight, with Oakland's lineup weakened by today's trade of Ben Zobrist to
Kansas City.
ATHLETICS
Billy Burns CF
Marcus Semien SS
Brett Lawrie 3B
Billy Butler 1B
Jake Smolinski LF
Josh Reddick RF
Josh Phegley C
Eric Sogard 2B
Sonny Gray P
DODGERS
Joc Pederson CF
Howie Kendrick 2B
Adrian Gonzalez 1B
Yasmani Grandal C
Yasiel Puig RF
Andre Ethier LF
Alberto Callaspo 3B
Jimmy Rollins SS
Brett Anderson P
Pimple gone wrong sends Dodgers' Justin Turner to ER
By Pedro Moura
LOS ANGELES – The Dodgers sent third baseman Justin Turner to the emergency room Tuesday with
what they described as a pimple gone wrong.
On Sunday in New York, Turner reported feeling a painful pimple or ingrown hair on his right thigh. He
was immediately prescribed antibiotics. The expectation was it would heal a bit during the Dodgers’ day
off Monday and he’d be free to start Tuesday’s game at Dodger Stadium without issue.
“They looked at it as this little bitty thing,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “And then it turned
into something big.”
When Turner arrived at the ballpark, Mattingly had him penciled in to start against Oakland ace Sonny
Gray. Then the Dodgers’ medical staff examined him and sent him to the ER when it was determined the
injury had developed into an infection.
It’s unclear what the next step will be. Immediately, Alberto Callaspo replaced Turner in Tuesday’s
lineup. After the game, Mattingly said Turner has been released from the hospital and given multiple
antibiotics to take home with him. He will be day-to-day.
Turner, 30, exited Sunday’s loss in New York early in favor of a pinch runner. He has been the Dodgers’
best hitter this season, batting .323 with a .387 on-base percentage and .563 slugging mark. He has been
nearly as good in July.
He began the season as the team’s utility infielder following a breakout 2014. When Juan Uribe faltered
early, Turner took over third on a nearly full-time basis.
A Cal State Fullerton product, the Dodgers first signed Turner to a minor-league deal with a spring-
training invitation in February 2014. This season, he’s making $2.5 million.
HOWELL’S STREAK
Dodgers left-hander J.P. Howell has not allowed a run since May 29, 18 innings ago. And that run was
unearned. Howell hasn’t allowed an earned run since his third appearance of the season, on April 10.
The 32-year-old has entered a game 36 times since then, for a no-earned-run-streak spanning 281/3
innings. The all-time record for consecutive appearances without allowing an earned run is held by San
Diego’s Craig Kimbrel, who went 38 straight games in 2011 for the Atlanta Braves.
Howell politely declined to discuss the streak Tuesday for fear of a “jinx.”
TRADE TALK
In the days before Friday’s 1 p.m. non-waiver trade deadline, Mattingly said the rumor mill is much more
intense than it used to be, even a few years ago. And because players have easier access to the latest
rumors through social media and specific deadline-themed shows on every sports channel, it becomes
harder to avoid the topic.
Left unsaid was the thought that Mattingly considers it all a distraction. When asked if he’d be OK if the
Dodgers did not acquire a starting pitcher, he repeated the refrain he resorts to each year: He’s happy
with the club he’s got.
Mattingly maintained he does not believe the Dodgers are seriously considering trading right fielder
Yasiel Puig. There have been conflicting reports about Puig’s availability ahead of the much-discussed
deadline.
“If something was really going on, they would tell me,” the manager said.
NOTES
In injury news, right-handed reliever Chris Hatcher (oblique strain) will make another appearance in a
minor-league game as part of a rehab assignment Wednesday with High-A Rancho Cucamonga. ...
Right-handed starter Carlos Frias (back) will follow with a second rehab start Friday for the Quakes.
Mattingly said Frias threw 50 pitches in total during his first appearance, but only half came in the game.
He was removed before finishing his first inning and threw the rest of the allotted pitches in the bullpen.
...
Catcher A.J. Ellis (right knee inflammation) caught a bullpen session Monday. He was placed on the
disabled list July 20. ...
Left-handed reliever Paco Rodriguez (arthroscopic elbow surgery) has begun a light throwing program.
...
The Dodgers do not yet know when right-hander Zack Greinke will make his next start. He started
Sunday in New York, two days after he was scheduled, because he flew back to California to be with his
wife for the birth of their first child. “With the off days, it kinda makes it a little funky,” Mattingly said. ...
Mets reliever Jenrry Mejia, who earned the win against the Dodgers on Sunday, was suspended for 162
games Tuesday for his second failed performance-enhancing drug test this season.
On deck: A's at Dodgers, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
By Pedro Moura
Where: Dodger Stadium
TV: SportsNet LA
Did you know: PETA announced this week that the Dodgers are their top-rated vegetarian-friendly
ballpark across MLB. The Dodgers also announced they will begin selling three types of kosher hot dogs
in the right-field plaza. The kosher stand will not be open during home games on Fridays and Saturdays
or on Jewish holidays.
THE PITCHERS
LHP CLAYTON KERSHAW (8-6, 2.51)
Since a slow start that had many around the league wondering what was up, Kershaw has returned to
being one of the best pitchers in baseball, if not the very best. He has a 0.27 ERA in 33 innings this
month and enters this start with a 29-inning scoreless streak. In his last three starts, Kershaw has 38
strikeouts and no walks, a ridiculous ratio.
Vs. A’s: 0-0, 0.66
At Dodger Stadium: 57-27, 2.11
Loves to face: Ike Davis, 1 for 6, SO
Hates to face: Sam Fuld, 1 for 1, 3B
RHP JESSE CHAVEZ (5-10, 3.45)
Chavez, 31, has been a rumored target of the Dodgers in advance of Friday’s trade deadline. Now, he’ll
slot into a spot that previously been occupied by left-hander Drew Pomeranz to face them. In four starts
this month, he has allowed four runs three times and no runs the other time. He opened the 2015
season out of Oakland’s rotation but returned there before the end of April.
Vs. Dodgers: 0-1, 2.16
At Dodger Stadium: 0-1, 3.38
Loves to face: Howie Kendrick, 1 for 14 (.071), 6 SO
Hates to face: Enrique Hernandez, 2 for 3 (.667)
DODGERS.COM
Kershaw a potential scratch from start
By Ken Gurnick
LOS ANGELES -- Clayton Kershaw might be scratched from his scheduled start for the Dodgers on
Wednesday night because of a sore hip or glute muscle.
Kershaw, coming off a three-hit shutout against the Mets, would be replaced by Mike Bolsinger, who
last pitched a week ago because of the shuffling necessitated by Zack Greinke's placement on the
paternity list.
With a day off on Thursday, Kershaw could return to the mound Friday night against the Angels.
The injury was first reported by Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
Dodgers close to getting Latos, Morse from Miami
By Ken Gurnick
LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers are close to acquiring Marlins starting pitcher Mat Latos, outfielder Michael
Morse and a competitive balance Draft pick for three Minor League pitchers, a source told Joe Frisaro of
MLB.com.
The clubs have not confirmed the deal.
Latos, 4-7 with a 4.48 ERA, isn't the superstar (David Price, Cole Hamels) Dodgers fans have hoped for,
but he's a three-time 14-game winner who can be a free agent after this season. He is earning $9.4
million this year and would slide into a rotation that has had trouble overcoming season-ending injuries
to Hyun-Jin Ryu and Brandon McCarthy.
Morse is hitting .214 in 52 games and is signed through 2016, when he will earn $8.5 million and have a
tough time breaking into an outfield that already doesn't have room for Carl Crawford. He is receiving
$7.5 million this year.
The competitive balance pick is No. 34 overall.
Last winter, the Dodgers also dealt with the Marlins, sending Dee Gordon, Dan Haren, Miguel Rojas and
$12.5 million to Miami for Chris Hatcher, Enrique Hernandez, Austin Barnes and Andrew Heaney, then
flipping Heaney to the Angels for second baseman Howie Kendrick.
Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times first reported the trade.
Kershaw looks to continue roll in finale vs. A's
By Jane Lee
Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw will be on the mound against the visiting A's on Wednesday, looking to
cap a stellar July, having won three of his first four starts of the month with an .027 ERA.
The left-hander has allowed one earned run across 33 innings in that span, limiting opponents to a .162
average with 45 strikeouts against just two walks. His last outing resulted in his second shutout of the
season, a three-hit, 11-strikeout performance against the Mets.
A's right-hander Jesse Chavez, meanwhile, is hoping to rebound from his last start, a forgettable three-
inning, four-run Interleague outing in San Francisco. He has a 5.04 ERA over his last nine starts after
posting a 2.38 ERA in his first eight.
Things to know about this game
• Kershaw will be making his third career start against the A's, and first since June 21, 2012, when he
allowed one run on three hits in eight innings. Chavez is 0-1 with a 2.16 ERA in eight career appearances
vs. the Dodgers, all in relief.
• The A's will be facing a left-handed starting pitcher for the sixth time in nine games. They're 8-19 when
the opponent starts a southpaw, compared to 37-37 when facing a right-hander.
• Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez has hit safely in nine of 10 games since the All-Star break.
Dodgers' offense gets nowhere against Gray
By Steve Bourbon and Jane Lee
LOS ANGELES -- Sonny Gray tossed a shutout and Josh Reddick added a solo home run to give the A's a
2-0 win over the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night.
For Gray (11-4) it was his second shutout in his last four starts. He surrendered only three hits and he
struck out nine. Gray lowered his AL-leading ERA to 2.17 and kept the Dodgers off-balance with his
combination of fastball, curveball and slider.
"I feel like throwing strikes was the key tonight," Gray said. "That was the gameplan going in, and then
just being able to execute the fastball to both sides. My slider was better than it has been, too, but just
getting ahead was huge."
Brett Anderson earned a quality start but was awarded with the tough-luck loss. He threw seven innings,
allowing five hits and two runs with two strikeouts. Anderson, who was a member of the A's from 2009-
13, allowed the home run to Reddick on an inside fastball in the seventh.
"It was actually the best fastball I threw all game to him," Anderson said. "I had thrown a bunch of
crappy offspeed stuff before that and finally executed one in. It was probably a better pitch than I
wanted it and it sunk right into his barrel."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Sonny sizzles: Needing a boost after watching three key players (Scott Kazmir, Tyler Clippard and Ben
Zobrist) depart via trade in a week's time, the A's got just that from their ace. Gray stifled the Dodgers,
holding them to three hits with nine strikeouts in his fourth career shutout. He also collected his first big
league hit, singling to lead off the eighth.
Tested early: Anderson was removed from his last start with an Achilles injury and he said his Achilles
was still a little sore during the start. In the first inning, he couldn't get over to first base to complete a 3-
6-1 double play. The next hitter, Billy Butler, drove in a run with an RBI groundout to give the A's an
early lead.
"He's always a little ginger getting to first," manager Don Mattingly said. "He was really good moving
around. He didn't have too many issues."
Ending the rallies: The Dodgers had a runner in scoring position in two situations during the game, only
for Gray to respond with a strikeout to get out of the frame. After a two-out double from Adrian
Gonzalez, Gray struck out Yasmani Grandal to end the fourth inning. In the seventh, with Howie
Kendrick on second base, Gray got Grandal to line out to shortstop, then he induced a strikeout from
Yasiel Puig.
Reddick delivers: Getting a rare start against a left-hander, not to mention one that doubles as his
former teammate, Reddick responded with a three-hit night, falling a triple short of the cycle with his
13th home run of the season. It marked his sixth game of the season with at least three hits.
"It was special for me," Reddick said. "I haven't really had that opportunity. I just saw Brett up and, with
the home run, I was sitting two-seamer in and he tried to go in and left it in the middle."
UNDER FURTHER REVIEW
In the top of the sixth inning, the Dodgers challenged the call on the field of a successful stolen base by
Marcus Semien. As Semien was sliding into third base, his front leg was elevated off the ground and
didn't touch the base. After the review, the call was overturned and Semien was ruled out to end the
inning.
WHAT'S NEXT
A's: Right-hander Jesse Chavez, who has a 5.04 ERA over his last nine starts after posting a 2.38 ERA in
his first eight, will be on the mound at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday when the A's close out a two-
game Interleague Series against the Dodgers. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. PT.
Dodgers: The Dodgers finish this two-game series with Clayton Kershaw on the mound. While his
teammate Zack Greinke had his scoreless streak snapped at 45 2/3 innings, Kershaw is at 29 straight
innings without allowing a run. He's thrown shutouts in two of his last three starts.
