Dodgers' Friedman: No clear-cut answer for playoff flop
Andrew Friedman is still trying to make sense of how things went so wrong for the Los Angeles Dodgers this October. The Dodgers president of baseball operations is digesting one of the worst -- if not the worst -- collapse in team postseason history. After posting a franchise-record 111 wins and making their 10th consecutive playoff appearance, they lost 3-1 in the NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres, a team they beat 14-5 in the regular season.
news.yahoo.comDodgers dump struggling Craig Kimbrel as closer
Craig Kimbel is out as closer for the major league-leading Los Angeles Dodgers. After months of defending him, manager Dave Roberts said Friday that going forward Kimbrel will be used in different innings and different situations over the final two weeks of the regular season. The Dodgers (104-46) have already clinched the NL West title.
news.yahoo.comDodgers 1st team to clinch a playoff spot, rout Padres 11-2
Reaching the playoffs is becoming routine yet still special for Justin Turner and the the Los Angeles Dodgers. After emphatically becoming the first team to clinch a postseason spot this year with an 11-2 victory Sunday over the San Diego Padres, the Dodgers didn't celebrate on the field beyond their usual post-victory handshake line. Afterward in the clubhouse, manager Dave Roberts led a toast with sparkling wine and the players and staff were given caps with the postseason logo.
news.yahoo.comCody Bellinger benched by Dodgers as struggles continue
Cody Bellinger, the 2019 NL MVP whose production has fallen off dramatically since, was benched by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Bellinger might sit out the final three games of the team's series at Milwaukee. “I just wanted to give him a little bit of a reset,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
news.yahoo.comDodgers confirm top set-up reliever Hudson lost for season
Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Daniel Hudson was placed on the injury list Saturday with a season-ending torn left ACL. The move was expected after Hudson’s knee buckled in the eighth inning of Friday night’s 4-1 win over the Atlanta Braves as he reacted to a dribbler hit by Ronald Acuña Jr. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said “it was a clean tear of the ACL.”
news.yahoo.comUmpires bar Dodgers' Roberts from pitching position player
Umpires barred Dodgers manager Dave Roberts from using a position player to pitch the ninth inning against the New York Mets on Saturday night, enforcing a rule Roberts apparently did not know that prevents teams from using non-pitchers with a deficit of five runs or fewer. With Los Angeles trailing 9-4, Roberts sent utility player Zach McKinstry to the mound to begin the ninth, but McKinstry was halted by umpires. A lengthy delay and discussion followed, and umpires used headsets to discuss the situation with officials in New York.
news.yahoo.comBuehler stars in 100th career start as Dodgers sweep Cubs
Walker Buehler pitched seven sparkling innings in his 100th career start, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the sliding Chicago Cubs 7-1 on Sunday night for their sixth consecutive victory. Buehler (4-1), a two-time All-Star who made his big league debut in 2017, improved to 3-0 with a 0.43 ERA over his last three outings. Cody Bellinger had three hits for Los Angeles, and Justin Turner and Freddie Freeman each contributed a sacrifice fly.
news.yahoo.comKershaw pulled with perfect game through 7 innings vs. Twins
Clayton Kershaw took a perfect game through seven innings for the Los Angeles Dodgers in his season debut, dominating the Minnesota Twins with 13 strikeouts in 21 batters on Wednesday. Manager Dave Roberts pulled Kershaw after 80 pitches on a cold afternoon at Target Field. Alex Vesia relieved him for the eighth and gave up Minnesota's first hit, a single by Gary Sánchez.
news.yahoo.comMax Muncy returns to Dodgers' lineup with spring appearance
Max Muncy won’t be playing much first base for the Los Angeles Dodgers this season, but he’s just happy to be back on the diamond. “It was good to be back,” Muncy said Monday after his return to game action in the Cactus League. Muncy was injured in the Dodgers’ final regular-season game last year against Milwaukee in a collision near first base with the Brewers’ Jace Peterson.
news.yahoo.comDodgers ready to see newcomer Freeman in 'ridiculous' lineup
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts used to imagine what what it might be like to have Freddie Freeman on his side. All the speculation about Freeman joining the Dodgers went from rumor to real when the five-time All-Star, former Atlanta Braves first baseman and free agent agreed to a six-year deal worth $162 million late Wednesday. Freeman was expected to arrive in camp Friday, a day after he underwent a physical in Los Angeles.
