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Daily Clips
July 13, 2015
LOS ANGELES DODGERS CLIPSMONDAY, JULY 13, 2015
LA TIMES:Dodgers' Zack Greinke to start for NL in All-Star Game – Bill ShaikinDodgers prospect Hector Olivera continues rehab through All-Star break – Greg HadleyA look at Dodgers and Angels prospects ranked in baseball's top 50 – Bill ShaikinCorey Seager might be baseball's top prospect but when will he be a Dodger? – Bill ShaikinDodgers' Clayton Kershaw excited to be All-Star replacement – Dylan HernandezDodgers rally late to beat the Brewers, 4-3 – Dylan HernandezSmall adjustment pays off big for Dodgers' Ellis – Greg HadleyDodgers' Joc Pederson upgraded to starter for All-Star game – Greg HadleyDodgers use late long ball to top Brewers, 4-3 – Greg HadleyDodgers' Clayton Kershaw added to National League All-Star roster – Greg Hadley
OC REGISTER:Dodgers' Zack Greinke to start for NL in All-Star Game; Angels' Mike Trout to lead off for AL – Pedro MouraThere's no counting out the Dodgers, who rally for a 4-3 win over Brewers – Bill PlunkettFinal: Dodgers reach All-Star break with another come-from-behind win – Bill PlunkettKershaw, replacing Scherzer, in fifth straight All-Star Game – Bill PlunkettDodgers' Clayton Kershaw named to NL All-Star team, Joc Pederson will start – Bill Plunkett
DODGERS.COM:Pederson to take part in Home Run Derby – Ken GurnickWith one big cut, A-Gon swings game in Dodgers' favor – Steve Bourbon and Adam McCalvyKershaw added to team, Pederson added to lineup – Ken GurnickWhere there's smoke, Dodgers are on fire – Ken GurnickDodgers resume with meeting of division winners in DC – Steve BourbonDodgers prospect Farmer gets taste of Future – Corey BrockNo break for rising star Olivera – Steve Bourbon
LA DAILY NEWS:Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw a last-minute addition to National League All-Star team – JP HoornstraDodgers’ Clayton Kershaw headed to 5th straight All-Star Game – Beth Harris
ESPN LA:Zack Greinke, Dallas Keuchel named All-Star Game starting pitchers – ESPN News ServicesA Q&A with 'The Best Team Money Can Buy' author Molly Knight – Mark SaxonWho are the NL's top 5 first-half surprise guys? – Christina KahrlAfter ho-hum first half, Kershaw welcomes expectations for big finish – Dan ArrittRapid Reaction: Dodgers 4, Brewers 3 – Dan ArrittGonzalez's 2-run homer lifts Dodgers over Brewers 4-3 – Associated PressClayton Kershaw 'no pride' when it comes to making ASG roster – Dan ArrittRyan Braun replaces injured Matt Holliday for NL; Joc Pederson to start – ESPN News Services
TRUEBLUELA.COM:Zack Greinke named National League All-Star starter – Eric StephenDodgers Week 14 review: Going to break on a high note – Eric StephenJoc Pederson batting 8th, starting in LF for NL in All-Star Game – Eric StephenPablo Fernandez, Alex Santana lead Loons to 8-3 win – Craig MinamiDodgers enjoying more late-inning comebacks this season – Eric StephenA.J. Ellis finds his roll in new role – Eric StephenBrett Anderson continues to produce for Dodgers – Eric StephenAdrian Gonzalez home run rescues Dodgers in finale with Brewers – Eric Stephen
Juan Gonzalez strikes out 2 in MLB Futures Game – Eric StephenJimmy Rollins bats leadoff in finale vs. Brewers – Eric StephenJoc Pederson is first Dodgers rookie position player to start an All-Star Game – Eric StephenClayton Kershaw named to All-Star team as replacement for Max Scherzer – Eric StephenBrett Anderson starts homestand finale for Dodgers vs. Brewers – Eric StephenHow to watch Juan Gonzalez, Kyle Farmer in MLB Futures Game – Eric Stephen
DODGER INSIDER:Zack Greinke to start All-Star Game, Joc Pederson in left – Jon WeismanAdrian Gonzalez leaves Dodgers break-dancing – Jon WeismanJoc Pederson officially named NL All-Star starter – Jon WeismanIt’s official: Clayton Kershaw headed to fifth straight All-Star Game – Jon Weisman
GLOBAL POST:Los Angeles Dodgers – PlayerWatch – Sports Xchange
NBC LA:Gerardo Parra and Carlos Gomez Lead Milwaukee Brewers over Dodgers 7-1 on Saturday – Michael Duarte
LOS ANGELES DODGERS CLIPS
MONDAY, JULY 13, 2015
LA TIMES
Dodgers' Zack Greinke to start for NL in All-Star Game
By Bill Shaikin
Zack Greinke will be the starting pitcher for the National League in Tuesday’s All-Star Game, the first
Dodgers pitcher to start an All-Star Game since Brad Penny in 2006.
Greinke leads the major leagues with a 1.39 earned-run average. No other starter has an ERA below
2.00.
Dallas Keuchel of the Houston Astros was selected as starting pitcher for the American League.
Greinke joins teammate Joc Pederson in the NL starting lineup. Pederson, the first Dodgers rookie to
start an All-Star game since Hideo Nomo in 1995, will bat eighth and play left field.
The Angels have two starters as well: center fielder Mike Trout, who will lead off for the AL, and first
baseman Albert Pujols, who will bat third.
Pederson and Pujols are two of the contestants in Monday’s home-run derby. That competition is
scheduled to start at 5 p.m. Pacific time, although rain is in the forecast. The last time the home-run
derby was rained out: 1988, the last time the All-Star Game was played in Cincinnati.
Dodgers prospect Hector Olivera continues rehab through All-Star break
By Greg Hadley
It’s the first day of the All-Star break. Minus the eight players in tonight’s Home Run Derby, everyone in
the majors has at least a little time to relax.
Even in the minor leagues, most players have a few days off.
Just not Hector Olivera.
The Cuban prospect, whom the Dodgers signed last year for $62.5 million, was hitting .387 at triple-A
Oklahoma City when he strained his hamstring June 23. Since then he has been rehabbing in Arizona and
got back on the field with the Dodgers’ Arizona League team on July 7.
In five rehab games, he has gone 5 for 14 at the plate and seen time at second base, third base and
designated hitter. And during the All-Star break, he will continue to train and play in two Arizona League
games, Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly said Sunday.
“The main thing with him is getting back and playing. Once our guys think he’s ready to play, he’ll go,”
Mattingly said.
Mattingly also said Olivera is likely to return to triple-A after the break. Andrew Freidman, Dodgers
president of baseball operations, has said he expects Olivera to make it to the majors this year, but at
the moment, Los Angeles doesn’t have any gaping holes for Olivera to fill. Howie Kendrick and Justin
Turner, playing second and third, respectively, have the two highest batting averages in the club.
Still, Mattingly said Sunday, once Olivera is completely healthy, it would be unlikely that he would stay in
the minors for long.
“When we signed him, we didn’t think he was a triple-A guy. We signed him thinking he was a big
league guy. He just has to be ready to play," Mattingly said. "He has a chance to be part of what we’re
doing for sure.”
If the Dodgers continue to swing the bats the way they have for the last two months, they may bring
Olivera up sooner rather than later. With Sunday’s win, L.A. is 29-28 since May 13, and over that period,
the Dodgers have averaged just 3.6 runs per game after averaging 5.3 to start the year.
Mattingly, however, cautioned against comparing Olivera to the other star Cuban prospect to come
along in the last few years.
“I don’t know if Olivera is the same as [Yasiel] Puig, from the standpoint of Puig just kind of built the
energy. He had a great spring, came up, he made a catch and a play on the first day, got hits all over the
place, just erupted that way.... Hector sounds like he’s pretty solid as far what he does, day in and day
out. The guy can really play.
“I think he gives us another answer or potential guy who can do some things offensively.”
As for the idea that Olivera might make an impact with his flair, Mattingly said he only expects him to
light a spark with his performance, not his personality.
A look at Dodgers and Angels prospects ranked in baseball's top 50
By Bill Shaikin
When Baseball America issued its midseason list of the top 50 prospects last week, Dodgers shortstop
Corey Seager ranked No. 1. The other Dodgers and Angels prospects in the top 50:
#4: JULIO URIAS, DODGERS, LHP
AA TULSA: 1-2, 3.00 ERA, 36 IP, 9 BB, 46 K
The Dodgers signed Urias out of Mexico at 16, and he quickly became one of the game's top prospects.
In deference to his age, the Dodgers have limited his workload — he pitched 88 innings last season, and
he paused at 36 innings this season so he could undergo cosmetic surgery on his left eye. He returned to
action last week, but the midseason break could leave him fresh to help the Dodgers as a 19-year-old
September call-up — just as a 19-year-old Fernando Valenzuela helped the Dodgers in September 1980.
#16: HECTOR OLIVERA, DODGERS, IF
AA/AAA: .354 BA, .400 OBP, 2 HR, 65 AB
After more than a decade in the Cuban league — the last half as one of its most prolific hitters — Olivera
defected last year. That gave major league clubs the chance to buy a bat in the prime of his career. The
Dodgers did, for $62.5 million, and the 30-year-old Olivera could be in the majors any day now. He plays
second base and third base, and his imminent promotion could make fellow Cuban Alex Guerrero
expendable.
#20: JOSE DeLEON, DODGERS, RHP
A/AA: 6-5, 3.13 ERA, 89 IP, 31 BB, 122 K
DeLeon , a 24th-round pick, could become the first member of the Dodgers' 2013 draft class to make the
major leagues. He lost weight, gained velocity and shot up through the minors — four starts in the Class
A Midwest League, seven in the Class A California League, now nine in the double-A Texas League. The
Dodgers could keep him and Urias for what could be their post-Zack Greinke future next year, but the
22-year-old De Leon could be their most attractive trade chip, a headliner in a deal for, say, Cole Hamels.
#37: SEAN NEWCOMB, ANGELS, LHP
Low A/High A: 5-1, 2.48 ERA, 83 IP, 44 BB, 106 K
Newcomb pitched a perfect inning in Sunday's Futures Game, with a fastball sitting at 93-95 mph and a
snappy curve. He needs work on his changeup and command — he walks too many batters to get deep
into games — but he is in his first full pro season, and the Angels are happy with his progress. Newcomb,
22, was the Angels' first-round pick last year, after forfeiting their first-round picks in 2012 and 2013
after the signings of Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton, respectively.
Corey Seager might be baseball's top prospect but when will he be a Dodger?
By Bill Shaikin
The prospects gathered here, the most promising prospects from far and wide — all, that is, except the
fairest in all the land.
Corey Seager did not participate in the Futures Game on Sunday, five days after Baseball America
declared him the top prospect in baseball.
"It's Seager. Everybody expects him to be everywhere," said Dodgers minor league catcher Kyle Farmer,
who did play Sunday. "He's just one man."
Seager could be the next big thing — in all of baseball, not just for the Dodgers. He is the Dodgers'
shortstop of the future, whenever the future might come.
It could be next season. It could be September. It might not be before then, even with Jimmy Rollins
suffering through the worst season of his career.
The Dodgers are not inclined to trade Rollins to clear a spot for Seager. In the event Seager got injured
or did not play well, they would be left with Justin Turner, Enrique Hernandez or Darwin Barney at
shortstop. That is not a risk they feel compelled to take, not with the team holding the largest division
lead in the National League, 4 1/2 games.
The Dodgers are not inclined to put Rollins on the bench behind Seager, not with a 25-man roster and an
inconsistent and heavily manned bullpen that mandates versatility among bench players. Rollins has
played 18,779 innings in his career at shortstop, one-third of an inning at second base, and nowhere
else.
Rollins, 36, is batting .215 in 86 games with the Dodgers, with eight home runs and a .266 on-base
percentage. According to Fangraphs' calculations, the Dodgers would do just as well — and perhaps a
little better — with a journeyman at shortstop.
Seager, 21, is batting .287 in 63 games at triple-A Oklahoma City, with eight home runs and a .341 on-
base percentage.
Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers' president of baseball operations, would not say whether he considers
Seager ready for the major leagues. He said the Dodgers have been pleased with how well Seager has
played and, perhaps even more, how strongly he has rebounded from his few struggles.
"His arrow is certainly pointing up," Friedman said.
In the wake of his minor league wreckage, Seager leaves stories behind. In one series against the Angels'
triple-A Salt Lake affiliate, he had one game with two home runs, another game with four hits, and yet
another with six hits.
"The home runs were crushed," Angels first baseman C.J. Cron said.
"We just couldn't get him out," Angels pitcher Trevor Gott said. "He single-handedly won that series for
them."
Seager also attracted attention during a four-game series against Round Rock, the Texas Rangers' triple-
A affiliate.
"Best pure hitter I've seen in the Pacific Coast League this year," said Round Rock Manager Jason Wood,
who coached at the Futures Game. "He stood out head and shoulders above everybody else."
Wood was not just impressed with Seager's bat. His size — 6 feet 4 and 215 pounds — has prompted
projections of an eventual move to third base, but Wood said Seager sparkles at shortstop.
"What's amazing to me is his defense," Wood said, "to see him play shortstop and cover as much ground
as he does for his size. He moves really well. He has quiet hands. He looks the part. Everything is under
control.
"He looks like The Big Smooth out there. He's fun to watch."
Gott pitched against Seager in the California League, the Arizona Fall League and the Pacific Coast
League. The two were teammates on the California League All-Star team, where Gott said he could
barely get a word out of Seager.
"He's quiet. But he's a really, really, really good player," Gott said. "He has a certain presence in the box
that screams big leagues."
Seager already has a brother in the major leagues, Kyle, who is in his fifth season with the Seattle
Mariners. If Corey Seager shows up in L.A. in September, he might be the brother who gets to the
playoffs first.
Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw excited to be All-Star replacement
By Dylan Hernandez
As the Dodgers clubhouse started to empty Sunday afternoon, two bags sat in front of Clayton
Kershaw's locker.
One was for the team's 10-game trip that would start in five days. The other was for Kershaw's
upcoming visit to Cincinnati, the site of baseball's All-Star game.
Before the Dodgers' 4-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers, Kershaw was named to the National
League roster as a replacement for Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals. Scherzer pitched Sunday,
which made him unavailable for the All-Star game Tuesday.
Kershaw looked and sounded excited.
"I said it before: I have no pride in how I get there," Kershaw said. "You get to go to the All-Star game. I
don't care if I was the batboy, as long as I get to make it there. It's a special time. You look back on all
those, nobody will remember you were a replacement of a replacement that didn't win the fan vote."
The Dodgers, who went into the four-day All-Star break with a 4 1/2-game division lead over the second-
place San Francisco Giants, will have five players represent the NL for the first time in 20 years.
One of them, center fielder Joc Pederson, will be the franchise's first rookie position player to start in
the game. Pederson was elevated from a reserve Sunday, as Matt Holliday of the St. Louis Cardinals was
officially scratched because of a torn quadriceps muscle.
Pederson will also participate in the Home Run Derby on Monday.
Zack Greinke could also start for the NL, especially now that Scherzer is unavailable. Greinke's 1.39
earned-run average is the best in baseball.
First baseman Adrian Gonzalez and catcher Yasmani Grandal are the team's two other All-Stars.
Gonzalez, who won the game Sunday with a two-run home run in the eighth inning, will be playing in his
fifth All-Star game. Grandal will be in his first.
The Dodgers most recently had five All-Stars in 1995, when they were represented by Mike Piazza,
Hideo Nomo, Raul Mondesi, Jose Offerman and Todd Worrell. That team went on to win the NL West,
but was swept in a division series by the Cincinnati Reds.
Only this time, the Dodgers will have their manager there as well, as Don Mattingly will be a coach on
Giants Manager Bruce Bochy's staff.
Several Dodgers said they were relieved Kershaw would be part of the group.
"He should have been one of the original members selected," catcher A.J. Ellis said. "The way he's
thrown the ball, especially these past two months, in my opinion, he should even be a candidate to start
the thing. Nobody's been as dominant in our sport as he's been the last four or five seasons, and he's
shown the last two months especially, the same guy who won an MVP award is pitching right now."