Turner treated at hospital for infection on leg
By Steve Bourbon
LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner was out of the lineup and in the emergency room
Tuesday after trainers discovered an infection on his leg.
While there is still no official diagnosis, Turner was released from the hospital before the end of
Tuesday's 2-0 loss to Oakland. Manager Don Mattingly said he was given antibiotics orally and through
an IV. He is listed as day-to-day.
"I actually had him in the lineup [Tuesday]. Then I heard about it, went to see him and they sent him to
the emergency room," Mattingly said. "It kind of blew up and it wasn't very pretty."
Turner was replaced by Carl Crawford as a pinch-runner in the ninth inning of Sunday's game against the
Mets, but Mattingly said it wasn't something that was affecting Turner over the weekend.
"It wasn't something anyone was worried about until he got here today," Mattingly said. "It was this itty
bitty thing then it turned into something a little more dangerous."
Turner is hitting .323 this season and has 13 home runs with 44 RBIs.
Dodgers scout trade targets Price, Leake
By Ken Gurnick
LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers had scouts at games Tuesday night started by David Price and Mike Leake,
two of their rumored trade targets with the Trade Deadline coming Friday at 4 p.m. ET.
Price's availability is uncertain because of Detroit's status on the fringe of contention, while Leake is
presumed very available because of the Reds' status. Both will be free agents after the season.
Price is believed to be the Dodgers' true top target, despite constant speculation that the club is focused
on Philadelphia's Cole Hamels. Price pitched for Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew
Friedman in Tampa.
Price would join Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke to give the Dodgers three Cy Young winners, creating
a powerhouse rotation reminiscent of the one current Dodgers CEO Stan Kasten enjoyed when he ran
the Atlanta Braves in the days of Greg Maddux, John Smoltz and Tom Glavine.
Leake would be an incremental upgrade for a rotation that has had to replace Hyun-Jin Ryu and Brandon
McCarthy, the Nos. 3 and 4 starters, who were lost for the year with injuries.
Anderson turns in quality start vs. former team
By Steve Bourbon
LOS ANGELES -- There was no love lost for Brett Anderson when he faced his former team Tuesday night
at Dodger Stadium.
Anderson was a member of the A's from 2009-13 and the first pitch of the game was a line-drive single
that put Anderson on his back. Anderson recorded a quality outing, but the Dodgers gave him no run
support in a 2-0 defeat.
"It wasn't really easing into things by throwing a couple pitches, it was a rocket at your face the first
pitch," Anderson said.
The lefty pitched seven innings, allowing five hits and two runs, while striking out a pair. The loss
dropped his record to 5-6 on the season.
After walking the second hitter of the game, Anderson induced three straight ground balls, but none
were hit hard enough to turn a double play and the A's plated a run in the first. After that, Anderson was
sharp.
"Once the starters get out the first, and they get on a roll, they're going to be tough all night," manager
Don Mattingly said. "That's what it looked like with Brett. Kind of typical. A lot of ground balls and
changing speeds."
With so much turnover in the A's roster, there were only two players in Oakland's lineup that Anderson
played with; one of whom, Josh Reddick, roasted Anderson with a 3-for-4 night and a home run in the
seventh inning.
"It's always fun to play against your former team," Anderson said. "The coaching staff, and the
organization and the green, gold and white shoes, you can kind of reflect on some things."
Anderson played for the A's for five seasons, but was rarely in uniform. For the Dodgers this season,
Anderson has already surpassed his innings total in each of the past five seasons. For a player that has
been riddled by injuries the past five seasons, even a scare with his Achilles tendon in his last start was
nothing to be taken lightly.
Anderson was removed from his last start after 2 2/3 innings after he attempted to field a ground ball.
An MRI revealed no structural damage and Anderson was given seven days' rest between starts. On
Tuesday, Anderson said his Achilles was a little sore but it was nothing he couldn't deal with. There was
one opportunity in the first inning to cover first base on a potential 3-6-1 double play in the first inning,
but Anderson knew he wouldn't cover the base in time and decided to pull up before reaching the base.
"The stuff wasn't great, but coming off an injury scare and being able to get ground balls, I'll take it,"
Anderson said. "It's one of those things I'll have to monitor going forward. Everybody has nicks at this
point, so I'll just have to come in and get some treatment."
Dodgers lauded for vegetarian food options
By Steve Bourbon
LOS ANGELES -- While Dodger Stadium might be famous for its Dodger Dogs, it's also gaining attention
for some of its vegetarian food options.
In its yearly ranking of the most vegetarian-friendly baseball parks, PETA named Dodger Stadium to the
top of its list.
In explaining the choice, PETA highlighted the stadium's vegan nachos -- which come with vegan nacho
cheese and tomatillo avocado sauce -- and Levy signature vegan mini burgers.
Even the Dodgers' farm system is vegetarian-friendly: Their Double-A affiliate in Tulsa was named the
second-best stadium in the Minors for their vast food selection for vegetarians.
Others in the top 10 included Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia (ranked second) and Nationals Park in
Washington D.C. (third).
OKC's Seager homers, Bellinger hits two for Quakes
By Alex M. Smith
Corey Seager, the newly minted No. 2 overall player on the revamped Top 100 Prospects list, swatted his
first homer since July 5 for Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Los Angeles' No. 1 prospect finished 1-for-5 with two RBIs and has driven in at least one run in five of the
past eight games. Seager has been an offensive force since he was selected No. 18 in the 2012 Draft,
bashing 107 doubles and 58 homers in the Minors. He boasts a .273/.325/.455 line with nine
roundtrippers and 37 RBIs for the OKC Dodgers this year.
While Seager had a big night, LA's No. 8 prospect Cody Bellinger had a bigger one.
The first baseman notched his first career multi-home run game as Class A Advanced Rancho
Cucamonga defeated Lancaster, 9-6. Bellinger finished 2-for-4 with three runs, two taters and two RBIs
for the Quakes and has three homers in his past three games.
Drafted in the fourth round in 2013, the 20-year-old is having his best season as a Minor Leaguer. His 25
doubles, 20 homers and 69 RBIs are all career-highs and he also sports a career-best .478 slugging
percentage.
The rest of the 10 best performances from top Minor Leaguers
• Angels No. 1 prospect (No. 24 overall) Sean Newcomb matched his longest career outing by going six
innings for Class A Advanced Inland Empire. The 6-foot-5 right-hander extended an excellent run for the
66ers, winning his third start in four tries. He's 6-1 with a 2.47 ERA in 13 starts and his eight strikeouts
against one walk Tuesday brought his K/BB line to 84/33. Newcomb has allowed just four earned runs in
his six starts since June 21, a total of 32 2/3 innings.
• Mariners No. 7 prospect Tyler O'Neill continued his unbelievable post-Pan-Am Games run with
another homer in a 3-for-4 night in Class A Advanced Bakersfield's 13-2 loss to the Mavs. The Canadian
native also slugged a double, giving him nine extra-base hits (including five home runs) over his past five
games. His batting average has climbed above .255, its highest point of the season. While O'Neill works
on his line, he's been just fine in the power department, clubbing 21 dingers and collecting 57 RBIs in 71
games for the Blaze.
• Mets No. 7 prospect Michael Fulmer dealt for Double-A Binghamton, delivering six shutout innings of
three-hit ball while striking out nine. The right-hander has not allowed a run in his past two outings (11
total innings) and struck out 18 and walked one in those starts. Fulmer earned his second straight win
Tuesday and sports a 6-2 record and a 1.88 ERA at the Double-A level this season.
• Red Sox No. 4 prospect (No. 47 overall) Brian Johnson was excellent in his first start back with Triple-A
Pawtucket. Recently demoted from the big league club, Johnson gave up four hits and three walks while
striking out six in 6 1/3 shutout innings. Johnson had a short stay in Boston, giving up four earned runs in
4 1/3 innings during his Major League debut on July 21. Tuesday, he displayed the steady arm that
thrived in the PawSox's rotation for most of the season. Johnson sits at 9-6 with a 2.54 ERA for the
Triple-A affiliate.
• Reds No. 2 prospect (No. 43 overall) Robert Stephenson recorded 10 strikeouts over eight shutout
innings as Triple-A Louisville took down Charlotte, 3-1. The right-hander allowed three hits and one walk
while notching double-digit Ks for the fourth time this season. A first-round pick in 2011, Stephenson has
not allowed a run in his past two starts (14 total innings) and surrendered just five hits. He's been solid
since a promotion from Double-A Pensacola earlier this month, recording a 4-0 record after making five
starts.
• Royals No. 4 prospect Miguel Almonte continued to fool hitters for Triple-A Omaha. The 22-year-old
right-hander gave up just one hit in five shutout innings and struck out five. Almonte has been elite since
a promotion on July 17, allowing just four hits in three starts (15 total innings). He's picked up 16
strikeouts in that time and has a 2-0 record with a 1.80 ERA for the Storm Chasers.
• Royals No. 5 prospect Bubba Starling hit a single to complete the cycle in the top of the ninth inning of
Double-A Northwest Arkansas' 10-4 win over Arkansas. He finished 4-for-5 with three RBIs after rocking
a three-run homer in the third inning, doubling in the fifth, tripling in the seventh and then capping his
night with a single in the ninth. The cycle was the first in Northwest Arkansas history and continues a hot
streak for Starling. The center fielder has hit in five straight games and has eight homers and 34 RBIs on
the season.
• Twins No. 3 prospect (No. 26 overall) Jose Berrios went six innings for Triple-A Rochester, striking out
eight while giving up one run on five hits. Minnesota's premier pitching prospect won his second start in
a row for the Red Wings and has collected 30 Ks against 10 walks in five starts. Berrios is 2-0 with a 3.52
ERA for the Red Wings and has allowed just one earned run in his past two starts (13 total innings).
LA DAILY NEWS
L.A. Dodgers defense has been upgraded just as the new management wanted
By Mark Whicker
As Andrew Friedman, Fahran Zaidi and the rest of the Geek Squad get ready to move the queen into
checkmate position, Dodgers fans should remember one thing.
They had one job going into the winter. They did it.
Their fresh eyes identified what was somehow difficult to see from up close. In the key positions, the
Dodgers couldn’t catch a tuna in a swimming pool.
They ranked 14th in fielding percentage, which is one of those dinosaur stats that goes into the shredder
today. Going into Tuesday night’s game with Oakland, they were first in fielding percentage, with only
42 errors.
More to the point, the Dodgers have given up 23 unearned runs, as have the Cardinals. Only Arizona and
San Francisco have allowed fewer in the NL.
Fielding percentage has been a suspect stat because it only measures what you do with a ball when you
field it. Players with little range take less risk and therefore should have a better percentage.
But with today’s defensive shifting, the Dodgers are using a truly staggering amount of data to put their
fielders where the ball should find them. Theoretically, it should make fielding percentage newly
relevant.
“The defensive stat I look at is fielding percentage,” said Tim Wallach, the third-base coach and de facto
defensive coordinator.
That said, the new Dodgers are getting to balls that were misbegotten in 2014.
“I knew Howie Kendrick was a good second baseman,” Wallach said. “But when he was with the Angels
we only saw him six times a year in the regular season. I didn’t know he was this good. We had Dee
Gordon last year and considering it was his first year playing second base in the major leagues, he did a
pretty darn good job.
“Jimmy Rollins has completely solidified us at shortstop. Last year we had Hanley Ramirez, who was a
real good hitter but struggled (defensively).”
Nicely put. Ramirez signed with the Red Sox, was moved to left field, and is struggling there, too.
“In center field we knew Joc Pederson was outstanding, or at least that’s what we heard from the minor
league people,” Wallach said. The Dodgers had Matt Kemp, Yasiel Puig and Andre Ether in center last
year. They left rubble that Pederson has cleaned up.
Yasmani Grandal then became the catcher, with A.J. Ellis backing up.
“That’s the down-the-middle defense that everyone always talks about,” coach Davey Lopes said.
The Dodgers’ improvement is also evident in the world of advanced metrics. They were minus-19 in
Defensive Runs Saved last year, 29th in baseball, and they are at minus-1 now, ranking 15th, according
to Fangraphs.
But then Pederson is at zero in Defensive Runs Saved, according to Fangraphs. That’s 15th among MLB
center fielders. Wallach would argue that he has been better than that.
In 2014, Mike Trout was minus-3 in DRS. The Angels still thought he was OK.
Just as you can decimal-point a player’s performance to death, you can also overload him when it comes
to defensive positioning.
Wallach believes in shifts.
