Game 89 Thread: July 4 vs Cheaters, 6p

Ben Casparius vs Lance McCullers.

I still hate the Astros.

Game 88 Thread: July 3 vs. White Sox, 7p

Dustin May (4-5, 4.68) vs. Aaron Civale (1-4, 4,74).

Los Angeles Dodgers picther Dustin May takes the mound tonight, only one K short of recording 250 career strikeouts.

Go get 'em, Dustin!

Clayton Kershaw and the 3,000 Strikeouts

How can you watch this and not get chills up your spine?

Congratulations, Clayton Kershaw!

Game 87 Thread: July 2 vs. White Sox, 7p

Clayton Kershaw (4-0, 3.03) vs. Brandon Eisert (2-1, 4.33).

Los Angeles Dodgers treasure Clayton Kershaw takes the mound tonight, only three short of becoming the 20th player in major league history to record 3,000 strikeouts.

Go get 'em, Clayton!

Game 86 Thread: July 1 vs. White Sox, 7p

Yoshinobu Yamamoto (7-6, 2.61) vs. Shane Smith (3-5, 3.38).

We may have a friend in the diamond business, but will Shane Smith be a friend in the opposing pitcher business? The Dodgers have won six of their last seven games, but the White Sox just took a series over the Giants. I'm betting Shane doesn't mix with this diamond.

Game 85 Thread: June 29 @ Royals, 11a

TBD vs. Kris Bubic (6-5, 2.18).

After yesterday's pounding, the Dodgers have a shot at a series split over breakfast baseball today. Except we don't have a starting pitcher.

(cries)

Game 84 Thread: June 28 @ Royals, 1p

Shohei Ohtani (0-0, 4.50) vs. Seth Lugo (4-5, 2.93).

I'm sorry I've been out of pocket this week. Let's get Ohtani north of one inning pitched today!

Game 83 Thread: June 27 @ Royals, 5p

Dustin May (4-5, 4.46) vs. Noah Cameron (2-3, 2.08).

The Dodgers have opened up a six-game lead on the Padres and a 6.5-game lead on the Giants, the largest divisional lead in the National League. And yet it still doesn't feel as secure as it should. We roll into Kansas City with the Royals having lost their last six games.

Game 82 Thread: June 26 @ Rockies, 12p

Clayton Kershaw (3-0, 3.31) vs. Austin Gomber (0-1, 8.38).

Clayton Kershaw is only eight strikeouts away from 3,000 strikeouts. Let's get this done, Clayton!

Game 81 Thread: June 25 @ Rockies, 5.40p

Yoshinobu Yamamoto (6-6, 2.76) vs. Dollander (2-7, 6.19).

Maybe in Coors Field, at the halfway point of the season, Yoshinobu Yamamoto will get the run support from the Dodgers offense which has been absent for most of his starts. It's in Denver, right? And Shohei seems to be banging long balls again (like his HR in yesterday's 9-7 victory)?

Let's go!

Game 80 Thread: June 24 @ Rockies, 5.40p

TBD vs. German Marquez (3-8, 6.11).

With Max Muncy swinging a hot bat (two HR, 7 RBI) in Sunday's homestand finale--can he bring it again tonight against the German(s)?

Okay, I know that one was a stretch.

2025 Dodgers WAR (Through June 23, 2025)

I just peeked at this and found it pretty surprising:

• Shohei Ohtani 3.6
• Will Smith 3.3
• Andy Pages 3.0
• Mookie Betts 2.7
• Max Muncy 2.3
• Freddie Freeman 1.9
• Teoscar Hernandez 1.6
• Tommy Edman 1.5
• Michael Conforto -1.1

For substitutes, Hyeseong Kim leads with a 1.1 WAR. Kiké Hernandez has a 0.6 (better than I expected!), and Miguel Rojas and Dalton Rushing each have 0.3.

Austin Barnes was -0.3 and Chris Taylor was -0.6.

From a pitching perspective, Yoshinobu Yamamoto has a 1.9 WAR, and Clayton Kershwaw has a 0.4 WAR. Roki Sasaki is 0.1, as is Tyler Glasnow. Blake Snell has a -0.2 WAR, worse than even Dustin May (-0.1) and Tony Gonsolin (-0.1). Landon Knack has a -0.3 WAR.