Kershaw's candidacy probably was impaired by his 6-6 record.
Not only was Kershaw not selected to the original list of pitchers by players or by Bochy, he also failed to
win a fan vote for the final place on the NL roster.
"Asinine," Dodgers pitcher Brett Anderson said.
Kershaw leads the major leagues with 160 strikeouts. He also has a 2.85 earned-run average.
Asked whether he thought too much was expected of him because of his track record, Kershaw replied,
"Expectations are good. People have high expectations for me and rightfully so. I'm here for a long time,
they're paying me a lot of money to be good, so I understand that. I welcome those expectations. If that
means that being subpar or being average isn't good enough, that's great."
Kershaw also said he was grateful for the support he received in recent days from those who said he
should be an All-Star.
"It is cool to see people respect what you do on the field," he said.
Kershaw is now the third Dodgers pitcher to make five consecutive All-Star games. The others were
Sandy Koufax and Fernando Valenzuela.
For Kershaw's 5-month-old daughter, Cali Ann, the All-Star experience will be a first.
"Outfits are being picked, as we speak, for the parade," Kershaw said.
Dodgers rally late to beat the Brewers, 4-3
By Dylan Hernandez
KEY MOMENT: The Dodgers went in front, 4-3, when Adrian Gonzalez hit a two-run home run against
left-hander Will Smith in the eighth inning. "He left one up and in," Gonzalez said. The home run was the
fifth of the homestand and the 18th this season for Gonzalez, who leads the Dodgers with 55 runs
batted in. The Dodgers maintained a 4 1/2-game lead over the second-place San Francisco Giants in the
National League West and improved to 51-39. "Four and a half games up, 12 games over .500, how can
you not be pleased with that?" Gonzalez said.
ON THE MOUND: Not only did Brett Anderson reach the All-Star break healthy, he did it by pitching
seven innings. "I haven't made it to the All-Star break healthy in a while," he said. Anderson threw only
78 pitches, limiting the Brewers to three runs and eight hits. Two of the runs were scored on home runs,
by Ryan Braun in the first inning and by Hernan Perez in the third. The Brewers loaded the bases with no
outs in the fourth inning but Anderson limited the damage to one run. Pedro Baez pitched the eighth
inning and was credited with the win.
AT THE PLATE: Justin Turner raised his average to .308 by collecting three hits in four at-bats, including a
first-inning single that drove in Jimmy Rollins for the Dodgers' first run of the game. Catcher A.J. Ellis,
who hit a home run in his last start, sent a fifth-inning offering from starter Kyle Lohse over the center-
field wall. Ellis is hitting .325 over his last 15 games.
EXTRA BASES: Kenley Jansen pitched a perfect ninth inning to record his 16th save. Jansen has converted
16 of 17 save opportunities, including each of his last nine. … Cuban right-hander Pablo Millan
Fernandez gave up one run in four innings in his first game with Class-A Great Lakes. Fernandez, 25, was
signed to a contract this spring that included an $8-million bonus. Before his promotion to Great Lakes,
he pitched two games in the rookie Arizona League.
UP NEXT: The Dodgers will face the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Friday at 4 p.m. PDT. TV:
SportsNet LA; Radio: 570, 1020.
Small adjustment pays off big for Dodgers' Ellis
By Greg Hadley
A.J. Ellis didn’t have to worry too much about overanalyzing things for the past three years.
As the Dodgers’ starting catcher, he had 100 games or so to prepare for, and any time off was a
welcome respite from the grind of the season.
But when Los Angeles acquired the younger Yasmani Grandal from San Diego in the off-season, Ellis
suddenly found himself with a far different role.
Through 90 games in 2015, he has played in a third of them, giving him plenty of time to sit on the
bench and get into his own head.
“One of my bad habits is when I have idle time, I spend a little too much time in the cage, tinkering and
trying to find ways to make my swing better instead of finding one thing to grab onto,” Ellis said.
It showed early in the year. In his first 15 games, he hit .116 with only one extra base hit, a double. His
on-base percentage was .208.
“I think that was kind of an adjustment period, just getting used to that,” Ellis said of not starting.
In the meantime, Grandal was putting up impressive numbers, leading all NL catchers in home runs,
walks and on base percentage. He also developed a reputation as one of the best catchers in the league
when it came to framing strikes.
Then, in early June, Ellis was once more in the cage when something clicked.
“Just really one of those weird things where you just take one swing,” Ellis said. “When you do that and
take that into a game and have immediate results, you’re kind of hooked on it. And that’s what
happened to me. It keeps it simple for me.”
In his next 15 games, Ellis’s average rose to .325, with five of his 13 hits going for extra bases. His
slugging percentage shot from .140 to .611. And in his last two starts, including Sunday’s 4-3 win over
the Brewers, he has homered once each game.
Manager Don Mattingly credits the explosion to Ellis becoming more comfortable in his new role with
the team. And Ellis certainly does not seem all that worried about getting more playing time.
“I’m just trying to contribute. Everyone’s picking up their games a little bit. It’s that time in the season,”
he said.
Throughout, the reduced role has helped Ellis defensively, he said. At 34 years old, he needs rest and
recovery to stay sharp and mobile behind the plate.
“When I do catch, I have my legs under me. I’m able to move and throw and do everything I need to do
behind the plate, which is first and foremost the most important part of my job,” Ellis said.
That feeling is evident in the numbers. He has just one passed ball on the year, no errors and is throwing
out a league and career-high 59% of base stealers.
Dodgers' Joc Pederson upgraded to starter for All-Star game
By Greg Hadley
Joc Pederson has a busy week ahead of him. And it just got a little busier.
Right after Sunday's game against the Brewers, he'll fly out to Cincinnati, where he'll take part in
Monday's Home Run Derby.
Then, on Tuesday, he'll take part in the All-Star game as a rookie. Except, due to an injury to the fan-
voted starter Matt Holliday, he'll be the one representing the National League in center field. He is the
first ever Dodgers rookie to start an All-Star game.
Pederson leads all NL center fielders in home runs, is third in slugging percentage and fifth in RBIs. In the
field, he is tied for fourth in the NL in assists.
Pederson is the fifth Dodgers outfielder to start in the All-Star game in the past six seasons.
Clayton Kershaw also received All-Star news Sunday, making the squad in place of Max Scherzer. His
addition means the Dodgers will have five All-Stars for the first time since 1995.
Dodgers use late long ball to top Brewers, 4-3
By Greg Hadley
With a bang and a whiff. That’s how the first half of the Dodgers’ season ended Sunday afternoon in a 4-
3 victory over the Brewers.
Together, the teams homered four times to generate five of the seven runs on the day. In the end, the
only one that was not a solo shot won the game, as All-Star Adrian Gonzalez knocked one over the right-
field wall with Howie Kendrick on second in the bottom of the eighth inning.
The Brewers and Dodgers also struck out a combined 16 times, with all but one coming on a swing.
The Brewers, who are in last place in the NL Central but have played .500 baseball over the past month,
got out to early lead in the first when Ryan Braun lofted one into the right-center field seats.
The Dodgers came right back with a double by Jimmy Rollins to open the bottom of the first. Rollins
scored on an RBI single from Justin Turner. Turner ended the day at three for four with a double and a
pair of singles.
Milwaukee got to starter Brett Anderson again in the third and fourth, first on a home run from Hernan
Perez, the first of his career, and then on three straight singles. The Dodgers, on the other hand, went
quietly for three innings, with Turner providing the only offense.
Anderson had a quality, efficient start, giving up three runs on eight hits, needing only 82 pitches to
make it through seven innings. However, he did not receive a decision for the first time in five starts.
The Dodgerd gave him no support from there on out except for a solo homer from A.J. Ellis, his second
home run in as many starts. From the third to the seventh inning, L.A. struck out nine times.
Instead, the win went to Pedro Baez, who pitched a perfect eighth, thanks to an offensive outburst in
the bottom half of the inning.
Kendrick led off with a single up the middle, then advanced to second on an error by center fielder
Carlos Gomez. Gonzalez followed up with his home run to put the Dodgers ahead, and Joc Pederson
followed two batters later with a double.
Pederson finished the day one for four with two strikeouts and has been in a slump as of late, hitting
.132 in July, but did get news that he would move up from reserve to starter in Tuesday’s All-Star game
because of an injury to Matt Holliday.
Puig and Ellis could not advance Pederson past second in the eighth, so Kenley Jansen came on
protecting a one-run lead. He retired the side in order, fanning the final two batters, for his 16th save of
the year and second of the series.
The Dodgers enter the All-Star break 12 games above .500, but at an even 29-29 over the past two
months. They send five players to the All-Star game: Pederson, Gonzalez, Yasmani Grandal, Clayton
Kershaw and Zack Greinke. That number is the highest total for the team since 1995.
Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw added to National League All-Star roster
By Greg Hadley
What, you thought they were really going to have an All-Star game without Clayton Kershaw?
Not likely. The reigning MVP had to wait longer than most, but he was officially added to the NL squad
Sunday morning to replace Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer, who started Sunday.
When Kershaw fell short in the final vote Friday, Manager Don Mattingly hardly seemed to blink.
Reporters asked him if his plans for a second-half shuffle of the rotation were thrown off by the chance
that Kershaw might have an unexpected four days off.
Not really, Mattingly said. And although he did not come right out and say it, he did seem confident
Kershaw would find some way to make it to Cincinnati.
With the selection, Kershaw now has made five straight All-Star games, and also avoids becoming the
first reigning MVP to miss out on the game since teammate Jimmy Rollins did so in 2008.
"I said it before: I have no pride in how I get there," Kershaw said. "You get to go to the All-Star game. I
don’t care if I was the batboy, as long as I get to make it there. It’s a special time. You look back on all
those; nobody will remember you were a replacement of a replacement that didn’t win the fan vote."
In his final start before the break, Kershaw certainly made a strong case for his inclusion, shutting out
the Philadelphia Phillies and striking out 13. His earned-run average of 2.85 ranks 10th in the NL, and he
leads the league in strikeouts. His fielding independent pitching (FIP) mark of 2.42 is third in the majors.
OC REGISTER
Dodgers' Zack Greinke to start for NL in All-Star Game; Angels' Mike Trout to lead off for AL
By Pedro Moura
CINCINNATI - Dodgers right-hander Zack Greinke will start Tuesday's All-Star Game for the National
League, Giants manager Bruce Bochy announced Monday.
Angels star Mike Trout will lead off for the American League and play center field, and Albert Pujols will
bat third and play first base. Greinke's teammate, Dodgers rookie Joc Pederson, will play left field and
bat eighth for the National League.
Greinke owns a major-league-best 1.39 ERA through 123 1/3 innings, and an 8-2 record. He has allowed
one run or no runs in 14 of his 18 starts. In discussing his decision, Bochy cited Greinke's current
scoreless streak of five straight starts and his statistics since the second half of last season.
"These numbers he's putting up are really unbelievable," Bochy said.
At MLB's news conference announcing the starters and starting lineups, Greinke said he feels like he's
pitching "really good," but not as well as he did with the Kansas City Royals in 2009, when he logged a
2.16 ERA over 33 starts in an environment where runs were more prevalent.
Greinke said his wife, Emily, is due in less than three weeks, but she's here anyway.
"That just shows how excited my family is," he said.
At first, when news conference emcee Matt Vasgersian asked Greinke if he'd like to say a few words
about being named the starting pitcher, Greinke acted in the honest, blunt way he often does.
"No," he said.
Greinke will open the game against the Angels' Trout. Trout is starting in center field over Adam Jones
and Lorenzo Cain, who will be relegated to the corners.
Houston's Dallas Keuchel was selected as the American League's starting pitcher.
There's no counting out the Dodgers, who rally for a 4-3 win over Brewers
By Bill Plunkett
LOS ANGELES – So much has changed about the Dodgers since last season, it’s easy to overlook some
things – like the smoke machine (and disco balls) used to celebrate victories that has replaced the
bubble machine used to enhance home run euphoria last year.
And then there’s this thing about come-from-behind wins.
Adrian Gonzalez struck the latest blow for working late. His two-run home run in the eighth inning
Sunday afternoon turned things around and sent the Dodgers to a 4-3 victory over the Milwaukee
Brewers.
Instead of heading into the All-Star break on a dissatisfying note after a 5-5 homestand against the less-
than-stellar trio of the Mets, Phillies and Brewers, the Dodgers went into the break a robust 41/2 games
up in the National League West (matching the largest division lead in baseball at the break) and 12
games over .500 (matching their season-high).
They got there with two come-from-behind wins in the final weekend, scoring three times in the
seventh inning to win on Friday and twice in the eighth inning Sunday. The Dodgers are 9-26 in games
they trailed after six innings. Last year’s team was 2-54 in those situations.
Meaningless numbers – or a window into something fundamentally different about these Dodgers?
“You like to think there’s something to it from the standpoint of your guys keep playing, hanging in there
and the pitching does the same,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “So you hope it’s not an
aberration. Last year, I don’t think we came back hardly at all ever and it didn’t seem very competitive if
we got behind. It seemed (over) quick.
“You hope it says something to the character of your club, that they’re a club that’s not going to just roll
over. They’re a club that’s going to keep having good at-bats for you, hanging in there and try to find a
way to win. That’s what you hope.”
Gonzalez dismisses it as pointless to compare the two teams.
“Even if it was a different team for the worse, you can’t compare,” he said. “It’s a different team and
every year is different. A new season, things play out different.”
A different group dynamic does exist in the Dodgers lineup, third baseman Justin Turner said, looking to
explain the different results.
“I think it’s just a group of guys who know how to put good at-bats together,” Turner said. “We might
not get to guys early but eventually those good at-bats are going to link up and lead to mistakes.”
It took awhile for that to happen each day this weekend. The Brewers’ three starting pitchers in the
series – Jimmy Nelson, Taylor Jungmann and Kyle Lohse – combined to allow just three earned runs on
12 hits over 21 innings.
The veteran of the group, Lohse came in to Sunday’s start with an ERA over 6.00 and 20 home runs
allowed this season. He gave up another home run (a solo homer by A.J. Ellis) but just one other run in
five innings.
Dodgers starter Brett Anderson gave up eight hits in seven innings Sunday but seven of the hits came in
the first four innings as the Brewers built their lead. Ryan Braun and Hernan Perez had solo home runs,
then in the fourth inning consecutive singles by Adam Lind, Aramis Ramirez and Jean Segura loaded the
bases with no outs. Anderson got three consecutive ground balls to minimize the damage. But the
Brewers did eke out a third run.
That was good enough for the Brewers to lead 3-2 into the bottom of the eighth inning.
Howie Kendrick led off with a clean single and charged into second when center fielder Carlos Gomez
misplayed the ball. Brewers manager Craig Counsell brought in left-handed reliever Will Smith to face
Gonzalez.
Smith fed Gonzalez four consecutive sliders. Gonzalez took the first one for a strike and fouled off the
next two.
“After a few you think you may get a fastball,” Gonzalez said. “You just take a two-strike approach and
try to make sure you don’t strike out. At the worst, my mentality was to get the guy over.”
He did more than that when Smith hung the fourth slider, sending a liner over the right-field wall for the
go-ahead home run.
“I left an 0-2 pitch up to a good hitter. You can’t do that to a guy like that,” Smith said. “There’s a reason
why he’s been an established hitter for so long.”
Final: Dodgers reach All-Star break with another come-from-behind win
By Bill Plunkett
LOS ANGELES –All-Star Adrian Gonzalez hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning as the Dodgers came
from behind to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 Sunday afternoon at Dodger Stadium.
With the win, the Dodgers reached the All-Star break 12 games over .500 (51-39), matching a season-
high, and leading the NL West comfortably by 4 1/2 games over the San Francisco Giants.
The Dodgers took two out of three from the Brewers in the weekend series but needed comebacks in
each of their two wins. The Brewers’ three starting pitchers in the series – Jimmy Nelson, Taylor
Jungmann and Kyle Lohse – combined to allow just three earned runs on 12 hits over 21 innings.
The veteran of the group, Lohse came in to Sunday's start with an ERA over 6.00 and 20 home runs
allowed this season. He gave up another home run (a solo homer by A.J. Ellis) but just one other run in
five innings.