“We have the resources to put guys in better spots,” he said. “Once we put them there, it’s not a matter
of making the great plays but making the routine plays, the ones that should be outs.
“But as far as breaking it down, you name it. We’ve got numbers on how they do on one strike, two
strikes, against left-handers, against pitchers that are under 93 mph. But some nights, that pitcher might
not be throwing 93 and we have to adjust. I put sheets that tells the guys the information if they want it,
maybe talk to them about what we’re planning.”
Then there’s the danger of putting a third baseman in the shortstop hole, putting a shortstop in short
center or a second baseman in short right. They have been throwing from the same angles forever. Now
those angles change.
Wallach said the Dodgers worked on “odd plays” in spring training, but admits the club might have lost
some double play opportunities with their creative spacing.
“It depends on our pitchers, too,” he said. “Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw have pretty set ideas.
They want to know where guys are going to be, because if they’re on, they can hit their spots and get
the hitter to put the ball in those places.”
The crucial defensive player, of course, is the one on the mound, the one that never shifts. With Giant
footsteps behind them, Friedman & Co. have a few days to find one, but in the small sample of
identifying flaws and getting them fixed, they’re 1 for 1.
Three facts:
1. Joc Pederson has three extra-base hits since the All-Star break.
2. Yasiel Puig has grounded into one double play in 217 plate appearances this season.
3. The Dodgers are averaging 1.24 home runs per game, the first time they’ve been over one per game
since 2004.
L.A. Dodgers’ Carl Crawford back, but not in the same fold
By Robert Morales
Dodgers outfielder Carl Crawford is in his 14th season in the major leagues, but he hasn’t played even
close to a full season since 2011, no thanks to injuries.
In 2012, he played in only 31 games for the Boston Red Sox, the season before he came to the Dodgers.
The injury bug bit Crawford again this season when he sustained a right oblique strain on April 27. He
missed the next 75 games, finally coming off the 60-day disabled list on July 21.
It was a bummer for Crawford, who now finds himself in a position where he has to fight for playing
time with Andre Ethier, who has made 32 starts in left field.
“Really, nothing you can do,” Crawford said, speaking to his most recent injury before Tuesday’s game
against the Oakland A’s at Dodger Stadium. “You keep your body in shape and wait until you heal and do
whatever you’re capable of doing. You know they’ve played well while you’ve been gone. Guys been
playing well, so you have to just try to stay in shape, keep doing things you need to do and when it’s
time for you to play, then just do the best you can.
“Odds are definitely against you, so you have to know that, too. Just have to keep grinding and playing
hard and keep a positive mind-set.”
Crawford may be healthy, but he didn’t automatically reclaim left field once he got there. Ethier, who
has actually made 46 starts in right field because of time missed by Yasiel Puig, is having a solid
campaign. Ethier is hitting .276 with 10 home runs, 33 RBIs and an on-base percentage of .359.
“Well, I think Andre’s been really good,” manager Don Mattingly said. “And it’s hard to just throw Carl in
there. So I’m basically trying to give Yasiel a day off here and there against righties and Carl’s kind of the
guy playing off the bench.”
Crawford, who was not in Tuesday’s lineup, has started two of five games in left field since his return,
with Ethier in right for those two.
Crawford has two more years remaining on a seven-year contract worth $142 million that he signed
with Boston ahead of the 2011 campaign. He’s making $21,357,000 this season. He’ll make $21,607,000
in 2016 and $21,857,000 in 2017.
Crawford, 33, played a total of 10 rehab games with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and Triple-A Oklahoma
City, hitting a combined .353. He laughed when talking about how many games he had to play down on
the farm.
“Yeah, they have rehab assignments, but it’s usually like three or four days, you know?” he said. “So
that was a little tough for me. But at the same time, I had to keep doing my work, being professional and
just going about my business.”
TURNER TO ER
Third baseman Justin Turner was not in the lineup Tuesday because of what Mattingly referred to as a
“pimple” on his thigh that apparently became infected. He was given antibiotics for it in New York this
past weekend when the Dodgers were playing the Mets.
When Turner arrived at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday afternoon, Mattingly said, “It wasn’t very pretty.”
Turner was sent to a local emergency room.
ESPN LA
Source: Dodgers land Mat Latos, Michael Morse in trade with Marlins
By ESPN News Services
The Marlins have agreed to trade pitcher Mat Latos and first baseman Michael Morse to the Dodgers for
three minor league pitchers, a source confirmed to ESPNLosAngeles.com's Mark Saxon.
The Dodgers also will receive a competitive balance pick -- the No. 34 overall selection in next year's
draft -- from the Marlins as part of the trade, according to the Miami Herald.
Los Angeles will assume all of the remainder of both players' salaries, according to reports. Latos is
making $9.5 million this season and is scheduled to be a free agent in 2016, while Morse is in the first
year of a two-year, $16 million contract.
Latos would provide Los Angeles with a veteran No. 3 starter behind All-Stars Clayton Kershaw and Zack
Greinke and also should fortify a Dodgers rotation that has been ravaged by injuries.
The 27-year-old Latos was traded to Miami by the Cincinnati Reds this past offseason and has gone 4-7
with a 4.48 ERA in 16 starts with the Marlins.
But the right-hander has posted a 2.96 ERA in seven starts since returning from the disabled list in early
June and has been outstanding over his last three starts, pitching to a 1.80 ERA over that stretch.
Morse is batting .214 with four home runs and 12 RBIs in 52 games this season.
Clayton Kershaw dealing with sore hip/glute, report says
By ESPN News Services
The Los Angeles Dodgers are mulling whether to scratch left-hander Clayton Kershaw from his start
Wednesday night, Fox Sports reported Wednesday.
According to the report, which cited sources, Kershaw has been dealing with a sore hip/glute.
Kershaw is scheduled to face the Oakland Athletics at Dodger Stadium.
Kershaw is 8-6 with a 2.51 ERA this season. He took a perfect game end into the seventh Thursday
against the New York Mets, and he hasn't allowed a run in 29 innings. That's the longest active scoreless
stretch in the majors after teammate Zack Greinke's run of 45 2/3 innings ended Sunday.
Also Wednesday, the Dodgers reportedly agreed to a deal with the Miami Marlins for right-hander Mat
Latos and first baseman Michael Morse.
Ten teams under most pressure to trade; Tulo trade aftermath
By Buster Olney
The strongest American League teams have gotten even stronger in recent days. The Royals added two
All-Star players in three days in Johnny Cueto and Ben Zobrist; Kansas City's front office has its players'
backs, writes Sam Mellinger, and the Royals won again Tuesday to improve their record to 61-38.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Angels picked up three outfielders in about 24 hours, making deals for
Shane Victorino, David Murphy -- who got word of the deal as the Indians prepared to play Tuesday's
game -- and David DeJesus (who commented on the trade here).
The Astros landed one of the best pitchers available, Scott Kazmir, and are talking about doing more.
The Yankees are engaged and prepared to make a move, perhaps for one of the top relievers being
discussed, Aroldis Chapman or Craig Kimbrel.
Maybe this is why teams are approaching the second wild-card berth differently. Yes, it's true that the
Texas Rangers were within five games of a playoff spot as of Wednesday morning, but the cold reality is
that they are one of seven teams vying for that spot because the Royals, Yankees, Angels and Astros
have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, both in the standings and with their deal-making.
Hope for the Rangers requires beating out six other teams for a shot at being the road team in the
winner-take-all one-game wild-card game against either the Angels or the Astros.
With the trade of Murphy, the Indians effectively waved the white flag, and the White Sox must make a
similar decision with pitcher Jeff Samardzija in the hours ahead. The time has come for general
managers to declare their true intentions.
Here are the teams most under pressure to make a deal with a little more than 48 hours to go before
the trade deadline:
1. Detroit Tigers: They're 4 1/2 games behind the Minnesota Twins in the race for the second wild-card
spot, and after Tuesday's loss to the Rays, they are four games below .500 and have eight losses in their
past 11 games. They need to vigorously pursue one of two paths: either move David Price and Yoenis
Cespedes, or add a starting pitcher.
The Tigers have their eye on Mike Leake if they decide to add, writes Bob Nightengale. Leake dominated
again Tuesday in what was almost certainly his last start with the Reds.
Keep in mind that Tigers general manager David Dombrowski has a long history of trade discussions with
Reds general manager Walt Jocketty, and the two of them worked out a trade of Alfredo Simon in the
winter.
July swoons from Joc Pederson and Yasiel Puig proving costly
By Mark Saxon
LOS ANGELES -- There was a time, just a month ago though it seems like more, when Joc Pederson and
Yasiel Puig were the primary signs of life in the Los Angeles Dodgers' offense. Without them, this lineup
looks a bit lumbering and, at times, a bit old.
But right now, the team's two young catalysts aren't sparking much of anything other than outs.
Pederson looks like he's ready to go after a water cooler with his bat -- if he hasn't already -- as the
frustration of trying to fix his swing consumes the rookie. Puig might be bothered by trade rumors,
frivolous as they may be, more than he's letting on.
Different processes, but similar results. In fact, the numbers are eerily similar -- and they aren't pretty.
After Tuesday's 2-0 loss to the Oakland A's and their brilliant young ace, Sonny Gray, Pederson is batting
.176 with 28 strikeouts and, alarmingly, just four walks and one home run this month. Three true
outcomes have effectively been reduced to one.
Puig is hitting .179 with 25 strikeouts and five walks in July.
Dodgers manager Don Mattingly acknowledged he and the coaches have thought about switching
leadoff hitters with Pederson in his on-base rut and angling toward 200 strikeouts, but there aren't a lot
of alternatives. One of them, Carl Crawford, isn't even a starter. Another, Jimmy Rollins, is batting .210.
Another one is Puig.
After the game, Mattingly said he is growing a bit concerned with Pederson's mounting strikeouts,
declining walks and displays of anger -- he flipped his bat and slammed his helmet after one strikeout
Tuesday -- but also said he'll take his chances with Pederson's talent and work ethic every time.
"I know it looks like he swings for the fences every time, but that's not really what he's trying to do,"
Mattingly said. "He's working on trying to get inside the ball a little more and use his body. He's
frustrated. At some point, Joc's going to get that front-side thing and he's going to be a monster. He's
going to be tough to get out."
There continue to be persistent rumors that the Dodgers are open to listening to offers for Puig,
suggestions that -- one month ago -- would have been laughed off by fans and quickly quashed by the
team. Mattingly said before the game he hasn't heard Puig's name mentioned by president of baseball
operations Andrew Friedman or general manager Farhan Zaidi, and that "I'm assuming that if something
was really going on, they would tell me."
The way Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke are pitching this season, it's hard to see the Dodgers parting
with their only right-handed-hitting starting outfielder under the age of 30 and making less than $18
million, especially one with a lifetime .865 OPS. The problem has been when Kershaw and Greinke aren't
pitching, thus the Dodgers' all-out search for a starting pitcher or two before Friday's trade deadline.
Brett Anderson actually eased that worry just a tad by pitching seven strong innings and generally
looking healthy after a sluggish first inning. He acknowledged he still is dealing with some irritation in
the Achilles tendon behind his left ankle, and you could see it as he hobbled over to cover first base
early in Tuesday's game. But at least for now, it appears something he can pitch through.
Anderson's biggest problems Tuesday were two of the only guys still wearing green and gold from the
A's team he left at the end of the 2013 season. Gray pitched a three-hit shutout and Josh Reddick had
two hits off Anderson, including a solo home run.
Anderson, as injury-prone as they come, already has pitched more innings this season than he has in any
season since his rookie year of 2009, and the Dodgers desperately need to keep him on his feet and
pitching every fifth day or so. That made Tuesday a fairly palatable loss, given the caliber of pitcher it
came against and the confidence it gave them in Anderson's ability to keep going.
"Stuff wasn't great, but for coming off an injury scare and being able to get ground balls, I'll take it,"
Anderson said. "Unfortunately, it wasn't enough against an All-Star and one of the best pitchers in the
game."
Rapid Reaction: Athletics 2, Dodgers 0
By Mark Saxon
LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Dodgers continue to search for dominant starting pitching before
Friday's trade deadline, but their problem is they're running into too much of it lately. One game after
being dominated by Jacob deGrom in New York, the Dodgers' bats looked even more lifeless against
Oakland Athletics ace Sonny Gray in a 2-0 loss at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night.
How it happened: The Dodgers couldn't muster a baserunner off Gray until Adrian Gonzalez pulled a
double into the right-field corner with two outs in the fourth inning. L.A. didn't do much after that,
either. Gray shut the Dodgers out, striking out nine batters and walking just one.
