Games 98-101 Thread: Jul 28-31 @ Rockies

Thu 28 5.40p: Anderson vs. Ureña
Fri 29 5.40p: Urias vs. Kuhl
Sat 30 5.10p: Kershaw vs. Freeland
Sun 31 12.10p: Gonsolin vs. Marquez

The Dodgers are only 5-4 against the lowly Rockies this year, having lost two of three series against the worst team in the NL West. Coming off a series loss to the even-worse Washington Nationals, the Dodgers don't have momentum against losing teams--so it stands to reason that this four-game series won't go well, either. Don't stoop to their level, Dodgers! (But don't walk away, either.)

Games 95-97 Thread: July 25-27 vs. Nationals

Mon 25 7p: Gonsolin vs. Espino
Tue 26 7p: White vs. Gray
Wed 27 12n: TBD vs. Corbin

The Dodgers just swept the Giants in four games for the first time since 1995, and much of it was done in dramatic fashion: Mookie Betts late-inning heroics from both sides of the plate, followed by an unlikely eighth-inning grand slam off the bat of slumping Cody Bellinger, followed by three solo HR from Betts, Trea Turner, and Freddie Freeman. And then of course, the exclamation point on Sunday, when the Dodgers broke a 4-4 tie late off the bats of Gavin Lux, Trayce Thompson, and Jake Lamb (even Max Muncy got a double in this one). Register the sweep, as well as an 11.5-game lead over the Padres in the division, and a 16.5-game lead over the third-place Giants.

And into town stroll the Nationals, inlcuding their Home Run Derby-winning phenom Juan Soto, who turned down a $440M offer from the Nationals to stay. Despite having three more postseasons of control, the Nats have put Soto up on the block and many teams, most notably the Padres, are apparently in the hunt, astronomical price tag notwithstanding. But the Dodgers are known to make big moves at the trade deadline, so people are betting Andrew Friedman is up to something as well. And Dodger fans at last week's All-Star Game voiced their opinion:

Look at that grin by @JuanSoto25_ when the crowd chanted “FUTURE DODGER” pic.twitter.com/7q8zpg5z7n

— Miguel Lozada (@MLozada) July 20, 2022

Koona t'chuta, Soto?

Games 91-94 Thread: July 22-25 vs. Giants

Thu 21: White vs. Rodon
Fri 22: TBD vs. Webb
Sat 23: TBD vs. Wood
Sun 24: TBD vs. Cobb

The Dodgers come out of the All-Star Break with a league-leading 60-30 record, and a 10-game lead over second-place San Diego (and a 12.5 game lead over the Giants). Going 10-1 over the last homestand was pretty sweet, and now we have seven against the Giants and Nationals. Let's keep it rolling!

Games 86-90 Thread: July 12-14 @ Cardinals; July 15-16 @ Angels

This picture is not an endorsement for this product. I just needed a unifying theme.

@STL Tues 12 4.45p: White vs. Liberatore
@STL Wed 13 4.45p: Gonsolin vs. Wainwright
@STL Thu 14 4.15p: Anderson vs. Hudson
@LAA Fri 15 6.30p: TBD vs. TBD
@LAA Sat 16 7p: TBD vs. TBD

I'm having to squish two series threads into one Game Thread due to travel. But I confess that I'm pretty damn giddy after a 10-1 homestand, punctuated by a crazy come-from-behind victory on Sunday afternoon in which Julio Urias shit a turd (down 5-0 with one out in the top of the first), only to see the Dodgers rally back to an 11-9 victory to sweep the hapless Cubs.

If we can play like this even with Max Muncy batting .162 and Cody Bellinger batting .211--wow, we've got a shot here.

And now the Dodgers have four All-Stars preparing for next Tuesday's All-Star Game: starters Mookie Betts and Trea Turner, and pitchers Clayton Kershaw and Tony Gonsolin. So let's enjoy these five last games before the break and everybody be cool, okay? Time for a tarot reading.

Games 82-85 Thread: July 7-10 vs. Cubs

Thu 7: Gonsolin vs. Leiter Jr.
Fri 8: Anderson vs. Thompson
Sat 9: Kershaw vs. TBD
Sun 10: Urias vs. TBD
All games at 7p except Sunday 1p

The Dodgers are still injured all over the lineup, with Walker Buehler, Daniel Hudson, and Chris Taylor all out (and Hudson definitely not coming back this season). Max Muncy is still batting .167 (though he had a nice defensive play in yesterday's 2-1 victory); Cody Bellinger is barely over Mendoza (.213), and we stil don't have a cleanup hitter (Slappy usually inhabits the four-hole, and his OPS at .799 is worse than our top three hitters).

And yet, we're off to a 5-1 start in this homestand, we're ekeing decent starts out of players like Mitch White (5.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 4 BB and 6 Ks yesterday), and we have the best record in the National League and a six-game lead over the Padres.

It doesn't seem like the Dodgers are clicking yet. But that may be because we all know the bar is so high.

So into town roll the Cubbies, who sport a record even worse than the NL West cellar dweller Rockies (whom we just swept). Wednesday's victory only came through manufacturing a late run in the ninth (the team was 0-for-7 with RISP yesterday). Will the Dodgers limp to victory this series, or utilize the opportunity to really start firing on more cylinders?

Games 79-81 Thread: July 4-6 vs. Rockies

Mon 4 6p: Urias vs. Freeland
Tue 5 7p: White vs. Marquez
Wed 6 7p: Gonsolin vs. TBD

The Dodgers just smoked San Diego across four games, with the exception of one bad inning at the end of yesterday's game which led to the only loss of the series. But the cost may also have been greater than the scoresheet; Craig Kimbrel, injured from a comebacker in that fateful ninth inning; and Chris Taylor, hurt with a contusion in his left foot on Saturday.

At least we got Mookie Betts back Sunday, which was good as he had two doubles and scored a run.

The Dodgers still have the best record in the National League, and are 3.5 games ahead of San Diego and 8.5 games ahead of San Francisco in the division. Happy Fourth of July, Dodger fans!