Dodgers starter Brett Anderson gave up eight hits in seven innings Sunday but seven of the hits came in
the first four innings as the Brewers built their lead. Ryan Braun and Hernan Perez had solo home runs
then in the fourth inning consecutive singles by Adam Lind, Aramis Ramirez and Jean Segura loaded the
bases with no outs. Anderson got three consecutive ground balls to minimize the damage. But the
Brewers did eke out a third run.
That was good enough for the Brewers to lead 3-2 into the bottom of the eighth inning.
Howie Kendrick led off with a clean single and charged into second when center fielder Carlos Gomez
misplayed the ball. Brewers manager Craig Counsell brought in left-handed reliever Will Smith to face
Gonzalez and Smith quickly got ahead 0-and-2. Gonzalez fouled off another pitch before sending a
fourth consecutive slider into the right-field pavilion for the go-ahead home run.
The Dodgers are now 9-26 this season in games they trailed after six innings. A year ago, they went 2-54
in those situations.
Kershaw, replacing Scherzer, in fifth straight All-Star Game
By Bill Plunkett
LOS ANGELES – The storyline around Clayton Kershaw made a radical metamorphosis in the past week.
It went from “What’s wrong with Clayton Kershaw?” analysis from all corners for most of the first half to
“How could they do this to Clayton Kershaw?” when he was left off the National League All-Star team.
That was corrected Sunday when Kershaw was named to the NL All-Star team as a replacement for
Nationals ace Max Scherzer who pitched Sunday and is ineligible to participate in Tuesday’s game.
“You know, I guess the way to answer that is – expectations are good,” Kershaw said when asked if he
had been entertained by the changing perceptions of his first half. “People have high expectations for
me – and rightfully so. I’m here for a long time and they’re paying me a lot of money to be good. So I
understand that. I welcome those expectations and if that means being sub-par or average isn’t good
enough, that’s great.
“I try not to put too much stock into it obviously. But I expect a lot out of myself, too, which I think helps
me not worry about everything else.”
Kershaw said the questions were “not necessarily” unfair – “I wasn’t very good for awhile there. It
happens. I’m all right with it,” he said.
By the time the All-Star selections were announced this week, however, Kershaw was clearly worthy.
The outpouring of support for him and criticism of a selection process that left the reigning MVP shilling
for votes in the online Final Vote competition was “awesome,” he said.
“Teammates and different people in the media and things like that saying they want me there – it’s not
the most important thing obviously. But it is cool to see that people respect what you do on the field,
which is important,” Kershaw said.
The All-Star selection is the fifth consecutive for Kershaw. He joins Sandy Koufax and Fernando
Valenzuela as the only Dodgers pitchers selected to as many as five consecutive All-Star teams. That he
got there at the last minute does not diminish the honor for Kershaw.
“No. I’ve said it before – I have no pride in how I get there,” he said. “You get to go to the All-Star Game.
I don’t care if I was the batboy as long as I get to make it there. It’s a special time.
“When you look back on all this, no one will remember that you were the replacement of a replacement
that didn’t win the fan vote. You get to go, spend time and enjoy it.”
Kershaw’s addition gives the Dodgers five players on the NL All-Star team (Kershaw, Joc Pederson,
Yasmani Grandal, Zack Greinke and Adrian Gonzalez) for the first time since 1995 (Hideo Nomo, Mike
Piazza, Raul Mondesi, Todd Worrell and Jose Offerman). That year, the Dodgers had two players in the
starting lineup – Piazza and Nomo.
They could match that this season. Pederson was named to the starting lineup Sunday as a replacement
for injured Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday. Pederson is the first Dodgers rookie position player to
start the game.
Scherzer’s unavailability makes Greinke the frontrunner to start for the NL team. That announcement is
expected Monday .
“I’ve got a pretty good idea,” said Dodgers manager Don Mattingly, who will also be going to Cincinnati
as a member of Bruce Bochy’s National League coaching staff.
PEDERSON SLUMP
Pederson will take an NL-high 107 strikeouts and a .230 batting average with him to the All-Star Game
thanks to a 10-for-66 stretch (.152) over the last 19 games before the break. Pederson’s on-base
percentage has taken a tumble as well, dropping to .364, the lowest it has been since the second week
of the season.
Mattingly dropped Pederson to fifth in the lineup Sunday, giving Jimmy Rollins his first start at leadoff
since April.
“Joc just kind of goes through what he’s going to go through right now,” Mattingly said. “Like any of our
young guys, they get going, at-bats keep coming, they have a little struggle, those things pile on. It’s just
a matter of him staying steady. He’s acting right. He’s still doing his work. His demeanor has been good.
That tells me a lot. I think he’ll be fine.”
While Mattingly has been quick to praise Pederson and defend his high strikeout totals, he does
acknowledge that there is another phase of development he hopes to see from the rookie at some
point.
“I think just, for me, to get control of his body and his swing,” Mattingly said. “If he ever gets to where
he can really keep the bat in the strike zone longer, he’s going to make more contact. The more contact
he makes the more home runs he’s going to hit, the more doubles he’s going to hit, more runs he’s
going to drive in. So I think the progression is learning to keep the bat in the strike zone longer and
hopefully learning pitchers along the way, how they’re pitching to him, what they’re trying to do to him.
I think if he’s able to do that and just take little bitty bites out of his swing to make it better, then he’s
going to get better and better.
“I think you have to work at it. You have to put the time in on it. But he’s definitely capable of it.”
HATCHER STATUS
Reliever Chris Hatcher will head to Arizona when the Dodgers return from the break and make a 10-
game East Coast trip. Hatcher could start throwing to hitters at the team’s training complex in Arizona
and start a rehab assignment soon after that. He has been out since June15 because of a strained
oblique muscle and just began a throwing program this past week.
Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw named to NL All-Star team, Joc Pederson will start
By Bill Plunkett
LOS ANGELES -- It might have taken longer than it should have. But Dodgers left-hander Clayton
Kershaw joined the National League All-Star team Sunday morning.
Kershaw was named a replacement for Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer who is pitching Sunday and
ineligible to play in Tuesday's annual exhibition.
"I’ve said it before – I have no pride in how I get there," Kershaw said. "You get to go to the All-Star
Game. I don’t care if I was the batboy as long as I get to make it there. It’s a special time.
"When you look back on all this, no one will remember that you were the replacement of a replacement
that didn’t win the fan vote. You get to go, spend time and enjoy it."
It is Kershaw's fifth consecutive All-Star selection. Joc Pederson is going for the first time in his career
and will be in the starting lineup. Pederson was named to replace injured Cardinals outfielder Matt
Holliday as a starter in the outfield.
Pederson is the first Dodgers rookie position player to start an All-Star Game.
The Dodgers will send five players to the All-Star Game (Kershaw, Pederson, Adrian Gonzalez, Yasmani
Grandal and Zack Greinke) for the first time since 1995 (Hideo Nomo, Mike Piazza, Todd Worrell, Jose
Offerman and Raul Mondesi).
Nomo started that game for the National League stars. Greinke is the front runner to receive that honor
this year. Giants manager Bruce Bochy is expected to make that announcement in Cincinnati on
Monday.
More to come later on www.ocregister.com/sports.
Today's lineups:
BREWERS (38-51)
LF Khris Davis
C Jonathan Lucroy
RF Ryan Braun
CF Carlos Gomez
1B Adam Lind
3B Aramis Ramirez
SS Jean Segura
2B Hernan Perez
RHP Kyle Lohse (5-10, 6.29 ERA)
DODGERS (50-39)
SS Jimmy Rollins
2B Howie Kendrick
1B Adrian Gonzalez
3B Justin Turner
CF Joc Pederson
RF Yasiel Puig
C A.J. Ellis
LF Kike Hernandez
LHP Brett Anderson (5-5, 3.12 ERA)
DODGERS.COM
Pederson to take part in Home Run Derby
By Ken Gurnick
LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers rookie outfielder Joc Pederson will participate in the 2015 Gillette Home Run
Derby presented by Head & Shoulders and he's taking Johnny Washington with him.
Washington, currently a coach at Triple-A Oklahoma City and Pederson's hitting coach at Rookie League
in Ogden, will be his pitcher. Washington played seven Minor League seasons without advancing beyond
Class A, but as a coach he helped Pederson reach the Major Leagues.
"He always said, 'When you're in a Home Run Derby, let me throw to you' -- since rookie ball," said
Pederson. "It seemed farfetched at the time. It's crazy to see how things happen so fast. He's been with
me since day one, it's only appropriate he should share in it."
This year's Derby will introduce a new streamlined format featuring brackets and timed rounds. Brackets
in the first round were seeded based on 2015 home run totals through Tuesday's games.
Pederson will be matched with Baltimore's Manny Machado in the first round with the winner facing the
winner of Kris Bryant vs. Albert Pujols. Other competitors in the Home Run Derby are Josh Donaldson,
Prince Fielder, Todd Frazier and Anthony Rizzo.
"Just to be part of the Home Run Derby, you dream about it as a little kid," said Pederson. "I remember
Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey. It's a special event. The most impressive might have been Josh
Hamilton in New York one year, it was kind of unreal what he did."
Pederson on Monday was added to the National League club for the All-Star Game presented by T-
Mobile, to be played Tuesday in Cincinnati. The Home Run Derby will be held Monday night and
televised live on MLB.com and ESPN.
Yasiel Puig represented the Dodgers in last year's Home Run Derby and was shut out.
The top four players in the field are among the Major Leagues' 10 leading home run hitters this year.
Pujols, who ranks eighth all-time with a total of 50 Derby home runs, joins Frazier, Donaldson and
Fielder -- one of just three players (Ken Griffey Jr. and Yoenis Cespedes are the others) to win multiple
Derbys -- as returning participants.
Fielder, who won the Derby in 2009 and '12, will be looking to tie Griffey for the all-time lead in Derby
titles with three. Bryant (12 homers), Pederson (20), Rizzo (16) and Machado (19) are the first-timers,
while Donaldson (21) and Frazier (25) are both back after participating last season in Minneapolis.
MLB's groundbreaking Statcast™ technology will provide the official measurement of all Derby homers,
and this year's field features players who've hit some of the season's longest blasts. Donaldson hit the
season's second-longest homer of the year back on April 23 against Chris Tillman, which was projected
by Statcast™ to travel 481 feet. Bryant's 477 foot blast on May 26 off Aaron Barrett comes in at seventh
longest, while Pederson's 477 foot rocket on June 2 off Jorge de La Rosa ranks eighth.
Beginning in the first and continuing through the third and final round, the loser of each head-to-head
matchup will be eliminated, while the winner advances to the next round. Each batter will have five
minutes to hit as many home runs as possible, with a timer starting with the release of the first pitch.
Any home run hit within one minute remaining will stop the timer immediately when the ball lands in
home run territory. The timer will then not start again until the batter hits a ball that does not land in
home run territory or swings and misses at a pitch.
Additionally, batters can be awarded bonus time based on home run length: If a batter hits two homers
during a turn that equal or exceed 420 feet, one minute of bonus time will be added. For every home
run of at least 475 feet, 30 seconds will be added. Players can earn a total of one minute and 30 seconds
of bonus time.
Ties in any round will be broken by a 90-second swing-off, with no stoppage of time or additional time
added. If the batters remain tied, they will engage in successive three-swing swing-offs until there is a
winner. At any time the second batter eclipses the first batter's total, that round's matchup will end and
the second batter will advance.
Each batter also gets one "time out" per round.
The 86th All-Star Game presented by T-Mobile will be televised nationally by FOX Sports (7 p.m. ET air
time, 8:15 first pitch), in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than
160 countries. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide exclusive national radio coverage of
the All-Star Game. MLB Network and SiriusXM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage.
For more information, please visit allstargame.com.
With one big cut, A-Gon swings game in Dodgers' favor
By Steve Bourbon and Adam McCalvy
LOS ANGELES -- Adrian Gonzalez hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to give the
Dodgers a 4-3 win on Sunday in a rare letdown for the Brewers' usually stout bullpen.
Holding onto a 3-2 lead, Milwaukee brought in left-handed reliever Will Smith to face the left-handed
Gonzalez, but the All-Star first baseman took an 0-2 slider over the wall in right-center field to give the
Dodgers the lead and Kenley Jansen slammed the door for the save. Gonzalez was the 195th batter to
fall into an 0-2 count against Smith, and only the second to homer. It was the first home run off Smith in
his 42 appearances this season, and the first late loss for a Brewers team that entered the afternoon 30-
0 when leading after seven innings.
"It was a slider," Gonzalez said. "I wasn't quite waiting on it but definitely trying to stay on it, but
somehow I was able to stay through it and get a good piece of wood on it."
Ryan Braun and Hernan Perez each smacked a solo home run for the Brewers, who didn't trail in the
game until Gonzalez's blast. Kyle Lohse pitched five innings and allowed two runs, while striking out six.
Brewers starting pitchers allowed a total of three earned runs in 21 innings this series.
"We had the matchups we wanted," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "But that's the game. You put
one of your best guys against one of their best guys, and you watch the matchup."
Justin Turner contributed a 3-for-4 day at the plate with an RBI. Brett Anderson made two mistakes on
the homers to Braun and Perez, but went seven innings and allowed three runs to earn a no-decision.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Braun starts hot: Braun learned only an hour or so before the first pitch that National League All-Star
manager Bruce Bochy had added him to the roster for the Midsummer Classic, and Braun promptly
bolstered his credentials by connecting for a first-inning solo home run. It was Braun's 16th this season
in his 85th game, already three homers shy of his total in 135 games last season while dealing with a
thumb injury.
Lohse long balls: Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis, an offseason resident of Franklin, Wis., in the Milwaukee
suburbs, hit a solo shot in the fifth inning to cut the Dodgers' deficit to 3-2 and made it 16 times in 19
starts that Lohse had surrendered at least one home run. Lohse finished the first half with a 6.17 ERA,
third-highest in Brewers history for a pitcher who made at least 15 starts before the break. Only
Glendon Rusch (7.90 ERA in 2003) and Jim Abbott (6.84 in 1999) fared poorer.
"I thought Kyle did a great job. He keeps going on a normal day," Counsell said of Lohse's five-inning,
two-run effort. "But with the break coming and having a rested bullpen and guys who have been
pitching really well, I went to them. It's something for him to build on, for sure."
Limiting damage: The Brewers loaded the bases with three straight singles in the fourth inning, but came
away with only one run. After an RBI groundout from Perez, Lohse attempted a squeeze bunt but
Anderson was quick off the mound and flipped the ball to Ellis with his glove to record the out.
Anderson induced another groundout after that to end the inning and keep the Dodgers within striking
distance. "You look at where you're at in the order and you think you've got a decent shot to minimize,"
manager Don Mattingly said. "If you can get that leadoff guy, then you can get out of that inning pretty
good and that's what he did."
Short outing: The Brewers brought in Smith specifically to face the middle of the Dodgers' order and he
provided no relief. He allowed the home run to Gonzalez and after a flyout to the warning track, left-
handed Joc Pederson doubled down the right-field line before Smith was pulled in favor of Jonathan
Broxton. Sunday was the first loss of the season for Smith (4-1).
"It stinks to go into the All-Star break with a bad taste in your mouth," Smith said.
QUOTABLE
"You hope that says something about the character of your club that they're going to keep having good
at-bats and find a way to win," -- Mattingly on the team coming back late twice in the series. More >
LEADING OFF
Brewers left fielder Khris Davis played his 250th game in the Major Leagues and 676th game as a pro --
and batted leadoff for the first time.
"It's Rickie Weeks leading off, to me. It's the same player," said Counsell. "With this group, I think he
really fits there."
Davis had a quiet day at the plate but made a highlight-reel catch in the bottom of the fourth inning,
when he dove to catch a Gonzalez line drive. The baseball briefly popped out of Davis' glove, but he
caught it before it hit the turf.
WHAT'S NEXT
Brewers: The Brewers begin the second half at home with a three-game set against the Pirates followed
by a two-game Interleague series against the Indians. Right-hander Mike Fiers will be on the mound for
Friday's 7:10 p.m. CT opener against PIttsburgh's Charlie Morton.
Dodgers: After the All-Star break, the Dodgers will embark on a 10-game road trip with its first stop
being in Washington for a three-game series with the Nationals. With Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw
both participating in the Midsummer Classic, Mattingly has yet to say how he will reorder the rotation
for the second half of the season, beginning with Friday's game.