The Dodgers at least got a strong pitching performance from Brett Anderson, who looked both shaky
and injured in the first inning. Anderson, who had left his previous start in the third inning with irritation
around his left Achilles tendon, allowed the first two runners to reach base, then hobbled down to first
base while backing up a play. He did minimize the damage, allowing one run to score, then got his
ground ball magic working. The A's didn't score again until Anderson left a sinker over the plate and Josh
Reddick pulled it into the right-field pavilion to give Oakland a 2-0 lead.
What it means: The Dodgers missed a chance to pad their miniscule division lead. They remain a half-
game ahead of the San Francisco Giants.
Notable: Joc Pederson is in a major slump and he heard some boos after his sixth-inning strikeout, his
third of the game. Pederson's days as the Dodgers' leadoff hitter could be numbered. He has struck out
leading off a game in five of his past six starts. … Dodgers manager Don Mattingly reiterated before the
game he didn't think the Dodgers were talking about trading Yasiel Puig, but the right fielder seems a bit
distracted by the rumors. Puig looked overmatched at times against Gray and has three hits in his past
31 plate appearances. … Howie Kendrick, who used to play in the AL West on the Los Angeles Angels,
looked like he had a better idea against Gray. He smashed two ground ball outs and then finally got one
through the infield for a single in the seventh, then singled in the ninth. … Both Andre Ethier and
Pederson had dramatic responses to making outs. Pederson flipped his bat in the air and then slammed
his helmet after a strikeout, and Ethier took his bat to the dugout bench repeatedly after lining out in
the eighth.
Up next: Clayton Kershaw (8-6, 2.51 ERA) brings his 29-inning scoreless streak into Wednesday's game.
He'll be opposed by Jesse Chavez (5-10, 3.45 ERA), a possible trade target for the Dodgers, in a game
that begins at 10:10 p.m. ET.
Sonny Gray throws 3-hitter, Oakland A's beat Dodgers 2-0
By Associated Press
LOS ANGELES -- With every pitch in a masterful three-hitter, Sonny Gray reminded the Oakland Athletics
that their season is far from finished after a tumultuous few days.
Gray struck out nine in his second shutout in July, and Oakland snapped its four-game losing streak with
a 2-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.
Josh Reddick homered, doubled and singled for the last-place A's, who traded Ben Zobrist, Scott Kazmir
and closer Tyler Clippard in the past six days, seemingly abandoning their playoff hopes after making
three straight postseasons. Yet Gray and Reddick provided exactly what manager Bob Melvin wants out
of his team for the final two months.
"It gives everybody a little boost of confidence," said Reddick, who capitalized on a rare chance to hit
against a left-hander. "We can still win a lot of ballgames. We've just got to keep that confidence in
ourselves and believe in ourselves. We've been saying all day, the main goal is to win ballgames, with or
without those guys."
EDITOR'S PICKS
Tuesday's Top 5: Sonny Gray deals his second July shutout
Sonny Gray of the A's pitched a three-hit shutout to lower his AL-leading ERA to 2.16.
During a pregame meeting at Dodger Stadium after Zobrist was shipped to Kansas City, Melvin told the
A's they can't give up despite the sell-off trades.
"I haven't been through this before, having some guys taken away in the middle of the season in this
fashion, but it's baseball," Melvin said. "We put ourselves in this position. It's more of a punishment for
(the current A's). It got everybody's attention."
Oakland won with another gem from Gray (11-4), who cruised through his fourth career shutout and
lowered his ERA to an AL-best 2.16. The right-hander didn't allow a runner to reach third base while
improving to 8-1 with a 1.64 ERA on the road this season.
"Doesn't matter who's out there, who's in the clubhouse, who's not," Gray said. "When the game starts,
it's 25 guys out there, and you're just trying to win a baseball game. I don't think that's going to change
for us. We're going to go out there and we're going to compete and we're going to battle, and try to win
as many games as we can."
Howie Kendrick had two hits and Brett Anderson pitched seven innings of five-hit ball for the Dodgers,
who opened a five-game homestand with their third straight loss.
Gray retired the first 11 batters and faced only three hitters over the minimum in his first career start
against the Dodgers. He even got his first major league hit in the eighth inning, sneaking a single down
the right field line.
"He's one of the best pitchers in the league," Kendrick said. "He just threw a lot of strikes and got outs
when he needed them. We hit some balls hard, but right at guys."
Anderson (5-6) looked sharp against his former team after a full week off to rest a mild Achilles tendon
injury, but his Dodgers provided little help.
"I think there were only two guys in their lineup that I played with," Anderson said. "Unfortunately, one
of them got three hits and a home run."
Billy Burns hit a leadoff single and eventually scored on Billy Butler's groundout in the first inning for
Oakland.
Gray didn't even let the Dodgers get the ball into the outfield before Adrian Gonzalez's two-out double
in the fourth. Andre Ethier was caught stealing after drawing Gray's only walk in the fifth, and Kendrick
was stranded on second in the seventh after a leadoff single.
BIG HIT
Gray got his milestone hit with an unfamiliar bat: Kazmir left for Houston last week with the bat they
had been sharing all season. Gray tried Sam Fuld's bat earlier in the game before borrowing a top-heavy
32-ouncer from Butler for his big hit. "Now he gets to keep it," Butler said. "He was telling me, `Pick me
out a winner."
A LAKER TOWN
New Clippers signee Paul Pierce was booed by Dodger Stadium's famously loyal Lakers fans before he
threw the ceremonial first pitch -- and then booed again when he bounced it. Pierce laughed and smiled
at the jeers of "Airball!"
TRAINER'S ROOM
Athletics: Edward Mujica is taking over as the A's closer after Clippard was traded to the Mets. Newly
acquired right-hander Aaron Brooks will start Saturday.
Dodgers: 3B Justin Turner was scratched with an apparent infection on his right thigh.
UP NEXT
Athletics: Jesse Chavez (5-10, 3.45 ERA) is second in the AL in losses despite the league's eighth-lowest
ERA.
Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw (8-6, 2.51 ERA) is 3-0 with a 0.27 ERA in July, striking out 45 and walking two.
Justin Turner sent to hospital with infection
By Mark Saxon
LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner was scratched from Tuesday night's
lineup and sent to the emergency room after a pimple on his right leg became infected, according to
manager Don Mattingly.
Trainers treated Turner with antibiotics over the weekend in New York when he brought the
inflammation to their attention, but it grew worse on Monday and had become a source of major
irritation by Tuesday.
"It had kind of blown up and wasn't very pretty," Mattingly said.
The team said it would release more information about Turner's medical condition after Tuesday night's
game with the Oakland A's. He was replaced at third base by Alberto Callaspo and in the cleanup hole by
Yasmani Grandal. Turner leads the Dodgers with a .323 batting average and .960 OPS.
Guerrero still a Dodger: Amid reports the Dodgers have been talking to teams about trades involving
utility player Alex Guerrero, a source indicated Tuesday that Guerrero has not been approached about
waving the opt-out clause in his contract. Guerrero can become a free agent after this season if he is
traded, which would make him less appealing to rebuilding teams.
Phillies want 'best' offers for Cole Hamels by Wednesday
By Jayson Stark
The Philadelphia Phillies have told several teams interested in acquiring Cole Hamels that they'd like to
get their "best" offers by Wednesday, sources told ESPN.com.
The team would then make a decision about where -- and whether -- to trade him.
The Phillies have continued to speak with a large number of teams -- a group known to include the Los
Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros, Arizona
Diamondbacks, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox -- about Hamels.
However, sources said that in the case of about half of that group, the Phillies initiated those talks in an
attempt to reopen discussion about players whom those clubs had said previously they'd be unwilling to
trade.
The Phillies have told several teams interested in acquiring Cole Hamels that they'd like to get their
"best" offers by Wednesday, sources told ESPN.com. John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune/TNS/Getty Images
Sources have confirmed that the Astros have made a late push to acquire Hamels since the Phillies ace
pitched a no-hitter last Saturday. However, Hamels can block a trade to Houston, and the Astros have
been given no assurance in recent days that that stance has changed.
The Giants, who scouted Hamels' no-hitter, also continue to talk to the Phillies, but they still appear to
be having a hard time meeting the Phillies' asking price. One source's description of those talks Tuesday
morning consisted of two words: "Nothing happening."
Clubs speaking to the Phillies believe they have reached the stage where they're attempting to "work
through" all their options with ownership and are "trying to decide what they want to do," according to
sources. However, those teams believe the Phillies intend to deal their ace before Friday's 4 p.m. ET
trading deadline unless they decide none of the offers brings them enough in return, whereupon they
would resume trying to trade him in the offseason.
Hamels' next start was scheduled for Thursday against the Braves, the night before the deadline, but
that is being pushed back one day until after Friday's 4 p.m. trade deadline has passed.
Hamels threw a season-high 129 pitches in Sunday's no-hitter over the Cubs at Wrigley Field. He is 6-7
with a 3.64 ERA in 20 starts.
If Hamels is still with Philadelphia after the deadline, he would face the Braves on Friday night.
Tuesday's MLB trade news and views
By ESPN.com
The MLB trade deadline is nearing, and speculation is heating up across baseball. Here is what our
writers are hearing today:
Complete trade deadline coverage
Trade Deadline Daily: July 27
Crasnick's take: Carlos Gonzalez's recent torrid streak is generating a lot of trade speculation, but one
person familiar with the Rockies' situation thinks they might wait until the winter. "Colorado will want
more than I think the market will give," the source said. "Better to trade him in the offseason."
Gonzalez is hitting .455 (15-for-33) with seven homers and 16 RBI since the All-Star break and has a
contract that several teams wouldn't mind picking up, provided he's healthy.
Finally, the Rockies are trying to move him in a hurry while a lot of other lefty outfield bats (from Jay
Bruce to Gerardo Parra to Will Venable) are on the market. That can't help Colorado GM Jeff Bridich's
trade leverage.
Stark's take: Jonathan Papelbon's no-trade clause allows him to veto a deal to the Nationals, so he
would want his $13 million vesting option to be guaranteed in order to approve a deal. But the teams
still need to agree on how much of Papelbon's salary for this year and next the Phillies would pick up. An
even larger issue is Papelbon's repeated assertions that he would not approve any deal to a team where
he wouldn't be the full-time closer. So if the Nationals viewed his acquisition as an opportunity for him
to share that role with Drew Storen, or hoped he would agree to set up for Storen, that's a problem they
need to grapple with on multiple levels.
Stark's take: One AL exec predicted Tuesday that James Shields would wind up getting traded to the
Giants. But the Padres have told clubs they don't want to trade within the division.
Shields fits the profile of the type of starting pitcher the Giants are shopping for -- a guy who could slot
in behind Madison Bumgarner in their rotation. The Giants also had interest in Shields early in the
offseason as a free agent.
But despite the Padres' willingness to make that Matt Kemp-Yasmani Grandal trade last winter, they
seem to have changed their minds about making deals with their NL West competition. So NL West
teams that have spoken with the Padres say they've shown no interest in trading any of their prominent
trade chips within their division.
Jayson Stark -- Dodgers could trade for two starters: The Dodgers are in on a long list of starting pitchers
-- and haven't ruled out trading for two this week, if the price is right.
In a glutted starting-pitching market, the Dodgers haven't ruled out the possibility of trading for two
starters instead of one. But they have only so many prospects they're prepared to deal. So if they have
to use too many chips to trade for a Cole Hamels or David Price, two trades for starters are unlikely. But
if the Dodgers wind up shopping in the bargain bin and prices come down before the deadline, it's still
"possible" they could deal for two, according to one source who spoke with them.
Crasnick's take: The market for starting pitching continues to change and evolve. Detroit is looking to
add a starter, rather than trade David Price, and Jeff Samardzija could very well be staying in Chicago
since the White Sox are riding a five-game win streak.
That could be good news for the Reds, who are trying to trade Mike Leake, and the Rangers, who will
move Yovani Gallardo if they get an offer to their liking.
A baseball source said that Mat Latos' market is also starting to come into "focus,'' and the Marlins are
confident they can deal him by the deadline.
Among the teams still shopping for starting pitcher upgrades: The Dodgers, Giants, Cubs, Blue Jays,
Astros and Tigers.
Stark's take: The Tigers' stance could change if they completely unravel in their next three games,
according to teams that have spoken with Detroit. After their 5-2 loss to the Rays on Monday, they've
dropped to 4½ games behind in the wild-card race -- and are now 12 games under .500 since their 11-2
start.