Within the relief corps: Ben Casparius has a 0.7 WAR, Alex Vesia is at 0.5, Jack Dreyer is at 0.4, and Anthony Banda is at 0.3. New pickups Tanner Scott is at 0.1 and Kirby Yates is at 0.0.

Game 79 Thread: June 22 vs. Nationals, 1p

Shohei Ohtani (0-0, 9.00) vs. Michael Soroka (3-5, 5.06)

It's the end of a ten-game homestand, the Dodgers going a very respectable 6-3 over their first nine games. Last night's loss to a sub-.500 team was a bummer. But this afternoon, we've got Shohei Ohtani on the mound for the second time this season (and the second time in his Dodgers career).

Game 78 Thread: June 21 vs. Nationals, 7p

Dustin May (4-4, 4.46) vs. Jake Irvin (5-3, 4.23).

WIll Dustin pitch the Dodgers to their seventh win in their last eight games tonight?

Dustin May.

Game 77 Thread: June 20 vs. Nationals, 7p

I was pretty surprised by Ohtani's cool demeanor after getting hit in the ninth inning yesterday.

Clayton Kershaw (2-0, 3.25) vs. Mackenzie Gore (3-6, 2.89).

Both staring pitchers today have win-loss records that belie their talent: Kershaw, whose season started late due to injury; and Gore, whose ERA is a better reflection of his skill given the Nationals' woeful 31-44 record. I'm just hoping for a game where every batter isn't living in fear of getting plunked.

Game 76 Thread: June 19 vs. Padres, 7p

Will Smith saves us, for the second straight night.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto (6-5, 2.64) vs. Ryan Bergert (1-0, 2.33).

Normally I'd feel pretty good about Yoshi starting in the final game of a four-game series, with the Dodgers poised for a sweep. But given the breaks have fallen our way with two straight bullpen-game victories, not to mention Yamamoto's last seven starts (2-3 with a 4.46 ERA) have been mortal, I'm not so sure.

And some people say I'm too negative.

Game 75 Thread: June 18 vs. Padres, 7p

Emmet Sheehan vs. Stephen Kolek (3-2, 3.50).

I didn't expect to win yesterday's bullpen game against the Padres, but we did (8-6), thanks to our bats. At the center of this was Will Smith, who slapped his way through a long 12-pitch AB against Jeremiah Estrada, culminating in a two-run HR that put the Dodgers up 5-3 and opening up the floodgates in that five-run frame.

But it's not like we didn't know how to win a bullpen game against the Padres, right?

So tonight, we run back what is basically another bullpen game, starting fresh call-up Emmet Sheehan (4-1, 4.92 ERA over his career). Let's see how this goes!

Game 74 Thread: June 17 vs. Padres, 7p

TBD vs. Randy Vasquez (3-4, 3.57).

Dylan Cease was mowing us down in the first two innings: five straight swinging Ks, followed by a Max Muncy weak tapper to the mound. But then the fourth inning came around, and seven of eight consecutive Dodgers reached base, and suddenly the Dodgers were up 6-2 on the Padres. Cease ended up lasting only five innings, and although the Dodgers used seven pitchers to secure the victory (the day before another spot-start and/or bullpen game), it seemed like a pretty big win in the opener of this four-game series.

Oh yeah, and that Ohtani guy pitched as well. He gave up a run and lasted only one inning, so his ERA is 9.00.

I hope that guy makes it in the bigs.

Anyway, today is game #2 and who knows what we'll see on the mound, so I hope the Dodgers are ready to (yet again) bat their way out of trouble.

Game 73 Thread: June 16 vs. Padres, 7p

SHOHEI OHTANI vs. some other guy.

Shohei Ohtani makes his Dodgers pitching debut tonight at the Stadium.

What more needs to be said?

Game 72 Thread: June 15 vs. Giants, 4p

Dustin May vs. Kyle Harrison.

One more rivalry game for this series, and then it's right back to work against the Padres. Yikes.