Kershaw added to team, Pederson added to lineup
By Ken Gurnick
LOS ANGELES - Clayton Kershaw was added to the roster and rookie Joc Pederson was named to the
starting lineup for the National League team in Tuesday's All-Star Game presented by T-Mobile, it was
announced on Sunday.
Kershaw was named by manager Bruce Bochy to replace Max Scherzer, who started for the Washington
Nationals on Sunday and would be unavailable for Tuesday.
Pederson, previously named to the squad as a reserve, will be the franchise's first rookie starting
position All-Star, inheriting a spot in the lineup when Matt Holliday scratched with an injury. Pederson
had the highest number of player votes for outfielders not already starting. He's the first Dodgers rookie
All-Star since Hideo Nomo, who also started, in 1995.
Along with Kershaw and Pederson, Zack Greinke, Adrian Gonzalez and Yasmani Grandal are All-Stars,
giving the Dodgers five All-Stars for the first time since 1995 (Raul Mondesi, Jose Offerman, Mike Piazza,
Todd Worrell and Nomo).
Kershaw, the reigning MVP, finished third in the Esurance All-Star Game Final Vote.
"I've said before, I have no pride in how I get there," Kershaw said. "I don't care if I was the batboy, as
long as I get to make it there. When you look back, nobody remembers you were a replacement of a
replacement who didn't win the fan vote. I'll enjoy it. They treat the family great. It's a good time. It's [6-
month-old daughter] Cali's first All-Star Game, the outfits are being picked for the parade as we speak.
It's a big deal for Cali."
This is his fifth consecutive All-Star honor, the most for a Dodgers pitcher since Fernando Valenzuela
(1981-86). The only other with five straight is Sandy Koufax.
"Any time you're put with those guys, it's awesome," he said. "With the history here with Dodgers
pitching, it's pretty spectacular."
Kershaw was asked if he found it amusing that the narrative on his season went from what's wrong with
his pitching, to how could he be left off the All-Star team?
"The best way to answer that is, expectations are good," he said. "People have high expectations for me,
and rightfully so. I'm here for a long time, they pay me lot of money to be good. I understand that, and I
welcome the expectations. If sub-par and average are not good enough, that's great. I try not to put too
much stock in it. I expect a lot from myself, so that helps me not to worry about it."
Manager Don Mattingly hasn't announced his starting rotation coming out of the All-Star break. Greinke
is likely to be named the All-Star starter on Monday and might pitch two innings. If Kershaw pitches one
inning, it would serve as his between-starts work and set him up to start the first game out of the break
Friday night in Washington.
"I'll be ready whenever they tell me," he said.
Bochy, who missed two previous chances to name Kershaw an All-Star starting pitcher, said:
"Another great arm to help us in the All-Star Game. I'm happy for Clayton, and I know he's excited."
Where there's smoke, Dodgers are on fire
By Ken Gurnick
LOS ANGELES -- The bubble machine from last year is gone, but the Dodgers still can party.
They've turned the clubhouse into a hastily converted nightclub after each victory this week -- complete
with smoke machines, strobe lights, mirrored disco ball and pulsating tunes -- and the place was rocking
Sunday afternoon after Adrian Gonzalez's two-run homer on an 0-2 pitch in the eighth inning resulted in
a 4-3 comeback win over the Brewers.
That sent the Dodgers (51-39) into the All-Star break with a 4 1/2-game lead in the NL West, while
Gonzalez is part of a five-Dodgers contingent of All-Stars ticketed for Tuesday night's game before play
resumes Friday night in Washington.
This was the Dodgers' 24th comeback win and fifth when trailing after seven innings. All last season, the
Dodgers had 27 comeback wins and only one when trailing after seven innings. Conversely, the Brewers
had been 30-0 this season when leading after seven.
"I'd like to think there's something to it," said Don Mattingly, whose team was 54-43 with a half-game
lead at last year's break.
"That we keep playing, we hang in there. I hope it's not an aberration. Last year we didn't come back
hardly ever, we'd get behind early and not be competitive. Now we're hanging in there, having good at-
bats and then finding a way to win."
The Dodgers resume play with a 10-game trip, leaving behind the club décor but not the motivation that
led club elder Joel Peralta to inject some life into the clubhouse.
"We need to have fun down here," said Peralta. "It's a lot better now."
"With all of the expectations, sometimes it feels like when we win we just are surviving and we don't
enjoy it," said J.P. Howell. "It's like nobody notices except when we lose and we weren't celebrating
winning. Now we let it out a little bit."
Sunday's win provided a sampler of some of the first-half highlights -- production from Gonzalez, three
hits and an RBI from Justin Turner, seven solid innings from Brett Anderson in a no-decision, two
strikeouts in a scoreless 16th save from closer Kenley Jansen, a homer from A.J. Ellis (in back-to-back
games) and reliable defense up the middle from Jimmy Rollins, Howie Kendrick and Joc Pederson.
Gonzalez, now a five-time All-Star, has 18 homers, but this one off Will Smith was only the second off a
lefty. Five of his seven hits on the homestand were homers.
"It was a slider," he said. "I wasn't quite waiting on it but definitely trying to stay on it but somehow I
was able to stay through it and get a good piece of wood on it."
Anderson allowed two homers, but successfully controlled the damage in a one-run fourth inning that
started with the bases loaded and no outs, calling that a momentum changer.
And one more thing, the injury-prone Anderson noted.
"I'm healthy, and that's always exciting," he said.
Ellis continued his off-the-radar offensive awakening and is 10-for-25 since June 12.
Dodgers resume with meeting of division winners in DC
By Steve Bourbon
A pair of first-place teams face off in Washington to start off the second half of the season as the
Dodgers and Nationals begin a three-game series.
This is the start of a 10-game road trip for the Dodgers, all against teams from the NL East. Manager Don
Mattingly is looking for more offense from his club in the season's second half.
"It's pretty easy to see we haven't been able to score consistently." he said. "We've actually pitched a
little better, but we haven't scored consistently."
The Nationals begin a six-game homestand after the break. Washington has won nine of its last 11 home
games.
Things to know about this game
• All-Star Bryce Harper is second in the Majors with 26 home runs and his batting average of .339 is
fourth in the National League. The Nationals slugger already has a career high in homers and RBIs
through 81 games this season.
• Yasmani Grandal ended the first half on a tear. The Dodgers All-Star catcher hit .429 (12-for-28) and
had a .579 on-base percentage in his final 10 games before the break. Grandal was a first-time All-Star
this year.
• Dodgers shortstop Jimmy Rollins said he's a second-half player and the numbers back it up. In his
career, his batting average is 14 points higher in the second half and his OPS jumps from .717 to .782.
Rollins hit .213 in the first half this season.
Dodgers prospect Farmer gets taste of Future
By Corey Brock
CINCINNATI -- Striking out in his only two at-bats wasn't what Kyle Farmer was hoping for in his first
SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, a 10-1 win for his U.S. Team, on Sunday.
Then again, he didn't think he'd see a 101 mph fastball, either.
Farmer, one of two Dodgers prospects playing in the game, struck out on a big-time heater by White Sox
pitcher Frankie Montes of the World Team in the sixth inning. He later struck out in the eighth inning.
But, 101 mph, in an exhibition game, no less?
"I've never seen what 100 looks like," Farmer said. "And now I have. It went by me pretty quick."
Farmer and fellow Dodgers prospect, pitcher Juan Gonzalez, played in Sunday's game.
Gonzalez, pitching for the World Team, struck out the only two batters he faced in the seventh inning --
Matt Olson and Nick Williams, both on sliders.
As for Turner, the No. 20 prospect in the Dodgers' system, according to MLB.com, his outing on Sunday
was just another interesting chapter in a pro career that has been anything but dull.
Drafted by the Dodgers in the eighth round of the 2013 Draft out of the University of Georgia, he was
selected with the understanding that after playing shortstop for four years, he'd move behind the plate.
The transition hasn't always been easy.
"Coming from shortstop my entire life to playing catcher, I think the best thing about it is using soft
hands and having a shortstop mentality about it. My first year in rookie ball was tough; I didn't really
know what I was doing," Farmer said.
"I was lucky to have Damon Berryhill [10 years in the big leagues as a catcher] as a manager. He pushed
me through it and told me it was going to be OK. But I really enjoy calling a game and working with the
pitchers."
Farmer is currently hitting .324/.375/.494 between two Minor League stops. He's currently with Double-
A Tulsa.
"On the catching side, it's his leadership and his ability to connect with pitchers that has shined," said
Dodgers director of player development Gabe Kapler. "He's been an exemplary teammate. It's been a
pleasure to watch him rise and a true feather in the cap of our catching specialist, Travis Barbary."
Gonzalez has been exceptional in two Minor League stops for the Dodgers, posting a 0.88 ERA in 30 2/3
innings with 28 strikeouts.
"Gonzo has recently opened eyes internally with bankable velocity and deception. He's been a
legitimate performer and we're collectively excited for the world to catch a glimpse of this dynamic
package," Kapler said.
No break for rising star Olivera
By Steve Bourbon
LOS ANGELES -- While the Dodgers start a four-day break for the All-Star Game presented by T-Mobile
on Monday, Hector Olivera will stay busy.
The 30-year-old Cuban will be rehabbing from a strained hamstring, injured in a game on June 20, which
has slowed his path to the Majors.
"He'll be playing and getting ready. The main thing with him is getting back playing," manager Don
Mattingly said.
Olivera returned to game action on Tuesday for the Dodgers Rookie level team in the Arizona League. In
four games with the AZL Dodgers, Olivera is 4-for-12 with two walks; Olivera was used as a designated
hitter in his first game back but has started at third base in the following three games.
He will eventually return to Triple-A Oklahoma City, once the team returns from its own All-Star break
on Thursday. Before the injury, Olivera was hitting .358 in 13 games between Double-A Tulsa and
Oklahoma City while playing both second and third base.
Olivera signed a six-year, $62.5 million contract in May, and Mattingly believes he is a player who can
help the Dodgers in the Majors in the second half.
"We haven't really had the chance to see him play live but everything you hear is good. We didn't sign
him to be a Triple-A guy, I think we signed him to be a big league guy," Mattingly said. "He has a chance
to be a part of what we're doing for sure."
LA DAILY NEWS
Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw a last-minute addition to National League All-Star team
By JP Hoornstra
Clayton Kershaw said that he took “no pride in how” he was chosen to play in the All-Star Game.
Until Sunday morning, he had nothing to take pride in.
Kershaw joined the National League roster when Major League Baseball announced that Washington
Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer would not participate in the game. Cincinnati Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto,
who pitched Sunday, like Scherzer, was also unable to participate.
“I knew I had a chance” of playing in the game, Kershaw said. “I made plans both ways.”
The reigning Most Valuable Player and Cy Young Award winner, Kershaw (6-6, 2.85 ERA) is an All-Star for
the fifth consecutive season. He’s allowed 99 hits, 27 walks and struck out a league-leading 160 batters
in 123 innings this season.
The Dodgers will have five players in the All-Star Game, one more than last year and their most in any
season since 1995: Kershaw, pitcher Zack Greinke, catcher Yasmani Grandal, first baseman Adrian
Gonzalez and center fielder Joc Pederson.
“Teammates and different people in the media saying they want me there,” Kershaw said, “it’s not the
most important thing, obviously, but it’s good to see that people respect what you do on the field.”
Scherzer was voted in by players. Kershaw got the nod because he garnered the most player votes of
any NL pitcher not already on the roster.
Kershaw was listed on the online “Final Vote” ballot too, but finished behind St. Louis Cardinals pitcher
Carlos Martinez and Cueto when online voting ended Friday.
“People have high expectations for me,” Kershaw said. “Rightfully so. I’m here for a long time, (the
Dodgers) are paying me a lot of money to be good. I welcome those expectations. If that means being
subpar, being average isn’t good enough, that’s great. I try not to put too much stock into it. I expect a
lot out of myself too, which I think helps me not worry about everything else.”
The All-Star Game is Tuesday at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati.
PEDERSON A STARTER
Pederson wasn’t voted as an All-Star Game starter, but he’ll be in the National League lineup anyway.
Fan-elected starter Matt Holliday was replaced on the roster by Ryan Braun, and Pederson moved into
Holliday’s starting outfield spot. Pederson will also compete in the annual Home Run Derby on Monday.
Bryce Harper (Nationals) and Andrew McCutchen (Pirates) are the other starting outfielders for the NL.
ALSO
Two Dodgers prospects competed in the annual Futures Game in Cincinnati. Double-A catcher Kyle
Farmer went 0 for 2 with two strikeouts and Triple-A pitcher Juan Gonzalez struck out two of the three
batters he faced in two-thirds of an inning. ... Dodgers manager Don Mattingly declined to name his
starters for the Dodgers’ three-game series against the Washington Nationals beginning Friday. ... Jimmy
Rollins batted leadoff for the first time since April 28 and doubled in his first at-bat of the game, but
Mattingly didn’t sound like that move was permanent. “The lineup today was really for today,” he said.
Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw headed to 5th straight All-Star Game
By Beth Harris
LOS ANGELES >> Clayton Kershaw is going to the All-Star Game in Cincinnati despite a .500 record in the
first half for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The current National League MVP and Cy Young Award winner wasn’t elected by his peers and he
finished third in the fan vote, but that doesn’t bother him.
Kershaw says he has no pride in how he gets into the game and no one will remember that he made it
only because Washington’s Max Scherzer started for the Nationals on Sunday and decided not to be
active for Tuesday’s game.
The left-hander is 6-6 but has a 2.85 ERA. He is an All-Star for the fifth straight year.
Kershaw says his family is looking forward to the trip, with his wife Ellen already selecting outfits for 5-
month-old daughter Cali.
Kershaw joins teammates Zack Greinke, Adrian Gonzalez, Yasmani Grandal and rookie Joc Pederson on
the NL All-Star roster.
ESPN LA
Zack Greinke, Dallas Keuchel named All-Star Game starting pitchers
By ESPN News Services
Zack Greinke of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Dallas Keuchel of the Houston Astros have been named the
All-Star Game starting pitchers for the National League and American League, respectively.
Greinke is 8-2 with a major league-best 1.39 ERA for the first-place Dodgers and has not allowed an
earned run in his last five starts, a span of 35 2/3 innings. He has allowed more than three runs in a start
just once this season and has gone no fewer than six full innings in each of his 18 starts.
Greinke, the 2009 Cy Young Award winner while a member of the Kansas City Royals, joined the Dodgers
prior to the 2013 season and is appearing in his third All-Star Game.
Keuchel is making his first All-Star appearance representing the surprising Astros, who are a half-game
back of the AL West-leading Los Angeles Angels.
In 19 starts, Keuchel has a 2.23 ERA and his 11 wins tie him with Felix Hernandez for the most in the AL.
Greinke and Keuchel are Nos. 1 and 2 in pitching WAR with Greinke's 5.5 mark ranking ahead of
Keuchel's 4.7, which ties him in second with Max Scherzer of the Nationals.
The All-Star Game will be played in Cincinnati on Tuesday night.
A Q&A with 'The Best Team Money Can Buy' author Molly Knight
By Mark Saxon
Over the past two seasons, reporter Molly Knight was a frequent presence in the Los Angeles Dodgers'
clubhouse and in various press boxes across the country where the team happened to be on that day.
Because she and I used to work for the same employer, ESPN, a lot of people asked me what she was
working on. Her reporting was there for everyone to see, but where was it ending up?
As a friend of Molly’s, I knew what she was up to -- researching the new book titled “The Best Team
Money Can Buy: The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Wild Struggle to Build a Baseball Powerhouse” -- but I wasn’t
sure how much I could say.
Well, it turns out all that one-on-one time she was spending with players, coaches and executives was
worth it, because she turned it into a great read about billionaire owners trying to throw a bunch of
expensive parts into the same engine and hoping it purrs on down the road. On the eve of the book's
publication -- it will be released Tuesday -- Molly agreed to chat about her book:
You have a lot of great character sketches and scenes in the book, most of which have nothing to do
with the Dodgers’ right fielder, but all anybody seems to want to talk about, as usual, is Yasiel Puig and
how he makes his teammates feel. How does that make you feel?