But with Miguel Cabrera due back in the next three weeks, the Tigers are now actively shopping to add
pitching. Other teams say they've asked about a large number of starters and setup relievers. So this
could be a busy week.
Stark's take: A little over three weeks ago, the White Sox had fallen to a season-worst 10 games under
.500. But since then they've gone 15-8, and now appear reluctant to break up the rotation that has
fueled that run.
So one club that spoke with them reports it was told they would need a return for Samardzija that
"substantially" improves their chances to compete next year without sacrificing their ability to compete
this year.
TRUEBLUELA.COM
Clayton Kershaw could be scratched from start vs. A's, per reports
By Eric Stephen
The Dodgers conclude their series against the Athletics on Wednesday night, but might not have Clayton
Kershaw on the mound. The team may scratch their ace because of a sore hip or glute muscle per Ken
Rosenthal of Fox Sports, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com and David Vassegh of 570 AM.
Kershaw last pitched on Thursday in New York, striking out 11 in a 3-0 shutout win over the Mets. It was
the second shutout in three starts for Kershaw, who has an active scoreless streak of 29 consecutive
innings.
Kershaw in his last three starts has 38 strikeouts, no walks and has allowed no runs in 26 innings. He has
45 strikeouts since his last walk, and leads the majors with 185 strikeouts.
The Dodgers were already in wait-and-see made for the weekend, wanting to possibly give Zack Greinke
an extra day of rest rather than have him pitch Friday against the Angels.
If Kershaw is scratched, Mike Bolsinger is the likely candidate to pitch Wednesday. He last pitched last
Wednesday in Atlanta, going seven strong innings for a win.
The deal for Mat Latos hasn't yet been announced, but he last pitched on Sunday, giving the Dodgers
plenty of weekend options. But it sounds like Kershaw, Greinke and Latos in some order could pitch
against the Angels, but of course there are still over 51 hours before the non-waiver trade deadline so
the Dodgers might add even yet another pitcher by then.
Dodgers acquire Mat Latos, Mike Morse, draft pick from Marlins for 3 minor leaguers, per reports
By Eric Stephen
The Dodgers made their first big splash before the non-waiver trade deadline on Wednesday, acquiring
pitcher Mat Latos and outfielder / first baseman Mike Morse and a Competitive Balance draft pick from
the Marlins in exchange for three minor leaguers, per Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald and Ken
Gurnick of MLB.com.
More details certainly to follow, but here is what we know.
Latos, 27, definitely fits the bill as someone whose peripherals are outperforming his superficial ones.
Latos is 4-7 with a 4.48 ERA in 16 starts, with 79 strikeouts and 25 walks in 88⅓innings this season. His
FIP is 3.34, his xFIP is 3.55 and his SIERA is 3.70.
He averaged 180 innings and 164 strikeouts in 29 starts from 2010-2014 with a 3.27 ERA, a 116 ERA+.
Morse, 33, is having a bad year in Miami, hitting .214/.277/.314, but he is one year removed from hitting
.279/.336/.475 with 16 home runs for the Giants.
Latos is making $9.5 million this season and will be a free agent at the end of the year. He has roughly
$3.48 million remaining on his salary.
Morse is making $7 million this year and $8 million in 2016, per Cot's, and sounds a lot like the freight
used to buy an extra draft pick at the very least. He has roughly $2.56 million remaining in 2015.
The Marlins might be sending money in the deal, per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, but the details aren't
yet known.
The Competitive Balance pick is one of 12 draft picks that can be traded, though each pick can be traded
only once so this is the Dodgers' to keep. The pick is the fifth pick in Competitive Balance Round A, which
is after the first round and supplemental first round.
Chris Anderson continues his up and down season
By David Hood
Chris Anderson's up and down season was put on full display in an uneven outing, and we are officially
on #hugwatch at Oneok Field.
Chris Anderson
Seemingly trading good starts for poor ones with regularity, I was anxious to see just which Chris
Anderson would show up on Tuesday night. We ended up with a little of both, as Anderson struggled
mightily early, righted the ship for a few innings, before succumbing to fatigue in the sixth.
While Anderson showed impressive mid to upper 90's stuff in the early part of the season, everything
was a tick or two down last night. His fastball sat 91-93 for the first two innings, but krept up to 93-94 in
the third and fourth, touching 95 mph once on my gun. Anderson's typical sink was missing from his
fastball, but he still had solid average life on the pitch.
It was command of the fastball that betrayed him. Anderson struggled to locate the pitch all night,
missing in all directions. Early in the season, Anderson had issues with the pitch running too much. That
wasn't the case Tuesday, as Anderson fought his release point from the stretch for the first few innings.
Anderson settled in in the middle of the outing and looked solid. His slider wasn't as crisp as I've seen it,
but he could throw strikes with it. Anderson couldn't find a pitch to put past Cardinal hitters, but got
them to hit the fastball and slider into the ground for the most part.
Anderson has been a model of durability in his time with the Dodgers, and some fatigue might be setting
in during the hot months of the southwest states. I still think the overall command issue makes him a
better candidate for relief, but he does have appeal as a durable workhorse mid-rotation starter if he
can locate the fastball with more regularity.
#hugwatch
A bizarre substitution occurred in the first inning, with Drillers manager receiving a note from the bat
boy during the bottom half of the first inning, which subsequently led to Brandon Trinkwon exiting the
game and Kyle Farmer shifting out from behind home plate to third base. Trinkwon would later return
to the dugout and showed no signs of injury. From what I hear, the move was in fact related to trade
discussion, but not regarding Trinkwon and not regarding an eminent move, but more of a precaution.
Kyle Farmer
Back to Farmer, it was disappointing to not get the chance to evaluate him from behind the plate, but
Farmer was impressive at the plate. Kyle has a simple set-up in the box, with a short-to-the-ball line
drive stroke and good feel for the barrel. He worked all his contact into both gaps and showed the
characteristics to hit for solid average.
Farmer's approach is more contact oriented, so raw power is not a big factor in his game. while he can
work the gaps and has enough juice for extra base potential, home run totals will likely be around 8-10
in a full season. His bat isn't the quickest and he can be beaten upstairs, but he makes the most of his
ability by getting the barrel in the zone early.
Athletically, Farmer is above average for a catcher, having spent most of his amatuer seasons at
shortstop. He runs well for the position and looked quick on his triple to the left field gap. He's built
stockily but has fluidity to his movements and his added weight since college doesn't look to effect his
range of motion. Farmer looked just fine at third base, as you'd expect from a former shortstop. He has
solid arm strength that I would expect carries over to behind the plate.
Juan Jaime
The most impressive arm strength of the night belonged to Jaime, who hit 98 mph multiple times on my
gun. The fastball is fairly straight but it overpowered hitters in his first inning of work. He was more or
less around the zone with the pitch, though his overall command was just average. Jaime started to
catch too much of the plate with a slightly more diminished fastball late in his second inning, and is likely
best suited for 20-25 pitches per appearance.
Jaime had a curveball with big break that swept across the zone and down to the bottom of the left
handed batter's box. It's fairly easy to pick up out of hand and could use some firming up to keep the
pitch in the zone. He also showed a change-up that was thrown too firm and lacked life.
Pablo Fernandez earns 1st U.S. win, Cody Bellinger homers twice
By Eric Stephen
The minor league side for the Dodgers on Tuesday featured the $8 million man collecting his first win in
the organization, plus strong games from a pair of fourth-round picks.
Player of the day
Cuban import Pablo Fernandez continues to get stretched out, and on Tuesday garnered his first
professional win in the United States with six strong innings for Class-A Great Lakes. The 25-year-old
right-hander struck out six and walked none, and didn't allow a hit until a home run in the fourth inning.
"Especially to start the game, when you get nine guys in a row it gives us all the momentum," third
baseman Michael Ahmed told reporters. "The quicker our pitcher gets us off the field, the better and
more confident we are going to feel."
That was the only run allowed by Fernandez, who in 22⅓ minor league innings this year has 23
strikeouts and three walks.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
OKC fell on the road 7-6 to the Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals). First baseman Andy Wilkins with 2-for-4
with a home run in defeat and Eliot Johnson, starting at third base, was 2-for-4 with a double. Adam
Liberatore pitched a scoreless inning.
Corey Seager was 1-for-5 with a home run, his first in his fourth game back since returning from missing
a week with a stomach virus.
Double-A Tulsa
Chris Anderson tied a season-high with five walks, allowing five runs in six innings in the Drillers' 6-5
home loss to the Springfield Cardinals. Relief pitcher Juan Jaime struck out three in two innings, but took
the loss allowing a run on a hit and a walk.
Kyle Farmer, whose start at catcher and first-inning move to third base had him very loosely connected
to trade rumors, was 2-for-4 with a walk and three RBI, including a two-run triple that tied the game in
the ninth inning.
Class-A Rancho Cucamonga
Cody Bellinger homered twice, leading the Quakes to a 9-6 road win over the Lancaster JetHawks
(Astros). Bellinger, drafted by the Dodgers in the fourth round in 2013, leads Rancho Cucamonga with 20
home runs and 69 RBI, though has had a weird July. This month the 20-year-old Bellinger has seven
home runs in 23 games but he also has 28 strikeouts and 12 walks in 103 plate appearances, hitting
.195/.304/.494.
Caleb Dirks, acquired from Atlanta on July 2 for international bonus slot space, allowed a home run in
the ninth inning but struck out three. It was his first run allowed since joining the Quakes. In nine
innings, Dirks has allowed one run on seven hits and two walks, with 16 strikeouts.
Low Class-A Great Lakes
In addition to Fernandez pitching well, the Loons got off to a hot start, riding a three-run first inning to a
4-1 home win over the South Bend Cubs. Leadoff man Michael Ahmed started the game with a home
run, and 2015 draftee Kyle Garlick added a two-run triple in the opening frame.
Rookie-level Ogden
Two errors fueled a four-run ninth inning, leading the Grand Junction Rockies to a 9-6 win over the
Raptors. In defeat, Willie Calhoun, playing second base and batting leadoff, had two doubles and a
triple. Calhoun, the Dodgers' fourth-round pick this year, in addition to his 18 extra-base hits in 36
games has more walks (20) than strikeouts (17).
Edwin Rios, the Dodgers' sixth-round pick in 2015 who signed on the final deadline day of Aug. 17,
missed Tuesday's game after suffering a hamstring injury on Monday in his fifth professional game.
Transactions
Triple-A: OKC swapped catchers, with Shawn Zarraga placed on the seven-day disabled list, and Ryan
Scott called up from Ogden. In addition, pitchers Steve Smith and Grant Dayton were placed on the
nebulous temporary inactive list.
Miscellany
Playing catch-up from earlier in the week, Quakes pitcher Chase DeJong was named on Monday the
California League Pitcher of the Week after striking out nine in five perfect innings of relief on Friday.
Also on Monday, three players from Ogden were named Pioneer League All-Stars - Willie Calhoun, Matt
Jones, and Nick Sell. Infielder a Nick Dean also made the team, receiving the most fan votes, but won't
play because he was already promoted to Class-A Great Lakes.
Tuesday box scores
Memphis 7, Oklahoma City 6
Springfield 6, Tulsa 5
Rancho Cucamonga 9, Lancaster 6
Great Lakes 4, South Bend 1
Grand Junction 9, Ogden 6
AZL Mariners 4, AZL Dodgers 2
DSL Red Sox 9, DSL Dodgers 2
Wednesday schedule
9:35 a.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Eric Stuts) at Memphis (Tyler Lyons)
4:05 p.m.: South Bend (Trevor Clifton) at Great Lakes (Isaac Anderson)
5:05 p.m.: Springfield (Andrew Morales) at Tulsa (Deck McGuire)
6 p.m.: Grand Junction (Javier Medina) at Ogden (Josh Sborz / Philip Pfeifer)
6:30 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Chase DeJong) at Lancaster (Keegan Yuhl)
Don Mattingly backs slumping, frustrated Joc Pederson
By Eric Stephen
LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers continued their offensive woes on Tuesday night, getting shutout on three
hits by Sonny Gray and the Athletics. Though he was hardly alone, Joc Pederson continued his rough July
going 0-for-4 with three more strikeouts.
Pederson is hitting .228/.352/.464 on the season, though the first of those three numbers gets cited the
most, usually along with the major-league leading strikeout total, now up to 122 on the season.
"I didn't think he would strikeout this much. It's more than I want," manager Don Mattingly said. "But
you still see the huge upside. Everything about Joc is really what I like, as far as his work ethic, what kind
of teammate he is, and how he goes about his business. When you have the talent and you work at it,
you're going to see improvement. It's not always easy during the course of the season."