news.yahoo.comScherzer watches, Buehler struggles as Dodgers' season ends
Baseball’s biggest payroll couldn’t buy the Los Angeles Dodgers another championship. Saturday night’s 4-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves in Game 6 of the NL Championship Series ended the Dodgers’ streak of seven consecutive postseason wins in elimination games. Max Scherzer watched helplessly from the dugout, unable to go in Game 6 as planned because of lingering fatigue in his powerful right arm.
news.yahoo.comAggressive use of Scherzer, Urías backfires; LA in NLCS hole
Max Scherzer fatigued early, Julio Urías faltered late, and when Kenley Jansen couldn't strand an inherited runner in the bottom of the ninth inning, Los Angeles fell into a 2-0 hole in the NL Championship Series. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has made it clear he'll use any pitcher at any time. Eddie Rosario delivered the Braves' second straight walk-off hit, lining a ball against Jansen that caromed off shortstop Corey Seager's glove and gave Dansby Swanson an easy path home for the game-ending run in Atlanta's 5-4 victory Sunday night.
news.yahoo.comTaylor's blunder, other missed chances put LA in NLCS hole
If Chris Taylor could do it all over, he would've stopped at second base on Cody Bellinger's ninth-inning single. “As I was rounding second, I saw (right fielder Joc Pederson) get the ball sooner than I anticipated," Taylor said, “and I thought twice about not getting thrown out at third, and then he just threw it back behind me." The Los Angeles Dodgers had trouble getting all the way around the bases throughout Saturday night's NL Championship Series opener.
news.yahoo.comDodgers switch starting pitcher for deciding Game 5
Julio Urías won't start after all for the Dodgers in the deciding Game 5 of their NL Division Series on Thursday night against the Giants, giving Los Angeles a left-hander out of the bullpen who has been tough on lefty hitters. Right-hander Corey Knebel instead will open the game for the defending World Series champions against the NL West-winning Giants, who edged Los Angeles on the last day of the regular season with a franchise-best 107 victories to the Dodgers' 106.
news.yahoo.comMasterful Webb pitches Giants past Dodgers in playoff opener
Logan Webb pumped his fists as he set down a star-studded Dodgers lineup all game long, then raised his pitching hand in appreciation after a masterful postseason debut. Webb struck out 10 while working into the eighth inning, Buster Posey hit a two-run homer that held up, and the 107-win San Francisco Giants blanked defending World Series champion Los Angeles 4-0 on Friday night in the opener of their NL Division Series. Webb credited Posey’s presence behind the plate in helping him excel.
news.yahoo.comKershaw's postseason in doubt with forearm discomfort
The Los Angeles Dodgers took a big blow before they even began a postseason defense of their World Series championship. Ace Clayton Kershaw exited his start with left forearm discomfort in the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night. “Chances are, it's not looking great for October right now,” a glum Kershaw said.
news.yahoo.comDodgers slam 4 HRs in 8th for 11-9 comeback win over Padres
The Dodgers still have a heartbeat in the NL West race, and it was throbbing late in the game. Corey Seager hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning, when Los Angeles went deep four times to rally past the San Diego Padres 11-9 on Wednesday night. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called it “a crazy explosion.”
news.yahoo.comDodgers' Pujols goes on COVID-19 IL after 2nd vaccine
Albert Pujols went on the Los Angeles Dodgers' COVID-19 injured list Tuesday, when Cody Bellinger was activated from the IL after missing eight games with a broken left rib. Pujols received his second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and “just didn't feel good,” manager Dave Roberts said. Roberts said Pujols will be re-evaluated Wednesday.
news.yahoo.comCody Bellinger placed on injured list with left rib fracture
The Los Angeles Dodgers placed outfielder Cody Bellinger on the injured list with a left rib fracture. The Dodgers recalled outfielder Luke Raley from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Bellinger was banged up in a collision with Gavin Lux last week.
news.yahoo.comKershaw 1st win since June, streaking Dodgers top shaky Reds
Clayton Kershaw pitched five sharp innings for his first win since June 27, Gavin Lux and Corey Seager each hit two-run homers and the streaking Los Angeles Dodgers beat the sliding Cincinnati Reds 8-5 Sunday. Will Smith also homered as the Dodgers won for the eighth time in nine games. Kershaw (10-7) allowed one run and three hits, striking out eight without a walk.
news.yahoo.comDodgers scratch lefty David Price from start with arm issue
Dodgers left-hander David Price was scratched from his scheduled start Friday night in the opener of a key NL West series against the Giants because of an unspecified arm injury. The injured list was a possibility, manager Dave Roberts said. Corey Knebel was called into action to start in Price's place as Los Angeles made it a bullpen game with the division race dead even.
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