Molly Knight: I have mixed feelings. I don’t want it to just be known as “The Puig Book,” but that being
said, he’s also really, really fascinating, probably the most fascinating baseball player alive. He’s certainly
a lightning rod. Everyone has an opinion about him. There’s a ton of support from people who love him
and a ton of hate from people who don’t love him. I get it. It’s hard to get people to read a book on a
topic they don’t have any interest in, and there’s a lot of interest in Puig. So I’m happy if it gets the book
attention, and it’s overwhelmingly positive if it gets the book read.
All right, so we get that he fascinates people from afar and sometimes irritates people from up close. So
play amateur psychologist for us: What is Puig like, and what drives him?
MK: I think he’s a lot smarter than people give him credit for being. He’s very savvy and good at taking
the temperature of the room. He knows exactly what’s going on. He’s been able to play dumb in some
situations to turn them to his advantage, whether it’s acting like he doesn’t speak English or just playing
it dumb when it comes to rules. There’s a story in the book about [former Dodgers scouting director]
Logan White going to scout Puig and being unable to figure out how to get online. White's computer
kept crashing until Puig stepped in and fixed it in a second. Just because someone doesn’t speak English
perfectly doesn’t mean he’s an idiot.
Puig is also different from other guys. Latin American players, especially Cuban players, get a reputation
for being a certain way, playing a certain way, maybe having more fun than American players or being
more flashy. He also has a bit of a temper and a bit of a "forget-you" type streak to him when it comes
to rebelling against rules. Some people want to give him a pass when it comes to the lost-in-translation
stuff, but they’re not looking at him as an individual. He may have gotten railroaded by some members
of the press, but he might also be a bit of a brat. Some people may not want to admit it, but it’s a little
bit of both.
OK, so imagine you’re Don Mattingly for a minute -- the post-mustache version, of course. How do the
Dodgers fix it?
MK: They shouldn’t let Puig FaceTime during games. The pitchers hate that. They hate that he’s always
the last one on the field. That has nothing to do with the right way or the wrong way to play the game.
That’s just basic decency, manners and respect. They need to find someone who can lay down the law
with him.
A lot of fans keep saying to me, "How come we didn’t know this? Why are you just telling me now?"
Well, I get my information from players who got so frustrated, they wanted to talk about it. It doesn’t
really matter what we think of Puig, what matters is what the team thinks of him. There are really only
two rules in baseball: show up on time -- and show up on time. No one should get mad because he
celebrates home runs. It’s more about basic work ethic. If he doesn’t start doing that, he’s not going to
have a long career.
If he’s that unpopular, shouldn’t the front office consider trading him?
MK: He rakes and he’s cheap and he’s young. He’s got good value. I wouldn’t trade him unless you get a
hell of a haul in return. Yeah, he’s annoying, but he hasn’t done anything yet that’s made him
irredeemable. It’s not like he’s been arrested for domestic violence. He’s like a rebellious teenager who
gives a finger to the rules. It hasn’t reached the point of no return. If he still puts up a .900-plus OPS, he
can pretty much do whatever he wants. That’s the sad reality of it. I just don’t know if he can continue
to not prepare and not lift weights and still continue to produce.
When you cull the rosters of other teams for their most talented -- and usually, highest-paid -- players,
then throw them all in one room together, isn’t a certain amount of dysfunction inevitable?
MK: They’re smart. [Team president] Stan Kasten told me, "Look, it’s not about 25 guys going to dinner
together. It’s about mutual respect. You’re different than me, I’m different than you, we’re not best
friends, but we’re still going to win and share a common goal." That said, they took on players coming
out of messy situations: Hanley Ramirez, Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford. There is a reason
why teams were willing to part with these phenomenal, superstar players at 50 cents on the dollar in
some cases.
To their credit, the Dodgers didn’t want to do what the Cubs, Mets and Astros did and go into full
rebuilding mode. The farm system was a wreck, and the owners were like, "We’re not doing that to our
fans. We’re not going to be awful just so it helps the future." They tried to build the minor league
system and the major league team at the same time. It was entertaining to watch. Different players get
annoyed, but if I’m a fan, I’d rather watch Puig and Matt Kemp and Gonzalez. That’s way more fun than
a team like the [San Francisco] Giants. They’re great, they’re the champs, but I don’t know how many
tickets Joe Panik, Matt Duffy or Ryan Vogelsong sell. The Dodgers needed stars for their TV network.
That was just as important as winning.
Back to Puig for a moment. Did the players’ distaste for some of his actions affect the team’s play on the
field?
MK: Honestly, I thought they were going to win it all in 2013. I’m pretty sure they would have beaten the
[St. Louis] Cardinals if Ramirez hadn’t been hurt. He crushed it in the NLDS. Then he got hit in the ribs by
a 97 mph fastball during that first at-bat in the NLCS. It was an MVP-type loss, and they couldn’t
overcome it, especially because Puig gets so emotional in the playoffs. They couldn’t rely on him, but it
wasn’t fair [that hey had to]. He was a rookie.
Last year, the Dodgers were better than the Cardinals, but they had no bullpen. I don’t know if the
dysfunction led to losses. I look at teams like the Cardinals and Giants and, much as I hate to admit it,
nobody on those teams takes selfish at-bats. I don’t like that the [Kansas City] Royals bunted their way
to the World Series. But in the playoffs, you only have 27 outs. It’s not good to have players take selfish
at-bats. I don’t think the Dodgers lost last year because they were annoyed at Puig. I think they lost
because they didn’t have a bullpen.
I used to be friends with a reporter named Ron Bergman, who covered the world champion Oakland A’s
teams of the early 1970s as a beat writer for the Oakland Tribune. Those teams were famous for in-
fighting -- they’re even remembered as the Fightin’ A’s -- but he said most people have it all wrong. He
said those players fought like brothers fight. They all moved through the minor leagues together and
spent all sorts of time together. They loved each other, but they feuded. Was the situation with the
Dodgers of a darker shade of turmoil?
MK: Of course. They were all strangers thrown into a room together. “Orange is the New Black” is my
favorite show. When I was writing the book I watched that show a lot, and it dawned on me how similar
prison is to a baseball clubhouse in some ways. You’re on a team and spending time with people you
didn't choose to be with. Some of the guys were just called up and don’t know how long it’s going to
last, some guys are about to be [designated for assignment], some guys don’t get along, some guys are
mad because they know the team isn’t going to keep them next year. Baseball is also unlike other sports
because -- contrary to what a lot of people think -- players usually hang with people based on what
language they speak. There are so many different cultures and ways of living within the team. You don’t
get to choose who your locker is next to. Did it go so far as guys saying they were going to go meet on a
dark corner and fight? No, but certain players have certain people whom they never want to see again.
It seems like your reporting style involves relationship-building. With that said, many baseball players
view the clubhouse as their sanctuary, and any player who shares what happens in there with reporters
or the public is viewed as a snitch. Does it bother you that the Dodgers are already upset that people
leaked some of these anecdotes to you?
MK: No, because there are like 40 snitches. It’s not like one person told me everything. There are so
many different stories in this book, I talked to so many people. People should be looking at why all these
players and other people were so frustrated that they would want to talk to a reporter about it. Players
in that clubhouse wanted this to come out.
Puig’s behavior sucks the life out of the room. That’s all they talk about at times. It’s like the annoying
kid at summer camp. All they do is talk about what he did today. First, it was like a team-bonding
experience, but then it started sucking all of the oxygen out of the room. I could have included other
things that I learned about but didn’t write, stuff that would have been really damaging to people. I just
tried to tell the story of what goes on in the locker room without taking gratuitous shots. It’s not a book
about infidelity or drug use or things that could ruin someone’s life. It’s about the ups and downs of the
clubhouse.
Did you give Puig a chance to address the accusations lobbed at him in the book?
MK: I tried to sit down with him every week for years. He would never talk with me. I tried so many
different channels. He just doesn’t do sit-down interviews. I hope he gets it together. He’s a really good
player and he’s really fun to watch. It’s not that hard. Pay attention and show up on time. That’s it.
From what you’ve heard, is the clubhouse genuinely better this year? I’ve heard some yes some no.
Also, what does the future hold for this organization?
MK: Yeah. Hanley Ramirez’s weird standoff with the media last year was bizarre. He still showed up and
did his thing. But he was a totally different person. I think there are fewer personalities that can take the
oxygen out of the room [this season]. I have faith in the new front office. I think they are great and they
are going to get them there. They need pitching. Right now, if they had Hyun-Jin Ryu and Brandon
McCarthy, they would have the same record as the Cardinals and would be playing like Dodgers fans
expect. Fans are acting like this team stinks. No, given that 40 percent of the rotation is lost for the
season, they’re actually doing pretty well. I expect them to trade for Johnny Cueto if they can, and I’m
hopeful that they can get to the World Series.
At that point, would you write another book about them?
MK: No. I’ll write another chapter to this one. I’ll do one for the paperback. But that would be ideal.
Dodgers fans would be happy, and I hope they would then buy the book.
Who are the NL's top 5 first-half surprise guys?
By Christina Kahrl
Having covered the American League’s top five surprise guys on Sunday, let’s get into the players who
have made an outsized difference relative to expectations in the National League:
1. CF A.J. Pollock, Arizona Diamondbacks, 4.0 WAR, 2.8 oWAR: Guess who is the answer to the question
few asked: Who is the one player in the NL’s top 10 in WAR who wasn’t invited to go to the All-Star
Game? It’s Pollock, who has the high rating in large part because of his contributions on defense,
suggested by his NL-leading 18 defensive runs saved. But his .814 OPS is also a major step forward, not
least because Pollock isn’t just some hitter whose numbers get inflated by Chase Field’s infamously
hitter-friendly environment. His .788 OPS at home is actually lower than his road OPS, and he’s hitting
for more power outside of Arizona. That’s a huge step forward from his injury-shortened 2014 season,
when he had a 1.029 OPS at home against .644 on the road.
Pollock is in his age-27 season now, so it’s unlikely that he’s going to get better, but if he’s just one of
the 10 best position players in the league, what more do you want from the guy? Settle in for a good
multiyear run, because adding Pollock to Paul Goldschmidt gives the Snakes the kind of every-day talent
that will keep them relevant in the NL West for several seasons to come.
2. 3B Matt Duffy, San Francisco Giants, 2.7 WAR, 2.6 oWAR: Duffy hasn’t just won the Giants’ third-base
job with his performance at the plate, he’s already run off the man the Giants traded for to start there
before the season. Twice. A solid shortstop in the minors, it’s no surprise Duffy has taken over the hot
corner duties so effectively, and as far as his bat’s playability, he hit .304 with a .387 OBP in the minors.
But his lack of power, reflected in just a .104 isolated slugging rate in the minors, was supposed to be
the thing that kept him from being an every-day player at a corner in the majors.
However, Duffy hasn’t just been sucked into the Giants’ vacuum at third base, he’s slugging .462, making
him one of the best hitters at a position traditionally associated with power production. In offense-only
wins above replacement (oWAR), Duffy ranks 13th in the NL, between Joc Pederson and Yasmani
Grandal, and better than famous people such as Justin Upton and Adrian Gonzalez. He’s one of the
hardest hitters to get to pop up (hitting an infield fly just 6 percent of the time), less than half the league
rate. And considering he’s just 24, there is a solid chance this growth is something you can bank on.
Panda who?
3. Starting pitcher Mike Bolsinger, Los Angeles Dodgers, 1.6 WAR: Although he’s had to be managed
with a bit of care, averaging just 23 batters faced per start, Bolsinger has been more than just a
necessary bit of depth for the Dodgers as far as helping them survive a predictable injury to the
forever fragile Brandon McCarthy. Despite very careful handling and just five quality starts in 13 spins
as a result, Bolsinger has generated outsized value with a tough off-speed assortment that generates a
ton of ground-ball outs.
Because of his limited track record and stuff that rarely gets past 90 mph, expectations that Bolsinger
might regress seem reasonable; after all, the Dodgers simply bought the former 15th-round pick from
the Diamondbacks after he was designated for assignment last winter, and he was someone who had
given up 4.2 runs per nine as a starter in Double- and Triple-A. But as Ben Lindbergh suggests,
between his sharp breaking stuff and getting to work with a smooth receiver like Grandal, not to
mention the kind of run support the Dodgers can at times conjure up, he could continue to be a solid
No. 4 or 5 behind their big guns in the rotation.
4. CF Cameron Maybin, Atlanta Braves, 0.6 WAR, 2.1 oWAR: Years after it was expected that Maybin
would become a star after he was the 10th overall selection in the 2005 draft -- one pick before Andrew
McCutchen went to the Pirates -- the Braves' new center fielder looks as though he has finally broken
through at the plate. Not that getting out of Petco Park wouldn’t do any hitter’s bat good, but Maybin is
posting career-best walk and strikeout rates, as well as his best power numbers since 2011. Maybin
credits the benefit of listening to Braves hitting coach Kevin Seitzer before he was even traded to
Atlanta, helping him become better at going to the opposite field. The one wrinkle to Maybin’s
performance is a hugely negative defensive runs saved performance (minus-14 so far), which seems
especially unusual considering his projected full-season average was better than plus-10 DRS per season
from the four years in which he’s played 70 or more games. Given the huge swings we’ve seen in
season-to-season DRS numbers -- Gerardo Parra, anyone? -- I’m inclined to think Maybin has been more
valuable to the Braves than what WAR alone suggests.
5. Chris Heston, San Francisco Giants, 0.8 WAR: We can’t forget the organizational soldier who threw a
no-hitter this season, in just his 13th big league start -- still short of the fastest to achieve that
distinction, but still amazing. He’s been the second-best starter in a Giants rotation still hoping its non-
MadBum veterans come around in the second half. That was just one outgrowth of his improved
stamina and achieving better movement on his pitches (as Eno Sarris of ESPN Insider explored), turning
someone who had been expected to be a rotation temp into the surest thing the Giants have beyond
Madison Bumgarner.
Honorable mention to George Kontos, Giants, 1.0 WAR: The veteran reliever, who usually comes into
games when the Giants already have fallen behind, has done a great job of stanching the bleeding, not
allowing any of his 25 inherited runners to score.
After ho-hum first half, Kershaw welcomes expectations for big finish
By Dan Arritt
LOS ANGELES -- Clayton Kershaw is not concerned about his first-half performance for the Los Angeles
Dodgers. By all indications, neither should anyone else.
Statistics from his last four All-Star years show his regular-season results have been good prior to the All-
Star break, and equal if not better afterward.
Take, for instance, last season. Kershaw went 10-1 with a 1.76 ERA after the break and finished with a
21-3 mark, 1.77 ERA and National League MVP honors.
In 2011, the first year he was selected to the All-Star Game, he went 12-1 in the second half and lowered
his ERA from 3.03 to a league-leading 2.28 at season’s end.
Kershaw’s knack for getting better as the regular season unfolds is one of the reasons many fans, media
and teammates criticized the decision to leave Kershaw off the original pitching staff, as well as the fan
vote used to determine the final roster spot for both sides.
Kershaw’s 6-6 record this season may be middle-of-the-road, but his 2.85 ERA is 10th in the NL.
Good, not great, but certainly not enough to lose his All-Star status, many complained.
Kershaw ended up taking the long route to Cincinnati for Tuesday’s game, inheriting the roster spot
previously belonging to Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals, who was pegged to start the game
but had to back out because he pitched Sunday.
Kershaw understands his statistics so far this season might be good enough for most, but not for
someone who won three Cy Young Awards in the last four years and owned the best ERA in the majors
each year.
“Expectations are good," he said Sunday. “People have high expectations for me and rightfully so. I’m
here for a long time, they’re paying me a lot of money to do it, so I understand that. I welcome those
expectations and, if that means that being sub-par/being average isn’t good enough, then that’s great.”
Rapid Reaction: Dodgers 4, Brewers 3
By Dan Arritt
LOS ANGELES -- Adrian Gonzalez made his last at-bat before the All-Star Game a memorable one Sunday
afternoon, slamming a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Los Angeles Dodgers
to a 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium.