In July, Pederson is hitting just .176/.239/.271 with one home run and 28 strikeouts in 92 plate
appearances. But what is troubling is that Pederson has just four walks during that time.
"He seems to be frustrated. I'm a little bit [concerned]," said Mattingly, who added there has been talk
of moving Pederson out of the leadoff spot, where Pederson has started 67 of the last 81 games.
The strikeout rate for Pederson has been relatively constant all year, ranging from 28.6 percent in April
to 30.1 percent in May, to 28.2 percent in June, followed by 30.4 percent in July.
Pederson's walk rate for the first three months combined was 17.0 percent, but stands at 4.3 percent in
July.
Pederson heard the boos after his third strikeout, caught swinging by Gray to end the sixth. Perhaps part
of the crowd reaction was the pent up frustration of a night of Gray dominating, but it was Pederson
who took the brunt of it.
While clearly not aesthetically appealing, strikeouts cause people to lose their minds. Pederson, a Home
Run Derby finalist with a penchant for swinging hard all the time, is an easy target.
But it's not that simple.
"He's working on different things. It's not like he's just going up there, I know it looks like he's swinging
for the fences all the time. That's not what he's trying to do," Mattingly explained. "He's trying to get
inside the ball a little bit using his bottom hand. He's frustrated.
"At some point Joc's going to get that front side thing, and he's going to be a monster. He's going to be
tough to get out."
The Dodgers could use a monster or two in their lineup right now.
The club is averaging just 3.5 runs per game in July, have scored four runs in their last three games
combined, and have scored two or fewer runs in 30 of their last 66 contests.
Up next
The Dodgers turn to Clayton Kershaw for Wednesday's series finale, looking to extend his 29-inning
scoreless streak. The Athletics will start Jesse Chavez, who was born in Victorville and went to Riverside
Community College.
Sonny Gray dominates Dodgers in 2-0 A's win
By Eric Stephen
LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers were dominated on Tuesday night by Athletics ace Sonny Gray, who
allowed just two hits in his 2-0 shutout win at Dodger Stadium.
It was the eighth time the Dodgers have been shutout this season, but just the second time at home,
joining July 5 against the Mets.
Gray struck out nine on the night, and didn't allow anyone to reach base until Adrian Gonzalez doubled
in the fourth inning. That was one of just three Dodgers hits on the night. But hey, they also walked
once.
A single by Howie Kendrick in the ninth inning brought Gonzalez to the plate as the tying run with two
outs in the ninth, but Gray got him to fly out to center field to end the game.
"There were a couple of hard-hit balls, but other than that not a lot going on," manager Don Mattingly
said.
Gray also singled in the eighth inning for his first major league hit. It was his seventh major league plate
appearance, and first game batting this season.
Brett Anderson was just fine on six days rest, pitching one week after leaving a start early with an
Achilles injury. The first five pitches of the game told the story of the night, really.
He allowed a first-pitch single by Billy Burns, a line drive back through the box that knocked Anderson
down.
"I wasn't really easing into the game," Anderson quipped. "It was a rocket at your face for the first pitch
and you realize you're right back at it."
Anderson then walked Marcus Semien on four pitches, setting Oakland up with a rally. Anderson being
Anderson, he allowed three ground balls to end the inning, but the first two of them were enough to
bring home the run.
From there Anderson cruised, not allowing another run until Josh Reddick homered in the seventh
inning. That was one of just three fly balls allowed in seven innings by Anderson, who induced 14 ground
ball outs.
"It was kind of typical Brett. He got ground balls, changed speeds," Mattingly said. "He was pretty good."
Reddick also doubled and singled in the game.
Tuesday particulars
Home run: Josh Reddick (13)
WP - Sonny Gray (11-4): 9 IP, 3 hits, 1 walk, 9 strikeouts
LP - Brett Anderson (5-6): 7 IP, 5 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts
Dodgers notes: Carlos Frias, Chris Hatcher, Paco Rodriguez
By Eric Stephen
LOS ANGELES -- A trio of sidelined pitches have made progress this week in their return to the Dodgers,
with Carlos Frias, Chris Hatcher and Paco Rodriguez at various stages in their hopeful return to the
Dodgers.
Carlos Frias will pitch again Friday for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga, continuing to rehab from lower back
tightness. Frias started for the Quakes on Sunday, but was pulled with two outs in the first inning after
allowing two runs on three hits.
"He came out in the first inning because he got to 24. He went down to the bullpen and finished his
throwing. Any time you're on a rehab they're not going to let him throw 30 in an inning."
Frias was scheduled to throw 50 pitches on Sunday, which he did after two simulated innings in the
bullpen after he was removed from the game.
Having Frias unavailable to return to the Dodgers this weekend explains in part why Zach Lee is still on
the active roster. The Dodgers rotation is very much in flux at the moment, with Friday's non-waiver
trade deadline looming.
Zack Greinke will start Friday or Saturday, depending on whether the Dodgers want to give him an extra
day of rest after his Sunday start. Mike Bolsinger will factor in there somewhere, likely Friday or
Saturday, but that could change depending on when the Dodgers' new expected acquisition is ready to
pitch.
David Price and Mike Leake pitched on Tuesday for the Tigers and Reds, respectively, so neither would
be available until Sunday, while Cole Hamels was scratched from his scheduled Thursday start for the
Phillies as the deadline nears.
Brett Anderson started Tuesday night for the Dodgers and might be in line for a Sunday start as well,
though the team might want to use the off day(s) to give him extra rest as well.
Chris Hatcher will pitch another inning for Rancho Cucamonga on Wednesday. The right-hander has
struck out four with no walks in two innings for the Quakes so far in his rehab assignment, allowing two
runs on four hits. Hatcher last pitched for the Dodgers on June 14, sidelined with left mid-back
inflammation.
Paco Rodriguez, who had arthroscopic surgery on his left elbow on July 2, has started a light throwing
program. Don Mattingly said there isn't yet a timetable for Rodriguez's return, though initial reports had
Rodriguez possibly back in early September.
"Paco is doing really well," Mattingly said. "He's feeling great."
Don Mattingly says he hasn't heard any Yasiel Puig trade talk
By Eric Stephen
LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig has been the subject of trade rumors in recent days, but
manager Don Mattingly said on Tuesday he hasn't heard anything from the front office about trading
Puig.
"There hasn't been any kind of talk with me about Puig getting traded," Mattingly said. "Everyone's
always available if you think about it. There has been no talk between the front office and me.
"I'm assuming if something was really, really going on, they would tell me."
Most of the rumors have resulted around conflicting reports that the Dodgers front office has or has not
assured Puig he won't be traded.
Ken Rosenthal at Fox Sports over the weekend did a good job in outlining what a Puig trade might look
like should the Dodgers decide to move him. In short, the team isn't dumping him for a rental player
anytime soon.
But because Puig is Puig, the mere thought or slightest mention of a possible trade causes people to lose
their minds and speculate wildly.
"Yasiel is a lightning rod in all areas," Mattingly said. "I really look at it like there are so many rumors
flying around this time of year. On our field level, we're trying to keep guys focused on what they're
doing, and try to keep guys from going outside of that."
Puig is hitting just .253/.327/.423 with six home runs in 53 games this season.
"Before the break, he looked a little rough. Since the break, I'm not sure what the numbers are but the
at-bats have been better for me. I think he's been fine, but he hit a couple homers recently. I think he's
been better."
Puig hit two home runs and drove in eight runs in the 10-game road trip, but hit just .212/.250/.394 on
the trip.
"I know he's been working in the cage, working on a few things. Trying to keep his lines a little
straighter, a little less turn. I think he understands he's not swinging as well as he's capable of,"
Mattingly said. "As long as the work continues and it's good, I think the results will fall into place."
Mattingly said on Tuesday that Carl Crawford's role right now is basically that of a bench player, though
occasionally he will spell Puig against some right-handed pitchers, with Andre Ethier moving to right
field and Crawford in left.
Dodgers offense bereft of opportunities
By Eric Stephen
LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers return home amid several trade rumors, with the focus on pitching like
Cole Hamels, David Price plus various relief pitchers. But as they begin a two-game series against the
Athletics, the Dodgers need to pick their offense up off the mat.
The Dodgers are tops in the National League in wRC+ (112), which is adjusted for park and league, and
are tied with San Francisco atop the NL in adjusted OPS+ (112). Unadjusted, the Dodgers are second to
the Rockies in both OPS (.753) and wOBA (.329).
Yet the team is only fifth in the league with 4.13 runs scored per game.
Part of the disconnect is that the Dodgers are truly terrible on the bases. They have just 20 stolen bases,
18 fewer than the next-worst team (Washington), and have been caught 23 times, a horrific 46.5-
percent success rate. The Dodgers are 26th in MLB in baserunning runs by Baseball Prospectus and 29th
in MLB per FanGraphs, between 9.4 and 14.4 runs below average.
The other culprit is runners in scoring position.
In 2014 the Dodgers lead the majors in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS
and had more plate appearances in that situation, not that it stopped anyone from complaining that the
club couldn't hit in that situation.
This year, the Dodgers are hitting .260/.349/.419 with runners in scoring position, ranking 12th in
batting average, seventh in on-base percentage, 10th in slugging percentage and eighth in OPS. Overall,
the Dodgers are hitting .253/.328/.435, ranking 13th in batting average, fourth in OBP, fifth in slugging
percentage, and fourth in OPS.
Their numbers with RISP aren't that far out of line with their overall numbers.
But the real problem is that the Dodgers have just 865 plate appearances with runners in scoring
position, ranking 27th in MLB. They have batted with runners in scoring position in 23.2 percent of their
plate appearances in 2015, after 27.9 percent last year.
The club scored just 37 runs in 10 games on the road, and are averaging just 3.67 runs per game in July.
Joc Pederson this month is hitting .185/.250/.284, and Howie Kendrick is hitting .232/.264/.280, both in
88 plate appearances. They hit first and second on most nights.
Yasiel Puig is hitting .187/.235/.347 in July, in 81 plate appearances.
They have to face Sonny Gray in the opener against Oakland. The right-hander is sixth in MLB with a 2.30
ERA.
The Dodgers are home, where they have excelled on offense in 2015. They have played 50 games at
home and 50 games on the road this year, and are averaging 4.42 runs per game at Dodger Stadium and
3.84 runs elsewhere.
DODGER INSIDER
The long view of Yasiel Puig
By Jon Weisman
Two years to the day after 22-year-old Yasiel Puig’s thrilling, extra-inning walkoff homer to beat the
Reds, it’s fascinating to see how many people are ready to shut the door on 24-year-old Yasiel Puig’s
future as a baseball player.
Puig’s in a slump, it’s fair to say. He’s coming off a mixed bag of a week in which his only two hits were
home runs, and his OPS has dropped from 1.047 on June 12 to .750 today.
Here’s where I point out what should be obvious:
1) His OPS was 1.047 on June 12. That’s very good.
2) One good week would halt the complaining, and one good month would render it laughable.
It would take a deep level of cynicism to assume Puig wasn’t capable of such a turnaround.
Though they are not the same player, I continue finding it hard to resist comparing Puig with the four
other hitters in Los Angeles Dodger history that have made the greatest impact by age 22: Tommy Davis,
Willie Davis, Steve Sax and Adrian Beltre.
Beltre PuigSax DavisLook at their adjusted OPS year-by-year, and how inconsistent the path is. (Needless
to say, although he isn’t included in this chart, Matt Kemp would fit as well.)
The impatience with Beltre, one of the greatest all-around third basemen baseball has seen, is still a
viscerally unpleasant memory for me.
It’s so convenient, even comforting, to think that young players develop in a solidly upward trajectory,
but it’s just a fantasy. Kids have growing pains — mental and physical — and adjustments can take
weeks, months or even years. Or haven’t you noticed?
What kind of player will Puig ultimately be? I have no idea. But this idea that the clock has run out on
him, that if he hasn’t fixed what’s bothering him yet, he won’t fix it at all, is far too reactionary for my
tastes.
And not for nothing: Puig at his worst is still a player with value.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs New York Mets
Dodger manager Don Mattingly said that Puig has shown signs of improvement since the All-Star Break.
“I think he’s been better lately,” Mattingly said. “Before the break, he looked a little rough. … I know
he’s been working in the cage, doing certain things, trying to keep his lines a little straighter, a little less
turned. I think he understands he’s not swinging as well as he’s capable of.