How it happened: Howie Kendrick led off the eighth with a ground ball single up the middle. Carlos
Gomez jogged in from center field and the ball rolled under his glove, allowing Kendrick to take second
on the error. In came left-handed reliever Will Smith to face the left-handed hitting Gonzalez and the
veteran first baseman quickly fell behind 0-2 before lining his 18th homer of the season over the wall in
right, giving the Dodgers their first lead since Friday night. Kenley Jansen then pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for
his 16th save.
What it means: Gonzalez’s home run kept the Dodgers 4 1/2 games in front of the San Francisco Giants
for the top spot in the NL West. Equally important, it kept L.A. from entering the All-Star break on a
dismal note. The offense had managed just one earned run through the first two games of the series
and managed just two Sunday against Milwaukee starter Kyle Lohse, who came in with a 6.29 ERA, the
highest among qualified pitchers in the majors.
Notable: Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner came in hitting .207 in his last 17 games but delivered on
RBI single up the middle in the first inning and added two more hits to finish 3-for-4 in the cleanup spot.
... Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis clocked his second homer of the season in the fifth to cut the deficit to 3-2, a
score that stood until Gonzalez’s bomb. ... About an hour after he learned he’d replace Matt Holliday of
the St. Louis Cardinals in the All-Star Game, fellow left fielder Ryan Braun homered in the top of the first
to give the Brewers a 1-0 lead. ... Brewers second baseman Hernan Perez, in his fourth major league
season, hit his first major league homer on the first pitch of the third inning.
Up next: Dodgers pitchers Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke, catcher Yasmani Grandal, center fielder
Joc Pederson and Gonzalez are headed to Cincinnati for the All-Star Game on Tuesday. Pederson, who
became an All-Star starter with Holliday's departure, is also scheduled to participate in Monday’s Home
Run Derby. The rest of the Dodgers are off until Friday, when they open a three-game series at the
Washington Nationals. Pitching matchups are to-be-determined.
Gonzalez's 2-run homer lifts Dodgers over Brewers 4-3
By Associated Press
LOS ANGELES -- Last season, the Dodgers fell behind and rarely recovered. This season, they have 24
comeback victories, finding ways to climb out of holes with timely hitting.
Adrian Gonzalez hit a two-run homer to put the Dodgers ahead in the eighth, and the NL West leaders
beat the last-place Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 on Sunday for their fifth victory when trailing after seven
innings.
"You hope it says something about the character of your club," manager Don Mattingly said.
The Dodgers took two out of three from the Brewers to go into the All-Star break with a 51-39 record.
"A group of guys that knows how to put good at-bats together over and over again," Justin Turner said in
explaining the rally.
Pedro Baez (2-1) got the victory with a strikeout in one inning of relief. Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth
to earn his 16th save in 17 chances, including his last nine since June 12.
Howie Kendrick singled leading off the eighth on his 32nd birthday and advanced to second after center
fielder Carlos Gomez misplayed the ball for an error. Gonzalez followed with his 18th homer on an 0-2
slider from Will Smith (4-1), giving the Dodgers a 4-3 lead.
"You can't do that to a guy like that. He's a big strong guy," Smith said. "There's a reason why he's been
an established hitter for so long. It's tough to go into the All-Star break with a bad taste in your mouth.
You've got to get the job done, and I didn't do it."
Gonzalez was hitless in his first three at-bats Sunday, but five of his seven hits during the 10-game
homestand were homers. He batted just .200 during that stretch.
"At least if I'm going to get very little hits they're homers," he said.
Smith gave up one run and two hits in 1/3 of an inning of relief.
The Dodgers closed to 3-2 in the fifth on A.J. Ellis' leadoff homer, his second in as many games.
Turner went 3 for 4 after coming in 0 for 10 in his last three games. Yasiel Puig, an All-Star a year ago as
a rookie, saw his offensive woes continue, going hitless in four at-bats with two strikeouts.
The Brewers' Hernan Perez snapped a 1-1 tie leading off the third when he homered for the first time in
his career on the first pitch from Brett Anderson. Perez's fielder's choice grounder in the fourth made it
3-1.
"They were extremely aggressive. They were swinging," said Ellis, who was behind the plate for the
Dodgers. "I don't know if it was their goal to get to the All-Star game as quickly as possible."
Ryan Braun, who became a six-time All-Star in replacing injured Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday on
Sunday, homered with two outs in the first.
"It's a really difficult thing to accomplish, to make an All-Star team," Braun said. "It's an unfortunate way
to get in. You never want to see anybody else get hurt."
Anderson gave up three runs and eight hits in seven innings. The left-hander struck out three and
walked none while getting 11 groundball outs in facing the Brewers for the first time in his career.
Milwaukee starter Kyle Lohse allowed two runs and four hits in five innings. He struck out six and walked
none.
BLOWN LEAD
The Brewers lost for the first time this season when leading after seven innings, dropping to 30-1. They
fell to 11-11 in one-run games.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"The fact that Clayton is a substitute is kind of asinine. He should have been there from the beginning." -
- Anderson on Kershaw making the NL All-Star roster as a sub for Max Scherzer.
UP NEXT
Brewers: They resume after the All-Star break with a five-game series at home, starting Friday against
Pittsburgh. RHP Mike Fiers (4-7) will start. Milwaukee is 9-9 in his starts, including wins in each of his last
four outings.
Dodgers: They hit the road after the break for a 10-game trip, starting Friday at NL East-leading
Washington.
Clayton Kershaw 'no pride' when it comes to making ASG roster
By Dan Arritt
LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw didn't care how he got there or how long he had
to wait. The reigning National League MVP and three-time Cy Young winner is just happy to be an All-
Star for a fifth straight season.
Kershaw (6-6, 2.85 ERA) was added to the NL squad on Sunday as a replacement for previously
scheduled starter Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals, who is unavailable to pitch in Tuesday's
game in Cincinnati after starting Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles in the final game before the All-
Star break.
"I have no pride in how I get there," Kershaw said about an hour before Sunday's game against the
visiting Milwaukee Brewers. "You get to the go to All-Star Game, so I don't care if I was the bat boy, as
long as I get to make it there."
Kershaw would have seemed a lock to make the All-Star Game coming into this season, but won just one
of his first seven starts as his ERA swelled to 4.26, a category he led the previous four seasons
throughout the majors. Even as recently as last month, Kershaw lost three consecutive outings for the
first time in his eight-year career.
He seems to have found his groove this month, however, allowing one earned run in 16 innings with 20
strikeouts and two walks. Still, he wasn't named to the NL pitching staff that was announced Monday
and finished fourth in the fan voting that determined the final roster spot for both teams.
Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto also finished ahead of Kershaw in the fan vote and likely would have earned
the nod over Kershaw, but he also started Sunday, leaving him unavailable.
"You look back on all this and nobody will remember that you're the replacement of the replacement
that didn't win the fan vote," he said. "You get to go and spend time, enjoy it and they treat your family
great and it's a great time for everybody."
Kershaw should be well rested. He hasn't pitched since Wednesday when he threw eight shutout innings
in a 5-0 win against the Philadelphia Phillies.
He'll join teammates Zack Greinke, Adrian Gonzalez, Joc Pederson and Yasmani Grandal in Cincinnati,
the first time the Dodgers fielded five All-Stars since 1995.
In other All-Star roster shuffling, Los Angeles Angels lefty Hector Santiago will replace Oakland Athletics
pitcher Sonny Gray on the AL squad. Gray pitched a two-hit shutout Sunday against the Cleveland
Indians and would be unavailable to pitch for Tuesday's All-Star Game.
Ryan Braun replaces injured Matt Holliday for NL; Joc Pederson to start
By ESPN News Services
Ryan Braun is an All-Star for the first time since his 2013 steroid suspension.
The Milwaukee Brewers outfielder was named to the National League All-Star team Sunday to replace
injured St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday.
Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Joc Pederson will replace Holliday in the NL starting lineup.
For Braun, it's the sixth All-Star honor of his career but first since the 65-game suspension he served at
the end of the 2013 season in connection with the Biogenesis scandal.
"I recognize how difficult it is to get an opportunity to go to the All-Star Game ever, and the fact I get to
go to another one is definitely special," Braun told reporters Sunday, according to MLB.com.
Braun hit a solo home run in his first at-bat Sunday to give him 16 on the season. He had just 19 last
season in 580 plate appearances.
Holliday had been selected by the fans to start for the NL but has been sidelined since June 8 with a
quadriceps injury.
Pederson entered Sunday's game with 20 homers, 40 RBIs and a .230 batting average.
TRUEBLUELA.COM
Zack Greinke named National League All-Star starter
By Eric Stephen
LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers starter Zack Greinke put up the lowest ERA before the All-Star break in 47
years, and on Monday was named the starter for the National League in the All-Star Game, to be played
on Tuesday night at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati.
Greinke is the first Dodgers All-Star starting pitcher since Brad Penny in 2006.
In 18 starts this season, Greinke is 8-2 with a 1.39 ERA, with 106 strikeouts and 20 walks in 123⅓ innings.
His ERA is the lowest by anyone before the break in at least 100 innings since 1968, The Year of the
Pitcher.
Greinke enters the break with an active scoreless streak of 35⅔ innings. He downplayed the possibility
of starting the All-Star Game last week.
"My family might be excited by it. It doesn’t mean much to me," Greinke said on Thursday. "I don’t pay
attention to any of that this year, not for awhile, I guess. Since I’ve been in L.A., I haven’t paid much
attention to that kind of stuff."
This is the third All-Star Game appearance for Greinke, and his first start. He was the third pitcher used
by the American League in 2009, pitching a perfect fourth inning, with two strikeouts. In 2014, Greinke
was the fourth pitcher used by the NL, again pitching a perfect fourth inning, also with two strikeouts.
This is the 15th time a Dodgers pitcher to start an All-Star Game, and Greinke is the 11th pitcher to do
so:
1941: Whit Wyatt
1948: Ralph Branca
1959: Don Drysdale (both All-Star games that
season)
1962: Don Drysdale (first game)
1962: Johnny Podres (second game)
1964: Don Drysdale
1966: Sandy Koufax
1968: Don Drysdale
1974: Andy Messersmith
1977: Don Sutton
1981: Fernando Valenzuela
1995: Hideo Nomo
2006: Brad Penny
2015: Zack Greinke
Dodgers Week 14 review: Going to break on a high note
By Eric Stephen
The week had potential to be disappointing if not disastrous given the sluggish start. The Dodgers ended
the previous week with an 8-0 loss to the Mets, and then lost 7-2 on Tuesday to old friend Chad
Billingsley and the lowly Phillies, with only a sloppy 10-7, four-hour win on Monday in between that was
more like a survival than a victory.
But the Dodgers ended the week strong, with two shutouts against the Phillies and two comeback wins
over the Brewers for a 5-2 week.
The Dodgers enter the All-Star break with a 4½-game lead over San Francisco in the National League
West, tied for the largest division lead in baseball.
Dodger Batter of the Week: Yasmani Grandal made a nice push before the All-Star break, hitting two
home runs while reaching base in 12 of his 20 plate appearances. He narrowly beat Andre Ethier, who
was 5-for-9 (.556) and reached base in 10 of 14 trips to the plate.
Dodger Pitcher of the Week: The Dodgers' two best pitchers were at their best, and Clayton Kershaw
takes this award with a 13-strikeout shutout on Wednesday. But not far behind was Zack Greinke, who
pitched eight scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and retired 21 straight batters on Thursday.
Game of the Week
Wednesday: Dodgers 5, Phillies 0
Clayton Kershaw struck out 13 in his shutout win, backed by home runs from A.J. Ellis and Jimmy Rollins.
(Photo: Gary A. Vazquez | USA Today Sports)
Week 14 Record: 5-2
31 runs scored (4.43 per game)
26 runs allowed (3.71 per game)
.580 pythagorean winning percentage
Season Record: 51-39
376 runs scored (4.18 per game)
314 runs allowed (3.49 per game)
.582 pythagorean winning percentage (52-38)
Miscellany
Welcome back I: On Friday night, Chin-hui Tsao pitched a scoreless seventh inning in his major league
appearance since July 14, 2007. He also picked up the win in relief, his first major league victory since
May 11, 2005.
Welcome back II: Brandon Beachy came back from his second Tommy John surgery to pitch four innings
on Saturday, his first major league game since Aug. 20, 2013.
Transactions
Monday: Selected the contract of Eric Surkamp from Triple-A Oklahoma City, optioned Daniel Coulombe
to Oklahoma City, transferred Paco Rodriguez from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL.
Tuesday: Recalled pitcher Ian Thomas from Triple-A Oklahoma City, optioned Surkamp to Oklahoma
City.
Wednesday: Selected the contract of Chin-hui Tsao from Triple-A Oklahoma City and recalled Josh Ravin
from Oklahoma City; optioned Thomas and Yimi Garcia to Oklahoma City.
Friday: Claimed pitcher Preston Guilmet off waivers from the Rays; designated pitcher Chris Reed for
assignment.
Friday: Brandon League, who was designated for assignment on July 2, was released.
Saturday: Activated Brandon Beachy from the 60-day DL, optioned Ravin to Oklahoma City, designated
Matt West for assignment.
Saturday: Surkamp cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Oklahoma City. He accepted the
assignment.
Game Results
Monday: Dodgers 10, Phillies 7
Tuesday: Phillies 7, Dodgers 2
Wednesday: Dodgers 5, Phillies 0
Thursday: Dodgers 6, Phillies 0
Friday: Dodgers 3, Brewers 2
Saturday: Brewers 7, Dodgers 1
Sunday: Dodgers 4, Brewers 3
Upcoming Week
The Dodgers run the Herm Winningham gauntlet, with a quintet at the All-Star Game, followed by the
two worst sports days of the year, then a showdown with the National League East-leading Nationals in
Washington.
Joc Pederson batting 8th, starting in LF for NL in All-Star Game
By Eric Stephen
LOS ANGELES -- National League All-Star manager Bruce Bochy announced his starting lineup on
Monday, and Dodgers center fielder Joc Pederson will bat eighth and play left field for the NL in the MLB
All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Cincinnati.
Bryce Harper starts in right field and Andrew McCutchen in center field. Giancarlo Stanton and Matt
Holliday were elected starters by fans, but both are injured, replaced in the starting lineup by
McCutchen and Pederson, who finished third and fourth, respectively, in the player vote.
AL All-Stars NL All-Stars
CF Trout CF McCutchen
3B Donaldson 3B Frazier
1B Pujols RF Harper (L)
DH Cruz 1B Goldscchmidt
RF Cain C Posey
LF Jones DH Rizzo (L)
C Perez SS Peralta
2B Altuve LF Pederson (L)
SS Escobar 2B LeMahieu
Pederson has never started a major league game in left field and hasn't played the position in 2015
outside of spring training, but he did play two games and five total innings in left in 2014.
This is shades of teammate Andre Ethier, who was an All-Star starter in 2010 in center field, despite
never playing the position to that point in his career.
Pederson is the first Dodgers rookie position player to start an All-Star Game.
The last Dodger to start an All-Star Game in left field was Tommy Davis in 1963.
The last Dodgers All-Star starter to bat eighth was second baseman Jeff Kent in 2005. He was 0-for-1
with a strikeout.
Pederson coupled with Zack Greinke gives the Dodgers two All-Star starters for the first time since 1995,
when pitcher Hideo Nomo and catcher Mike Piazza started for the National League in Arlington.
Pablo Fernandez, Alex Santana lead Loons to 8-3 win
By Craig Minami
Player of the day
Pablo Fernandez made his first start in the Midwest League. The 25-year old Cuban right-handed pitcher
had made two appearances for the Arizona League Dodgers but this was his first game for a full-season
club. Fernandez started and pitched four innings, allowing no runs and striking out four.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
The Sky Sox (Brewers) came back twice, finally scoring two runs in the ninth to beat the Dodgers 6-5.
Randy Fontanez did not retire a batter in the ninth inning, walking the first three batters and then giving
up the walk-off single.
Rudy Owens started for the Dodgers and Owens pitched six shutout innings, giving four hits, three walks
and striking out four. Yimi Garcia made his first appearance for the Dodgers and he also did not retire a
batter, Garcia gave up two walks and a single to load the bases and then walked in a run before giving
up a bases-clearing double to make the score 4-3 Sky Sox.
Carl Crawford continued his rehab with a 1-for-3 day, tripling in the first inning and scoring on a Corey
Seager ground out.
Home runs by O'Koyea Dickson and Ralph Henriquez in the top of the ninth, gave the Dodgers a one-run
lead before Sky Sox won it on the walk-off single. Andy Wilkins also homered.
After Sunday's game, the Dodgers began their three-day All-Star Break and will not play again until
Thursday.
Double-A Tulsa
The Drillers scored three runs in the sixth to break a 2-2 tie and went on to defeat the Missions (Padres)
6-2. Doubles by Ali Solis and Adam Law paced the three-run inning. Jarek Cunningham would double
home Yadir Drake in the seventh to give the Drillers their four run lead.
Jeremy Kehrt went five strong innings giving two runs (one earned), three hits and no walks nor
strikeouts. Jorge De Leon and Ramon Benjamin pitched a pair of two-inning scoreless innings to finish off
the Missions.
The Drillers won despite going 3-for-16 with RISP.
Class-A Rancho Cucamonga
Rancho Cucamonga scored just one run but that was enough for a 1-0 shutout over the 66ers (Angels).
The unearned run was scored by Erisbel Arruebarrena, who got on base by error and with two out,
scored on a wlld pitch.
Trevor Cahill made his first rehab start for the Quakes and pitched four solid innings, allowing no runs
and no hits, with just two walks and eight strikeouts, including striking out the side to finish his four-
inning start.
Rob Rogers, Daniel Tillman and Caleb Dirks held down the 66ers and Rogers picked up the win while
Dirks recorded the save.
Low Class-A Great Lakes
The Loons got solid pitching, including the debut of right-hander Pablo Fernandez and won 8-3 over the
TinCaps (Padres). As noted above, Fernandez started and went four innings, allowing just a run on four
hits. Scott Griggs continues to work his way back, Griggs made his fifth consecutive scoreless
appearance, this time pitching two innings with just a walk and striking out five.
Five Loons had at least two hits. Matt Beatty went 4-for-5 with two runs scored. Alex Santana had a
double and a home run and drove in four runs.
Justin Chigbogu homered and drove in three runs. Alex Verdugo is like that old electric rabbit, he keeps
on going, had two hits on Sunday as his second hitting streak reached eight games. Verdugo has hit
safely in 22 of his last 23 games. Michael Ahmed was the other player with two hits.
Rookie Ogden
The Raptors were overwhelmed 11-2 by the Voyagers (White Sox). Voyagers scored their 11 runs on 17
hits. Michael Medina and Saturday's cycle man, Scott DeJong each hit solo home runs for the Raptors
runs.
Roberth Fernandez gave up four runs in ⅔ IP and Kevin Brown gave up five runs in one inning of work.
Michael Boyle, 2015 draftee (13th round) started and pitched three scoreless innings before the runs
started to add up for the Voyagers.
AZL Dodgers
The Dodgers lost 7-2 to the Angels on Sunday night. Angel German started and pitched 4⅓ innings,
German gave up six runs (five earned), six hits, three walks and struck out seven batters.
Hector Olivera started at designated hitter and was 1-for-2.
Transactions
Class-A: Pitcher Trevor Cahill sent on rehab assigment to Rancho Cucamonga from Oklahoma City.
Low-Class-A: Placed pitcher Trevor Oaks on the 7-day disabled list; activated pitcher Pablo Fernandez
from the 7-day disabled list.
Sunday box scores
Colorado Springs 6, Oklahoma City 5
Tulsa 6, San Antonio 2
Rancho Cucamonga 1, Inland Empire 0
Great Lakes 8, Fort Wayne 3
Great Falls 11, Ogden 2
AZL Angels 7, AZL Dodgers 2
Monday schedule
9:05 a.m. PT: Tulsa (TBD) at San Antonio (James Needy)
4:05 p.m.: Great Lakes (Grant Holmes) at Fort Wayne (Ernesto Montas)
6:00 p.m.: Ogden (Ivan Vietez) at Great Falls (Matt Ball)
7 p.m.: AZL Dodgers at AZL Reds
7:05 p.m.: Inland Empire (Jordan Kipperi) at Rancho Cucamonga (Zack Bird)
Dodgers enjoying more late-inning comebacks this season
By Eric Stephen
LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers trailed after seven innings on Sunday, but thanks to a two-run home run by
Adrian Gonzalez in the eighth inning the club beat the Brewers 4-3 to finish their homestand on a high
note.
It was the fifth win for the Dodgers when trailing entering the eighth inning in 2015, in 30 tries.
"To come back twice against those guys and win two out of three, it speaks volumes of the type of club
we have," said Justin Turner, who was 3-for-4 with a double on Sunday. "Last year we weren't very good
at coming from behind, but we seem to have done it a lot this year."
In 2014, the Dodgers were 1-53 when trailing entering the inning.
The other comeback this weekend against Milwaukee came on Friday night, when the Dodgers trailed 2-
0 after six innings but scored three in the seventh for a win.
They are 9-26 (.257) when trailing entering the seventh inning his season. Among National League
teams, only the Padres (12-40, .231) have more wins and only the Cardinals (7-20, .259) have a better
winning percentage in that situation this season.
The Dodgers were 2-54 (.036) when trailing entering the seventh in 2014.
"We're a different team. You can't really compare," Gonzalez said. "Every year is a new team."
Not everyone agreed with that sentiment.
"You'd like to think there's something to it, from the standpoint of your guys not quitting playing, and
you kind of keep hanging in there, with the pitchers doing the same," said manager Don Mattingly. "Last
year we didn't hardly come back at all, ever. It didn't seem very competitive if we got behind."
"You hope it says something to the character of your club, that your club is not going to just roll over,
that you'd keep having good at-bats and give yourselves a chance to win. That's what you hope."
In late and close situations, defined as seventh inning or later either leading by a run, tied, or with the
tying run on base, at bat or on deck, the Dodgers this season are hitting .245/.325/.411, third in the
majors in both OPS and OPS+ (118) in that situation.
In 2014, the Dodgers in late and close situations hit .238/.310/.382, still above average but ninth in OPS
and OPS+ (106), not as good as this season.
"It's a group of guys who knows how to put good at-bats together," Turner said. "Over and over and
over again we might not get to guys early, but eventually those good at-bats are going to link up and
result in some runs."
A.J. Ellis finds his roll in new role
By Eric Stephen
LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis homered for a second straight start on Sunday, continuing an
offensive groove that has lasted for nearly seven weeks, as the veteran backstop has grown more
accustomed to his role as a backup.
"I think he's getting comfortable with his role. I think early on he kind of fought that a bit. He didn't
know how much he was going to play or how much," manager Don Mattingly said. "That's kind of
settled in, and he knows his role, and in a sense has accepted that."
Ellis' role on the team is clear as the backup to Yasmani Grandal, who will make his first All-Star
appearance on Tuesday in Cincinnati. Ellis started five of six games behind the plate when Grandal was
on the seven-day concussion disabled list in late May, but both before and after that time the playing
time distribution is pretty much the same:
Through May 22: Grandal 30 starts, Ellis 11
Since May 30: Grandal 31, Ellis 11, Austin Barnes one
"There was an adjustment period, figuring out the transition," Ellis admitted. "Fortunately, defensively I
have felt good all year. The limited amount of playing time keeps you fresh, so when I do catch I have
my legs under me. I'm able to move and throw, and do everything I need to do behind the plate, which
is first and foremost the most important part of my job."
Ellis has thrown out 13 of 22 would-be base stealers this season, a 59.1-percent success rate that is tops
in baseball, much better than his career mark of 32.5 percent or the 25 percent (16-of-64) he threw out
in 2014.
But Ellis, who hit just .191/.323/.254 in 2014, got off to a bad start at the plate in 2015. On May 25, Ellis
was 5-for-43 with one extra-base hit, a double, hitting just .116/.208/.140.
Since then he is hitting .325/.449/.550, and has reached base via hit or walk in 13 of his last 15 starts,
including each of his last nine.
"Offensively it took a while to find something to click, to hold on to. Maybe I was being a little too
complicated," Ellis said. "One of my bad habits is when I have idle time I spend too much time in the
cage, trying to make my swing better, trying to find one thing to grab on to."
Whatever it is, it's working, as Ellis despite that slow start is now hitting .217/.337/.330 on the season.
Considering major league catchers in 2015 are collectively hitting .240/.303/.377, you would gleefully
take Ellis' production at catcher, especially from a backup.
Brett Anderson continues to produce for Dodgers
By Eric Stephen
LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers starter Brett Anderson got a no-decision on Sunday against the Brewers, but he
put together another strong outing in an increasingly strong first half for the left-hander.
"He went seven strong, and had finished stronger than he started," said catcher A.J. Ellis. "He had plenty
left in the tank, but the matchups dictated that he didn't stay in the game."
Anderson allowed three runs over his seven innings, including a pair of home runs, but was only at 82
pitches when he was pinch hit for and removed from the game, with the Dodgers trailing by a run.
The low pitch count was helped by the Brewers putting seven first pitches into play, including six in the
third and fourth innings combined.
"They were extremely aggressive. They were swinging," Ellis said. "I don't know if it was their game plan
to attack him early or if it was their game plan to get to the All-Star break as early as possible."
The plan worked, at least with a first-pitch home run by Hernan Perez in the third inning, then in the
fourth when Milwaukee loaded the bases with nobody out.
Anderson held them to one run that inning, retiring his final 12 batters faced.
"He kept us in it, and kept making pitches," said manager Don Mattingly. "It gave us a chance to get a big
hit."
Anderson on the season has a 3.17 ERA, with 77 strikeouts and 28 walks in his 108 innings.
But more importantly, Anderson is healthy. Sunday was the Dodgers' 90th game, and Anderson has
started 18 of them. Exactly one-fifth. He has taken the ball every turn in the rotation, and already has his
most starts and most innings in a season since 2010.
"I had some ups and downs, but for the most part I gave us a chance to win. I'm healthy, and that's
always exciting," Anderson said. "I haven't made it to the All-Star break healthy in a while."
Since May 1, his ERA is just 2.34, averaging 6.30 innings per start during that span. In his last 10 starts,
Anderson is averaging 6.57 innings per start, including six times lasting at least seven frames.
"The way he has thrown the first half, he has been a breath of fresh air for us, especially with the way
guys have been beat up and injured. He's been a horse for us, taking those starts and taking the ball,"
Ellis said. "Hopefully it continues in the second half."
But before the second half comes the All-Star break, which means well-deserved rest. For Anderson,
that rest will come at the beach.
"I'm going to work on that tan, much needed," he quipped.
Up next
We have reached the All-Star break, with the Dodgers off until Friday, when they open a road trip in
Washington D.C. against the Nationals. But five players, along with manager Don Mattingly, are on their
way to Cincinnati for the All-Star break
Adrian Gonzalez home run rescues Dodgers in finale with Brewers
By Eric Stephen
LOS ANGELES -- Adrian Gonzalez continued his July power surge, hitting a two-run home run in the
eighth inning, giving the Dodgers a 4-3 comeback victory over the Brewers to capture the series and
head into the break on a high note.
Down a run, Howie Kendrick opened the eighth inning with a single to center field then advanced to
second when the ball was bobbled by Carlos Gomez. That brought up Gonzalez, who lined a ball over the
right field wall against left-hander Will Smith to give the Dodgers a lead.
It was the fifth home run for Gonzalez on the 10-game homestand, which the Dodgers finished 6-4.
Though he was also 7-for-35 (.200) on the homestand, a fact Gonzalez willingly pointed out after the
game.
"Five home runs and two [other] hits," he said. "I'm just getting the ball up in the air. At least if I'm
getting very few hits, it's good that they're homers."
Gonzalez, one of five Dodgers All-Stars, enters the break with 18 home runs and team-leading 55 RBI,
hitting .283/.355/.520. That was his second home run against a left-handed pitcher this season, in 79
plate appearances.
Gonzalez has hit 13 of his 18 home runs this season at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers improved to 5-25 (.167) when trailing after seven innings in 2015, compared to the rest of
MLB having a .067 winning percentage in those games. Last year the Dodgers were 1-53 (.019) when
trailing after seven innings.
Pedro Baez pitched a perfect eighth inning, with one strikeout, to earn the win.
Kyle Lohse entered Sunday with nearly as many runs allowed (72) as strikeouts (74) on the season, so
naturally he struck out six and walked none over five innings, allowing just two runs.
A.J. Ellis did homer to center field against Lohse in the fifth inning, his second straight start with a home
run. Ellis has a four-start hitting streak, encompassing all of his playing time in July, hitting .462 (6-for-
13) during that span with two home runs, a double and two walks.
Dating back to May 26, Ellis is hitting .325/.449/.550 in 15 games.
Manager Don Mattingly was prescient before the game regarding Brett Anderson, who entered Sunday
with an MLB-high 67.9-percent ground ball rate.
"This is a tough lineup for him today, so we'll see if this goes good," Mattingly said. "Hopefully we'll get
some ground balls out of him."
Anderson got the ground balls per usual, recording 12 ground ball outs, but also allowed a pair of home
runs to tie his season high, and one more than he allowed in his previous five starts combined.
Newly-minted All-Star Ryan Braun took Anderson deep in the first inning, his 16th of the season, then
Hernan Perez hit his first major league home run in the third inning.
Even with the home runs, Anderson went deep into the game, lasting seven innings for the third time in
his last four starts and sixth time in his last 10 starts. He was only at 82 pitches and might have lasted
even longer had his spot in the batting order not come up in the bottom of the seventh.
Kenley Jansen pitched a perfect ninth for his 16th save of the season.
Sunday particulars
Home runs: A.J. Ellis (2), Adrian Gonzalez (18); Ryan Braun (16), Hernan Perez (1)
WP - Pedro Baez (2-1): 1 IP,1 strikeout
LP - Will Smith (4-1): IP, 2 hits, 1 run
Sv - Kenley Jansen (16): 1 IP, 2 strikeouts
Juan Gonzalez strikes out 2 in MLB Futures Game
By Eric Stephen
A pair of Dodgers made their mark on the 2015 MLB Futures Game on Sunday, with the U.S. Team
beating the World Team 10-1 at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati.
Juan Gonzalez pitched in the seventh and eighth innings for the World Team, facing three batters. He
struck out two and induced a ground out, but only got credit for two outs.
Gonzalez struck out the first batter he faced, Matt Olson of the Athletics, on six pitches, but threw a wild
pitch for strike three that allowed Olson to reach. Gonzalez also struck the next batter, Nick Williams of
the Rangers, this time on four pitches.
In the eighth inning, Gonzalez got Brandon Nimmo to ground out to first base on two pitches, both
fastballs.
Gonzalez threw seven fastballs averaging 93.9 mph, through three were outside the strike zone. He
threw five sliders, averaging 86.2 mph, four for strikes, including three swinging strikes.
Kyle Farmer went 0-for-2 at the plate with a pair of strikeouts.
He struck out swinging on four pitches against Frankie Montas of the White Sox in the sixth inning, with
the four pitches clocked at 99, 98, 100 and 101 mph.
In the eighth inning, Farmer struck out swinging on six pitches against Luis Perdomo of the Cardinals,
this time with an 88-mph slider as the finishing pitch.
Farmer took over for starter Kyle Schwarber of the Cubs to start the sixth inning, and caught the final
four innings behind the plate. Farmer did just miss a foul pop-up, which means this photo of him will
forever be in our database:
Jimmy Rollins bats leadoff in finale vs. Brewers
By Eric Stephen
LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers go with a bit of a different lineup on getaway day against the Brewers,
closing out their pre-All-Star-break at Dodger Stadium.
Starting Lineups
Brewers Dodgers
LF Davis SS Rollins (S)
C Lucroy 2B Kendrick
RF Braun 1B Gonzalez (L)
CF Gomez 3B Turner
1B Lind (L) CF Pederson (L)
3B Ramirez RF Puig
SS Segura C Ellis
2B Perez LF Hernandez
P Lohse P Anderson (L)
Jimmy Rollins bats leadoff for the first time since April 28. His on-base percentage is .266.
Joc Pederson moves to fifth in the order, his sixth different spot in the batting order this season.
Enrique Hernandez gets the start in left field, his fourth start at the position, and his sixth time batting
eighth this season, like Pederson one of six spots in the order at which he is started.
"Not a lot of philosophy other than just trying to balance the lineup out," manager Don Mattingly said.