“We’re trying to get him straight, but he’s just got a lot of body turn — stuck in. It’s kind of, ‘Which came
first — the chicken or the egg?’ You line up turned in, and you end up having to spin. It creates length,
and it creates vision problems and everything else. So we’re just trying to get him straight.”
Needless to say, it would be naive to expect a sudden mellowing of opinions on Puig.
“Yasiel, obviously, is pretty much of a lightning rod in all areas,” Mattingly said. “No matter if he’s doing
good or doing bad, or makes a good throw or makes a bad throw, or gets a hit or doesn’t get a hit, he’s
pretty much a lightning rod.”
Leg infection slows Justin Turner
By Jon Weisman
Justin Turner is out of tonight’s starting lineup after having to go to the emergency room today to
address a worsening infection in his leg.
The problem began with something “like a pimple” while Turner was in New York, according to Dodger
manager Don Mattingly. He was given antibiotics, but the condition continued to worsen over Monday’s
off day.
“He came in today, and it was a lot worse,” Mattingly said. “We should know more by the end of the
night. It had kind of blown up — it wasn’t very pretty.”
Turner hit .424/.457/.727 with four doubles and two homers on the recently completed road trip,
capped by his two-base hit in the Dodgers’ ninth-inning rally Sunday in New York. Turner went out for a
pinch-runner after that double, but that was not health-related.
Among all Major Leaguers with at least 250 plate appearances, Turner is fifth in weighted runs created,
behind only Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, Paul Goldschmidt and Miguel Cabrera. He is 16th among big-
leaguers in Wins Above Replacement.
Dodgers open Kosher food stand tonight, Jewish Community Night coming August 30
By Jon Weisman
Beginning tonight, the Dodgers are opening a Kosher stand that will begin service by offering three types
of Kosher hot dogs.
Located at the grill adjacent to Tommy Lasorda’s Trattoria in the right-field plaza, the stand will offer a
Kosher Dog and a Jalapeno Kosher Dog for $9 each and a Kosher Italian Sausage for $10.
The stand will be open at Dodger home games except Friday and Saturdays and Jewish holidays.
Additional food items will be added in the future.
In addition, the Dodgers will celebrate their 16th annual Jewish Community Night on August 30 when
they host the Chicago Cubs at 5:08 p.m.
The Dodgers are offering a special ticket package, which includes a voucher for a Dodgers-in-Hebrew T-
shirt and a ticket to the game in the Reserve MVP or Preferred Reserve sections. An additional Kosher
food stand will be available in the Left Field Reserve section. In addition, the first 40,000 fans in
attendance August 30 will also receive Dodger headphones.
A limited number of tickets for Jewish Community Day are still available and can be purchased at
dodgers.com/jewish. In order to receive the commemorative item, fans must purchase the ticket
package through the website. The commemorative item is available while supplies last. Anyone
interested in groups of 20 or more should call (323) 224-2642.
Remembering ’65: When Koufax hit
By Jon Weisman
Sandy Koufax wasn’t much of a hitter in his career, but in July 1965, he arguably had the greatest clutch
at-bat by a starting pitcher in Los Angeles Dodger history.
That month, Koufax was in the midst of an 8-for-18 stretch with a double and five walks, for a .565 on-
base percentage and .500 slugging percentage.
Before a July 20 game against the Astros, Koufax — a career .097 hitter — dismissed his hot streak as
luck to Frank Finch of the Times.
“I hit two balls on the fists and two on the end of the bat and all four of them fell in for base hits,”
Koufax said.
Nevertheless, after Jim Lefebvre and Jim Gilliam walked with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning
of a 2-2 tie against the Astros, Dodger manager Walter Alston had Koufax, batting .217 at the time,
come up to the plate.
In the words of Finch, Koufax “kissed Ron Taylor’s first pitch for a solid single between shortstop and
third” to win the game. It remains the only time in Los Angeles Dodger history that a starting pitcher has
delivered a walkoff hit. (Note: This does not include pitchers being used as pinch-hitters, such as Tim
Leary in 1988.)
Amazingly, the only other Dodger starting pitcher with a walkoff hit, Brooklyn’s Whit Wyatt, did it twice
in the same year.
Koufax’s all-around effort gave the Dodgers a 3 1/2-game lead in the National League, their largest
advantage since June 21. It was also the 11th straight win for Koufax (17-3), a three-hit, 10-strikeout
complete game in which he retired the last 12 Astros.
Of course, when it came to the No. 9 spot in the batting order, Koufax had to be at his absolute best to
one-up Don Drysdale. The day before Koufax’s heroics, Drysdale went 2 for 4 with a double in an 8-3
victory over Houston. And the day after, Drysdale had a pinch-hit RBI single in a 6-4 loss to the Braves.
(To hammer the point home about Drysdale’s hitting ability, the Dodgers had Willie Crawford available
off the bench, but saved him to pinch-run after Drysdale reached base.)
In his next game, Drysdale homered — his fifth of the season — to raise his OPS for the year at that
point to .959.
Hitting prowess by Dodger pitchers extended to an Old-Timers Game played between alumni of the
Dodgers and Giants at Shea Stadium on July 24, 1965. Bobby Thomson — go figure — hit a home run off
Van Lingle Mungo to give the Giants an early 2-0 lead. But in the final inning, Don Newcombe knocked a
two-run double to tie the game, before scoring on Eddie Stanky’s go-ahead double in a 4-2 Dodger
victory.
Assemblymembers Jimmy Gomez and David Chu swap districts — but not allegiances
By Yvonne Carrasco
Starting today, two members of the California State Assembly — each from one side of one of the
biggest rivalries in baseball, Los Angeles and San Francisco — will swap districts.
Assemblymember Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles) has headed up north, while assemblymember David
Chiu (D-San Francisco) is now in Los Angeles. This city exchange takes place as the Dodgers also play host
to another Bay Area team, the Oakland Athletics, for a two-game interleague series starting today at
7:10 p.m.
During this three-day period over the Legislature’s summer recess, the two assemblymembers will take
part in the swap in an effort to learn more about the challenges and success faced in their similar
communities, business corridors and industries. Both districts feature vibrant neighborhoods with small
business corridors, emerging Latino and Asian communities and innovative entertainment and
technology industries.
Their tours were kicking off this morning at Dodger Stadium and AT&T Park. The Dodgers were
scheduled to give Chiu a behind-the-scenes peek at Dodger Stadium, and he will be back tonight to take
in the Dodger game. Meanwhile, Gomez kicks off his Bay Area tour at AT&T Park and will attend the
Giants game tonight as well.
Details on this event were provided by Assemblymember Jimmy Gomez’s office and the Dodgers’
Community Relations department. Please visit Gomez’s Facebook page for more information.
Now the only question we have for each assemblymember is, will he keep his favorite team’s hat on at
tonight’s games?
YAHOO SPORTS
New Clipper Paul Pierce bounces ceremonial first pitch before Dodgers game
By Dan Devine
After spending the last 17 years balling on the East Coast with the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets and
Washington Wizards, Paul Pierce — a native of Inglewood, Calif. — has finally returned to the West
Coast, signing a three-year, $10 million deal to rejoin former Celtics head coach Doc Rivers with the Los
Angeles Clippers. Like many new additions and returning heroes before him, Pierce was invited by his
new/old town's baseball team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before
Tuesday night's game against the Oakland A's, which the Dodgers had christened "Clippers Night."
For the 37-year-old shot-maker, it would, somewhat regrettably, be a night to remember.
That's not why they brought you here, Paul. Maybe you should have stepped back instead of forward
toward the plate.
OK, well, that's not ideal. Not 50 Cent bad, but still, not exactly the way Pierce drew it up. We'll give the
veteran some time to come up with what he feels is the appropriate emoji/clip art to convey his feelings
after the toss, though if we may be so bold, we'd suggest ๐ or perhaps .
Then again, there's a decent chance that Pierce was trying to take a little something off here. (Even if he
didn't call "bank.") After all, the last time he took the mound for a ceremonial first pitch — at Fenway
Park, after the Celtics won the 2008 NBA championship — an amped-up Truth fired one high and
outside of the reach of Boston Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek:
Sometimes, in an attempt to correct the mistakes of the past, we overcompensate. Sorry, Paul. Maybe
work on finding a happy medium over the next seven years, and come back in 2022 to send one right
down the middle.
While it's probably fair to assume that at least some of the boos that cascaded down upon Pierce were
specifically targeted at his short-hop, it likely also had quite a bit to do with the colors the prodigal son
has chosen to rock upon his return. Even when toting his adorable son, Chris Paul has felt the sting of
anti-Clipper sentiment in Chavez Ravine more than once; after decades of purple-and-gold dominance,
L.A. is still, for the most part, a Lakers town, even if the recent past and present very clearly favor the
Clippers, who have made the playoffs for four straight years and, with DeAndre Jordan back in the fold
alongside new additions Pierce, Lance Stephenson and Josh Smith, figures to once again rank among the
top contenders for the Western Conference title.
We're guessing the boos didn't bother Pierce too much, though. He's got an awful lot of experience
making Lakers fans angry.
LEADING OFF: Kershaw's streak, All-Stars on new teams
By Associated Press
A look at what's happening all around the major leagues today:
KERSHAW'S STREAK: Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw (8-6) looks to extend his streak of 29 straight
scoreless innings when he faces Jesse Chavez (5-6, 3.45 ERA) and the Oakland A's. Kershaw was perfect
through six innings against the Mets on Thursday and settled for a 3-0 shutout.
TULO WITH TORONTO: Five-time All-Star Troy Tulowitzki, acquired from the Colorado Rockies in a swap
of shortstops, could made his Toronto Blue Jays debut Wednesday. The Blue Jays also obtained reliever
LaTroy Hawkins from the Rockies for shortstop Jose Reyes and minor league pitchers.
PAPELBON ON CONTENDER: The Nationals expect new closer Jonathan Papelbon to be in Miami with
the team on Wednesday, a day after the All-Star was acquired from Philadelphia. Papelbon, the Phillies'
career saves leader with 123, wanted to be traded to a contender.
LOOKING FOR A W: The Detroit Tigers and Tampa Bay Rays close a three-game series with a pair of
starting pitchers looking to get back on the winning track. Tigers RHP Justin Verlander (0-3) will try for
his first victory of the season in his eighth start since returning from a right triceps injury. The Rays
counter with RHP Chris Archer (9-7), 0-3 since beating Toronto June 23.
TROUT'S SORE WRIST: Home run leader (31) Mike Trout, who is nursing a sore wrist, looks to get back in
the starting lineup against Houston in the second of a three-game series between the top teams in the
AL West. Team officials say Trout is day to day.
CBS SPORTS
Marlins trade Mat Latos, Mike Morse to Dodgers: Four things to know
By Mike Axisa
The Dodgers have landed some rotation help, but not a huge name like everyone expected. The club has
acquired right-hander Mat Latos and first baseman/outfielder Michael Morse from the Marlins, CBS
Sports Baseball Insider Jon Heyman has confirmed.
Here are the trade details:
The Dodgers are reportedly sending three prospects to Miami in the trade.
Behind Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke, the Dodgers currently have Brett Anderson and Mike
Bolsinger in the rotation. Latos will step into the fifth spot. Hyun-Jin Ryu (shoulder) and Brandon
McCarthy (Tommy John) are both done for the year following surgery.
Latos, 27, is 4-7 with a 4.48 ERA (85 ERA+) in 16 starts and 88 1/3 innings this season, but he has been
much better of late. He has a 2.96 ERA in seven starts and 45 2/3 innings since coming back from a DL
stint in mid-June. Latos had been sidelined by knee inflammation.
The Dodgers don't appear to have much use for Morse with Adrian Gonzalez at first base and a glut of
outfielders. It seems likely the club agreed to take on Morse's contract -- he is owed approximately
$11.5 million through next season -- to lower the prospect price. They could flip Morse to another team
or simply release him.
The prospects going to the Marlins are unknown at this time. The draft pick is from the recently
completed competitive balance lottery -- those are the only draft picks that can be traded -- and figures
to be in the 30-40 overall pick range come draft day. The final slot won't be decided until after the
offseason, when free agents tied to draft pick compensation sign.
The Marlins are currently in sell mode, having already traded ex-closer Steve Cishek to the Cardinals.
They have several other rental players they could move as well, including Dan Haren and Jeff Baker.
Martin Prado, who is signed through 2016, could also be on the block.
The Dodgers come into Wednesday at 56-45, just a half-game up on the Giants in the NL West. Kershaw
and Greinke have combined to throw 45.5 percent of the team's rotation innings. They simply needed
someone like Latos to soak up innings and give the bullpen a rest.