"Without Dre in there today, I just wanted to balance out the bottom. Putting Jimmy up there made
sense, and moving Joc down."
Only two Brewers in the lineup on Sunday have faced Brett Anderson. Center fielder Carlos Gomez is 1-
for-2 with a double, and Adam Lind is 0-for-3.
Joc Pederson is first Dodgers rookie position player to start an All-Star Game
By Eric Stephen
LOS ANGELES -- Joc Pederson 's first All-Star Game experience should be even more memorable now, as
the Dodgers center fielder will be in the starting lineup for the National League after Cardinals outfielder
Matt Holliday was officially ruled out of the game.
Holliday, voted to start in the National League outfield by the fans alongside Bryce Harper and Giancarlo
Stanton, has been sidelined over a month with a right quadriceps strain, having last played on June 8.
Stanton is also out, with a hamate bone fracture in his left wrist.
2015 NL OUTFIELD PLAYER VOTING RESULTS
Player Team Votes
Bryce Harper* Nationals 680
Giancarlo Stanton* Marlins 626
Andrew McCutchen Pirates 421
Joc Pederson Dodgers 365
A.J. Pollock Diamondbacks 220
*elected by fans to start
Picking replacement starters first falls to the player vote. The players had Harper first, then Stanton
second among National League outfielders, with Andrew McCutchen third and Pederson fourth.
McCutchen will replace Stanton in he starting lineup and Pederson will replace Holliday.
Pederson is the first Dodgers rookie position player to start an All-Star Game. He is one of just six
Dodgers rookies to be named to the midsummer classic, but the other two starters — Fernando
Valenzuela (1981) and Hideo Nomo (1995) — were pitchers.
Pederson is hitting .230/.366/.486 with 20 home runs and 58 walks in 88 games this season, though he's
in a 9-for-62 slump (.145/.254/.242) in his last 18 games.
Ryan Braun was named to the NL roster to take Holliday's spot.
The 2015 MLB All-Star Game is Tuesday at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, with television
coverage beginning at 4:30 p.m. PT on Fox
Clayton Kershaw named to All-Star team as replacement for Max Scherzer
By Eric Stephen
LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw is a National League All-Star after all. The three-time
Cy Young Award winner was named as a replacement on the team after Max Scherzer of the Nationals
started Sunday, rendering the Washington right-hander ineligible for the midsummer classic, to be
played on Tuesday at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati.
Kershaw is 6-6 with a 2.85 ERA in 18 starts this season and leads the major leagues with 160 strikeouts,
including 13 in a shutout of the Phillies on Wednesday.
Kershaw was not one of eight starting pitchers chosen when All-Star rosters were chosen on Monday,
then finished in third place in the NL Final Vote, won by Carlos Martinez of the Cardinals.
Johnny Cueto, who finished second in the Final Vote, also started Sunday.
"I knew there was a chance I guess, with Scherzer being scheduled to pitch and Cueto as well," Kershaw
said. "I made plans both ways. I'm excited, it's always fun."
Kershaw replaces Scherzer by selection of San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy.
"I said it before, I have no pride in how I get there. You get to go to the All-Star Game. I don't care if I
was the bat boy, as long as I got to go," Kershaw said. "It's a special time. You look back on it, and
nobody will remember you were a replacement of a replacement who didn't win the fan vote."
This is the fifth consecutive All-Star appearance for Kershaw, who joins Sandy Koufax (1961-66) and
Fernando Valenzuela (1981-86) as the only Dodgers pitchers to accomplish that feat. The last Dodgers
player to make five consecutive All-Star appearances was Mike Piazza (1993-97).
"The history here with Dodgers pitching is pretty spectacular, so any time you get mentioned with those
guys, it's pretty awesome," Kershaw said.
Brett Anderson starts homestand finale for Dodgers vs. Brewers
By Eric Stephen
LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers end their "first half" on Sunday, and no matter what happens in their series
finale with the Brewers, the Dodgers will head into the All-Star break in first place in the National League
West. But Sunday gives a chance to enter the break on a high note and mostly prevent four days of
incessant whining.
This has been a rather unimpressive homestand by the Dodgers, facing three teams that at the start of
the 10-game test feature the two worst records in the National League and the second-worst offense in
the league.
So far the Dodgers are 5-4 against the Mets, Phillies and Brewers, with Sunday's game waiting to swing
the narrative in one of two directions.
Brett Anderson gets the start for the Dodgers, looking to end his own first half on a high note. The left-
hander with the massive ground ball rate has been very effective so far this season with a 3.12 ERA in 17
starts, but more importantly has been healthy.
Anderson lasted just five innings on Tuesday but has otherwise been pitching deep into games, lasting at
least six innings in eight of his last 10 starts. After a downward blip in strikeouts, with 21 in a six-start
stretch from May 25 to June 21, Anderson in his last three starts has 22 strikeouts and just five walks in
19 innings.
It is the most strikeouts in any three-start stretch for Anderson since whiffing 23 with Oakland from July
24 to Aug. 3, 2009, his rookie season.
The Dodgers will face Kyle Lohse, who has been terrible this season for the Brewers. The right-hander is
5-10 with a 6.29 ERA, including a very convenient 7.11 over his last nine starts.
Lohse has allowed 20 home runs and 23 doubles in 103 innings this season.
How to watch Juan Gonzalez, Kyle Farmer in MLB Futures Game
By Eric Stephen
Two Dodgers will be on display on Sunday at the Futures Game on Sunday, with catcher Kyle Farmer for
the U.S. team and pitcher Juan Gonzalez for the World Team at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati.
The Futures Game will be televised by MLB Network at noon PT, with Matt Vasgersian on play-by-play
alongside analysts Dan Plesac and Jonathan Mayo, plus reporter Heidi Watney. The broadcast will also
be available to watch online at MLB.com.
Gonzalez is 1-0 with three saves in 27 games between Triple-A Oklahoma City and Double-A Tulsa, with
28 strikeouts and 11 walks in 30⅔ innings. The 25-year-old right-hander has allowed only three runs all
season, sporting a nifty 0.88 ERA.
Opposing hitters against Gonzalez this season are hitting just .179/.256/.208, 19-for-106 with no home
runs, one triple and one double.
The World Team has 10 pitchers on its roster, and Gonzalez is lined up to pitch ninth in order among
them, per MLB.com.
Farmer is hitting .327/.375/.494 with 24 doubles in 70 games across Double-A Tulsa and Class-A Rancho
Cucamonga this season. He is a reserve for the U.S. team, but with starter Kyle Schwarber of the Cubs
the only other catcher on the team, Farmer is sure to see playing time later in the game.
DODGER INSIDER
Zack Greinke to start All-Star Game, Joc Pederson in left
By Jon Weisman
Thanks to the best first-half ERA by a starting pitcher in decades, Zack Greinke will be the Dodgers’ first
All-Star Game starting pitcher since Brad Penny in 2006, MLB announced today.
Greinke has two previous innings of All-Star experience, both perfect. In 2009, representing Kansas City,
he got Raul Ibanez to pop out, then struck out David Wright and Shane Victorino, using a total of 10
pitches in the inning. Last year, it was a virtual repeat on 12 pitches: a Jose Bautista groundout, followed
by Nelson Cruz and Adam Jones strikeouts.
To sum up, that’s six All-Stars faced and six All-Stars retired on 22 pitches, 17 for strikes.
Greinke, whose 1.39 ERA before the All-Star Break is the lowest for a pitcher with at least 100 innings
since 1968, will combine with Joc Pederson to give the Dodgers two All-Star starters for the first time
since Hideo Nomo and Mike Piazza in 1995 — also the most recent year the Dodgers had five players on
the roster.
Pederson is playing left field and batting eighth, manager Bruce Bochy announced today.
Pederson’s All-Star week is scheduled to begin with tonight’s Home Run Derby at 5 p.m. Pacific.
However, as of this writing, there is a thunderstorm watch for this evening in Cincinnati.
Greinke will face Mike Trout, Josh Donaldson and Albert Pujols in the first inning Tuesday. Here are
those batters histories with Greinke:
Trout: 3 for 7 (double, triple), one strikeout, 1.286 OPS
Donaldson: 1 for 3, .667 OPS
Pujols: 10 for 29 (five doubles, four walks), three strikeouts, .929 OPS
Adrian Gonzalez leaves Dodgers break-dancing
By Jon Weisman
It’s unlikely Adrian Gonzalez’s eighth-inning at-bat will be remembered in the fall. But heading into
summer sabbatical, it sure was welcome.
Following A.J. Ellis’ second homer in as many starts in the fifth inning, and followed by Kenley Jansen’s
perfect ninth inning, Gonzalez’s two-run home run off lefty Will Smith on the last day before the All-Star
Break made the difference in the Dodgers’ 4-3 victory Sunday over Milwaukee.
Los Angeles enters its four-day vacation with a 4 1/2-game lead in the National League West — tied with
Kansas City for the largest divisional lead in the Majors — the fourth-best record in the Major Leagues
and a 92-win pace for the regular season.
The Dodgers will open the second half Friday at Washington, baseball’s No. 5 team, with what figure to
be some fantastic pitching matchups. The Dodgers haven’t announced their post-break rotation, but the
plan to separate Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke could lead to them starting Friday and Sunday, with
Max Scherzer and Jordan Zimmermann among those waiting in the wings.
Gonzalez had gone 0 for 11 since his last hit, a two-run homer Thursday against Philadelphia, before
hitting his 18th round-tripper of the season, the most for him at the All-Star Break since 2010.
The home run — the 280th of his career — was his first ever off a left-handed reliever on an 0-2 count.
Justin Turner went 3 for 4 and drove in the Dodgers’ first run.
Brett Anderson didn’t get the win — because why would the guy doing most of the pitching in a victory
get the win? However, he did complete seven innings of three-run ball, giving him 108 innings on the
season with a 3.17 ERA. That’s a career-high innings total for before the All-Star Break, and only 4 1/3
innings shy of the second-highest total of his career.
Joc Pederson officially named NL All-Star starter
By Jon Weisman
As I sensed a couple of weeks ago, the winds of change (and injury) have pushed Joc Pederson into the
National League All-Star starting lineup, replacing the injured Matt Holliday.
The 23-year-old Pederson is the Dodgers’ first rookie All-Star starter since Hideo Nomo in 1995 and, as
Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A. notes, the franchise’s first rookie position player to start the All-Star game
ever.
Pederson earned his spot in the starting lineup through his vote count from the NL Player Ballot. He will
probably start in left field, with Pittsburgh’s Andrew McCutchen in center field and Washington’s Bryce
Harper in right.
It’s official: Clayton Kershaw headed to fifth straight All-Star Game
By Jon Weisman
Clayton Kershaw is back where he belongs.
With Washington right-hander Max Scherzer pitching today, the National League All-Star team has
added Kershaw to its active roster for Tuesday’s game.
This is Kershaw’s fifth consecutive year on the All-Star Team, putting him in this company when it comes
to consecutive years with All-Star appearances:
9 Pee Wee Reese (1946-54)
8 Roy Campanella (1949-56)
8 Steve Garvey (1974-81)
7 Gil Hodges (1949-55)
7 Duke Snider (1950-56)
6 Ron Cey (1974-79)
6 Sandy Koufax (1961-66)*
6 Jackie Robinson (1949-54)
6 Fernando Valenzuela (1981-86)
5 Don Drysdale (1961-65)*
5 Mike Piazza (1993-97)
5 Dixie Walker (1943-47)
*Note: There were two All-Star Games in 1961 and 1962.
Here’s Kershaw’s All-Star history:
2011: David Ortiz strikeout, Robinson Cano groundout, Alex Avila groundout
2012: Adrian Beltre groundout, David Ortiz single, Mike Napoli single, Curtis Granderson groundout,
Asdrubal Cabrera walk, Ian Kinsler flyout
2013: J.J Hardy flyout, Mike Trout flyout, Dustin Pedroia flyout
2014: Adam Jones foul out, Josh Donaldson strikeout, Salvador Perez groundout
Total: Four innings, 0.00 ERA, 15 batters, two hits, one walk, two strikeouts.
Kershaw is joining Adrian Gonzalez, Yasmani Grandal, Zack Greinke and Joc Pederson to form the
Dodgers’ first All-Star quintet since 1995.
GLOBAL POST
Los Angeles Dodgers – PlayerWatch
By Sports Xchange
3B Justin Turner might have been the Dodgers' most valuable player in the first half. Turner emerged as
the primary third baseman and a key offensive piece, providing consistent production while Yasiel Puig
missed 38 games with a hamstring injury and others ran hot and cold.
SS Corey Seager's arrival seemed imminent at times in the season's first half. Veteran Jimmy Rollins was
acquired as a bridge to hold down shortstop for one season, but Rollins' average has languished near
.200 for long stretches and he was dropped to the bottom of the order. Seager did well since an early-
season promotion to Triple-A but not so well that he is banging the big-league door down. Rollins has
revived his bat somewhat in July and remains a steadying influence both on defense and in the
clubhouse. Seager might have to wait for a September call-up.
OF Yasiel Puig has the talent to win multiple MVP awards and could start collecting them as soon as
2015, Dodgers hitting coach Mark McGwire said before spring training. However, the mercurial Puig had
minimal impact on the Dodgers in the first half. He missed 38 games with a hamstring injury and was out
of the lineup for a handful more with a troublesome blister on his left hand. As dynamic as Puig can be,
he could be a driving force for the Dodgers in the second half -- if he stays healthy and focused.
RHP Carlos Frias (lower back tightness) is at the Dodgers' training complex in Arizona and was scheduled
to throw to hitters Sunday, then make a rehab start with Class A Rancho Cucamonga during the week
before the Dodgers consider activating him from the DL.
OF Carl Crawford is not likely to return from the disabled list immediately after the All-Star break.
Because he has been out for two months with a torn oblique muscle, Crawford likely will get 35 to 40 at-
bats on his rehab assignment, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. He was at 22 at-bats through
Sunday.
NBC LA
Gerardo Parra and Carlos Gomez Lead Milwaukee Brewers over Dodgers 7-1 on Saturday
By Michael Duarte
Gerardo Parra and Carlos Gomez knocked in all seven runs and the Milwaukee Brewers downed the Los
Angeles Dodgers 7-1 on Saturday at Dodger Stadium.
Parra went 3-for-5 with a run scored, two RBI and was a triple shy of the cycle as his solo home run in
the seventh inning gave the Brew Crew a 4-0 lead.
Gomez was Parra's partner in crime, going 2-for-4 with two doubles and 5 RBIs in the blow out victory.
Taylor Jungman (4-1) pitched a complete game, the first of his career, which extends back to four years
in the minors and now seven starts in the majors. The right-hander allowed just one run on three hits for
Milwaukee.
"The key was just being aggressive and pounding the zone," he said. "I'm a contact guy, for the most
part, so pitching to contact was huge for me, and I had good defense behind me."
Jungman struck out a career high seven batters and became the first pitcher with a complete game
against the Dodgers in his first seven starts since Jason Jacome of the New York Mets did it on July 7,
1994.
"You want to be the last person out there and not leave it to somebody else to finish your own game,"
he continued. "I always hear that from closers: 'Finish your game.'"
Brandon Beachy (0-1) made the start for Los Angeles. It was Beachy's first big league start in over 23
months as the once great Braves right-hander has overcome not one, but two Tommy John Surgeries
over the past three years.
"He was rusty, but you can see what's there," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said of Beachy. "His
fastball command was in and out."
Beachy spent the first four years of his career in Atlanta where he was a key member of the Braves staff.
In 2012, Beachy had a 2.00 ERA through 13 starts, the lowest in the majors at the time.
"I was really excited to get out there," Beachy said. "I'm really disappointed now. It took me way to long
to get settled in. I've got to be better than that."
Yasmani Grandal scored the game's only run for LA. Grandal went 2-for-3 with a run scored and is simply
superb against the Brewers this season. The Dodgers' All-Star catcher is batting .625 with three doubles,
two home runs and nine RBI against Milwaukee.
Game Notes:
Ryan Braun was named to the 2015 NL All-Star Team after the game as a replacement for injured St.
Louis Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday. It was Braun's sixth All-Star selection, and first since his 2013
65-game steroid suspension.