Mat Latos and Mike Morse are the newest Dodgers.
Mat Latos and Mike Morse are the newest Dodgers. (USATSI)
FOUR THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE TRADE
1. Latos has pitched very well the last few weeks.
The overall numbers are not pretty. Latos has a 4.48 ERA (85 ERA+) with a 1.25 WHIP this season, and
opponents are hitting .251/.302/.354 against him. But, since returning from a knee inflammation-related
DL stint, Latos has a 2.96 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP, and batters are hitting just .198/.242/.335 against him.
That post-DL perfomance looks very much like the healthy Latos we saw from 2012-13. That guy had a
3.19 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP, holding opponents to a .239/.298/.377 batting line. Latos probably won't be
this good going forward, but he's not a true talent 85 ERA+ pitcher either. Latos has had elbow and knee
problems the last two seasons but seems to be healthy now.
2. Latos has regained his velocity.
No coincidentally, Latos has found some more velocity since coming back from his knee trouble this
year. He sat in the 93-95 mph range from 2012-13, dropping down to 91-92 mph last year and earlier
this year, but is again bumping 93-95 nowadays. Here's the month-by-month velocity graph from Brooks
Baseball:
Velocity isn't everything but it's not nothing either. The extra oomph gives Latos more margin for error
and makes his offspeed stuff -- curveball, slider and changeup, specifically -- a bit more effective because
hitters have to respect the heat. The bump to 2012-13 levels of velocity indicates Latos is healthy and in
a good place mechanically.
3. The Dodgers "bought" another draft pick.
Earlier this year, the Dodgers essentially bought a 2015 draft pick. They acquired the 74th overall
selection from the Orioles by taking on Ryan Webb's contract ($2.69 million), which the O's no longer
wanted on the books. Webb was released by the Dodgers soon after the trade. As this trade and the
Webb trade show, Los Angeles is using their financial might by taking on bad contracts from other
teams, as long as they throw in a draft pick. It's a smart strategy for a huge market team.
4. The Marlins have traded three draft picks in three years.
For the third time in three years, the Marlins have traded their competitive balance lottery pick. Their
traded their 2014 pick to the Pirates for Bryan Morris, their 2015 pick to the Astros in the Jarred Cosart
trade, and their 2016 pick to the Dodgers for salary relief. I'm not opposed to trading draft picks for
actual MLB players, but using it to shed a contract like with Morse? That shows the system is not
working as designed. The competitive balance lottery pick system was implemented to help small
market teams add prospects, not sell off for financial relief.
USA TODAY
Dodgers acquire Mat Latos, Michael Morse from Marlins
By Ben Nightengale
The Los Angeles Dodgers, who vowed to come away with two starting pitchers by Friday’s trade
deadline, made the first move by acquiring right-handed starter Mat Latos and first baseman/outfielder
Michael Morse from the Miami Marlins, according to a high-ranking baseball official with direct
knowledge of the trade.
The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because the trade has not yet been
announced after being first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.
The Dodgers, who still are actively pursuing David Price of the Detroit Tigers and Cole Hamels of the
Philadelphia Phillies, are sending three minor-league players to the Marlins while also receiving the
Marlins’ No. 34 compensation pick.
The Marlins, who traded for Latos in the off-season and signed Morse to a two-year free-agent contract,
will save about $13 million in the deal. The Dodgers are assuming the remaining $9.4 million of Latos’
contract and $7 million in Morse’s deal, along with Morse’s $8 million salary in 2016.
Latos is 4-7 with a 4.48 ERA, and will slide into the back end of a rotation that has struggled after aces
Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. They lost right-hander Brandon McCarthy (Tommy John surgery) and
lefty Hyun-jin Ryu (shoulder) to injuries earlier this season.
Morse lost his starting job with the Marlins after hitting just .214 in 52 games, and likely will be used
strictly as a bench player.
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
Dodgers' shaky rotation gets lift with trade for Marlins' Mat Latos
By Cliff Corcoran
The Dodgers finally have a fifth starter, and not a moment too soon. Just half-a-game ahead of the
surging Giants for first place in the National League West, Los Angeles has acquired righthander Mat
Latos from the Marlins in a five-player deal that finds the Dodgers sending three as-of-yet-unnamed
prospects to Miami for Latos, first baseman Michael Morse and a competitive balance pick in the 2016
draft. Morse is irrelevant here, a salary dump who will likely be immediately dropped from the roster,
but Latos is a crucial addition for a team that has effectively been without a fifth starter since Carlos
Frias was put on the disabled list at the end of June with lower back tightness.
Since Frias—himself a replacement for injured starters Hyun-jin Ryu (shoulder surgery) and Brandon
McCarthy (Tommy John surgery)—hit the DL, the Dodgers have used reliever Yimi Garcia, two-time
Tommy John recipient Brandon Beachy (twice) and rookies Ian Thomas (as a paternity replacement for
Zack Greinke) and Zach Lee for a total of five starts. Those four combined to throw just 19 2/3 innings
and posted a 7.78 ERA and 1.78 WHIP. It’s to the Dodgers’ credit that they managed to go 2–3 in those
games, as the only effective outing they received was five innings of one-run ball from Thomas, who has
made a total of 23 starts in seven professional seasons.
Frias was only marginally better before hitting the DL (5.66 ERA in 20 2/3 innings over his last four starts)
and was lit up in his rehab start for high A Rancho Cucamonga on Sunday, failing to make it out of the
first inning. He’ll make another rehab start on Friday, but the Dodgers needed to act now. Since June 15,
the have received nine starts from a pitcher other than Clayton Kershaw, Greinke, Brett Anderson and
Mike Bolsinger. None of those were quality, and the pitchers who made them combined to post a 6.69
ERA and 1.71 WHIP and averaged fewer than 4 2/3 innings pitched per start.
Latos, meanwhile, has posted a 2.96 ERA in seven starts since returning from a disabled list stay for knee
inflammation in mid June and has seen some of his lost velocity return in that span. He has averaged just
above 93 mph with his fastball since returning from the DL (compared to just under 92 earlier in the
season and throughout his injury-riddled 2014 campaign) and hit 97 on the radar gun for the first time
since July 2013 in his June 24 start against the Giants, per BrooksBaseball.net. On the season, Latos’s
strikeout rate has rebounded to its '12–13 level (8.0 K/9) while his other peripherals have remained
constant, resulting in a 3.34 FIP that suggests that his post-DL success is closer to his true level than his
4.48 ERA on the season as a whole. That figure was skewed by his disastrous first start of the year (2/3
IP, 7 R), since which he has posted a 3.80 mark in 15 starts.
Provided he can stay healthy for the remainder of the season (his left knee has sent him to the DL in
each of the last two years), Latos should be a significant upgrade for the Dodgers and could prove crucial
to holding off the Giants in the division. Of course, San Francisco has yet to make a move, and it’s still
possible that one of these two West Coast behemoths could wind up landing another ace. The Giants
have been linked to Cole Hamels and James Shields in the rumor mill, and the Dodgers are reportedly
still interested in adding a higher-profile starter such as Hamels or David Price.
As for the Marlins’ end of things, while we wait to find out which three prospects are involved in the
trade, they likely won't be major names because of the amount of salary relief Miami received in this
deal. The Dodgers will be on the hook for of the money still owed Latos and Morse—just over $3 million
for the former, who will become a free agent in November, but just over $10 million for the latter, who
is under contract for $8 million for the 2016 season. A righthanded first baseman/outfielder who
struggles to stay healthy and hasn’t hit a lick this season (.214/.277/.314 in 173 PA), Morse has no place
on a roster that already has Scott Van Slyke under team control through '19. It’s thus all but a given that
Morse will be designated for assignment no later than Friday evening (after the non-waiver trading
deadline passes), meaning Latos will cost the Dodgers roughly $13.5 million for the remainder of the
season.
As for that competitive balance pick, it’s the 34th overall in next year’s draft. In 2013, that pick was the
one the Royals used to draft lefty Sean Manaea, the key prospect sent to the Athletics in Tuesday’s Ben
Zobrist trade. However, it’s worth noting that Manaea fell that low because he was diagnosed with a
torn hip labrum just days before the draft..
NBC LA
Gray Matters: Athletics Shut Out Dodgers 2-0
By Michael Duarte
Sonny Gray threw a three-hitter for his second shutout this month, and the Oakland Athletics ace
dominated the Dodgers 2-0 on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium.
Gray (11-4) seems to be the only player on the Athletics with job security. The last-place A's have traded
Ben Zobrist, Scott Kazmir and Tyler Clippard over the past week and more could be on the move before
the MLB trade deadline expires on Friday.
Gray was perfect through the first three innings before allowing a two-out double to Adrian Gonzalez. It
was Gonzalez's 26th double of the season, tied for second best in the National League behind Todd
Frazier (30) of the Cincinnati Reds.
Adding insult to injury, Gray also recorded his first ever major league hit in the game, a single down the
first base line to lead off the eighth inning.
The Angels announce they have no plans to temporarily host the NFL, the stalemate continues in San
Diego, and the Raiders will soon know where they’ll call home. Fred Roggin shares the latest on the
return of the NFL. Originally aired on Going Roggin, July 25th, 2015. (Published Monday, Jul 27, 2015)
"I kind of lucked into that one," Gray said of his first big league hit. "Kaz [Kazmir] and I had one bat we
would use to hit with, but he took it with him when he was traded. I got the hit with Bulter's bat, it was
heavy."
Gray became the 27th starting pitcher to go seven innings or more against the Dodgers this season, the
third most in the National League behind the Washington Nationals and Colorado Rockies.
Gray won his sixth consecutive decision on the road and lowered his ERA to 2.16, tops in the American
League. In his last seven starts away from the Oakland Coliseum, Gray is a masterful 6-0 with a 1.05 ERA.
Gray was locked in a pitcher's duel with former teammate Brett Anderson, who faced the Athletics for
the first time as an opposing pitcher. Anderson spent five seasons with the A's from 2009-2013.
Zach Lee Has Disastrous Debut
"He's really, really, good," Anderson said of Gray. "Just playing with him in Oakalnd, you could see his
potential. He's obviously gotten a lot better, is an All-Star, and a tremendous pitcher. You could see that
tonight."
Anderson (5-6) was removed from his start in the third inning last Tuesday with an Achilles injury. He
walked with a noticeable limp on the mound, and was unable to cover first on what should have been a
double play in the first inning, instead allowing a run to score a batter later.
Anderson stayed strong however, giving the Dodgers an important quality start allowing just two runs
on five hits in seven innings.
"Coming off an injury scare and being able to get ground balls like I did before, I'll take it," Anderson said
of his outing. "Unfortunately, it wasn't enough against an All-Star and one of the best pitchers in the
game."
Josh Reddick sent Anderson deep to right field in the seventh inning for a solo shot that made the score
2-0. Reddick went 3-for-4 and finished a triple shy of the cycle against his former teammate.
"There was only two guys in that lineup I played with," Anderson added. "One shut us out, and the other
one got three hits and a home run off me."
Joc Pederson continues to struggle since the All-Star break. The NL All-Star team's staring center field
wore the silver sombrero again on Tuesday going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Pederson has one base
on balls and 15 strikeouts since returning from Cincinnati on July 17th.
Howie Kendrick had two of the Dodgers hits for his 31st multi-hit game of the season, but even the
former AL West star was frustrated when asked what the team could have done differently against Gray.
"Did you see the scoreboard?" Kendrick asked. "If you saw the scoreboard, that's your answer."
Justin Turner was rushed to the emergency room before the game after a bad reaction to an antibiotic
he received for an in-grown hair/pimple over the weekend in New York.
Game Notes:
It was Los Angeles Clippers night at Dodger Stadium as Compton native, and Clips small forward Paul
Pierce threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
The Dodgers were shutout for the eighth time this season and just the second time at home all year.
FOX SPORTS
Rosenthal: Dodgers' Kershaw could be scratched from Wednesday start
By Yahoo Sports
Los Angeles Dodgers ace left-hander Clayton Kershaw might be scratched from his start Wednesday
night against the Oakland Athletics, FOX Sports Insider Ken Rosenthal first reported.
And, no, Kershaw isn't about to be traded.
Apparently, Kershaw is dealing with a sore hip/glute.
Kershaw will bring a 29-inning scoreless streak into his next start. In his past three outings, he has two
complete-game shutouts and has fanned 38 batters while walking none.
Overall this season, the reigning NL MVP and CY Young Award winner is 8-6 with a 2.51 ERA in 20 starts.
He has struck out a major-league-leading 185 batters in 140 innings.
