Post-Game 10 Thread: Dodgers Win World Series Game 8

The party continues in Toronto.

DODGERS 14, BLUE JAYS 2

The last two games the Dodgers played in the Rogers Centre were nailbiters. Tonight's game, the first game since the Dodgers' victorious 2025 World Series Game 7, was an all-out romp.

There were signs of worry before the first pitch, though. Will Smith took the game off (Dave Roberts gave him a rest day), with Dalton Rushing getting the start. Mookie Betts is injured. And Justin Wrobleski was making his first start of the season, after just one other appearance (four innings against the Guardians, in which he gave up three ER, thereby entering today's game with a 6.75 ERA).

And yet, the Dodgers thoroughly dominated the Blue Jays from the get-go. Teoscar Hernandez had a two-run homer in the first inning. And even though Wrobo-Cop gave back a run in the bottom of that frame, the Dodgers got additional home runs from Freddie Freeman, Shohei Ohtani, and a pair of home runs from Rushing (who went 4-for-4). Andy Pages added a two-run double; Kyle Tucker got a RBI; and the Dodgers' middle infield of Hyeseong Kim and Alex Freeland made some great defensive plays to squelch the Blue Jays' offense.

The Toronto crowd was completely muzzled for the game, especially after seeing Blue Jays starter Max Scherzer only last two innings (he apparently left with a forearm tendonitis issue). The crowd got excited in the ninth inning when Blue Jays position player Tyler Heineman took the mound (Miguel Rojas pitched the ninth for the Dodgers, and gave up a run). But that was it.

The Dodgers have now scored double-digit runs in three of their last four contests (all road games). Let's keep this rolling!

2025 NLDS Post-Game 4 Thread: Roki To The Rescue

DODGERS 2, PHILLIES 1 (11)
DODGERS WIN NLDS, 3-1

In a tense affair that only took 3:30 to complete but felt like an eternity, the Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies on an improbable error, with Orion Kerkering panicking after a botched comebacker, ultimately throwing the ball to the wrong base and wide of catcher J.T. Realmuto, allowing Dodgers pinchrunner Hyeseong Kim to score the game-winning run.

I was at the game and would not have believed this ending despite seeing it with my own eyes.

I guess you can now spell "Phillies" with three Ls.

The truth is, either team could have easily won this series. The Dodgers stole Game 1 in Philadelphia, and then barely survived Game 2, to put Los Angeles in a pretty comfortable position. But after squandering Game 3, it seemed like this Game 4, which rested on a razor's edge, could have gone either way.

Had the Dodgers lost NLDS Game 4, I have to think we would not have been favored to win the series in a winner-take-all Game 5, given the hostility of Citizens Bank Park, not to mention our recent performance where we just squeaked to victories by our fingernails.

But key Dodgers stepped up here in Game 4 to deliver us the win, and we have to give them their rightful commendations:

• Tyler Glasnow was nails. Yes, Glasnow's reputation of fragility, coupled with the fact that he only started 18 games for us this year, made me skeptical that we'd see him finish even three innings. But Glasnow's line: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB and 8 Ks--outdid Phillies starter Cristopher Sanchez's numbers (6.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB and 5 Ks).

  I wasn't sure why we took Glasnow out after only 83 pitches and six innings, because he was dealing, but I've since read that he was cramping. But his performance kept us in the game, for sure.

• Emmet Sheehan held up. Sure, he made an error that cost us a run. But the kid has now pitched in three 2025 postseason games and is getting a little bit sharper each time. He had a strikeout in Game 1 (2.0 IP) and a strikeout in G4 (1.0 IP), and thought his ERA is still 10.80 this postseason, he's a viable middle-inning bridge, which we need. Keep up the progress, Emmet!

• Roki Sasaki, of course, was the breakout story of the day. Holy shit, Batman. Given all the hype of his signing, then the clear discomfort and shaky performances early on this year, and then missing most of the year with a shoulder injury--there was absolutely no way one would think Sasaki would become the postseason closer beast that has emerged late in 2025. Since returning from injury on September 24, Sasaki pitched in only two regular-season games (one inning each; 0 ER and 4 Ks). And then, despite ratcheting up the pressure in each 2025 postseason appearance, Sasaki has shined.

  But Game 4's performance, asking the rookie to go three innings of work and watching him face nine batters and sit all nine down--one would have never expected this. Sasaki just hit another level, in a role that he wasn't even expected to play. I can't think of a comparable example. It's amazing.

• Clayton Kershaw wore it in Game 3, so that we could have everyone ready for Game 4. Watching Kershaw struggle on Wednesday was just gut-wrenching awful. But if he doesn't pitch those two innings, we use up some of the few options we have in that corroded bullpen (even more corroded now that Tanner Scott is out through the NLCS, not that we'd really feel comfortable using Scott these days, anyway). Hopefully, us advancing to the NLCS will give Kershaw a chance to whittle down his truly unfair 2025 postseason 18.00 ERA (not to mention, his career 4.63 postseason ERA).

• The bottom of our lineup broke through. Tommy Edman, who was roping some balls earlier in the game, finally broke through with a single to left in the 11th, for his first hit of the game. Then Max Muncy clutched up and singled to center, advancing pinch-runner Kim to third, and knocking out Phillies Game-5-starter-turned-reliever Jesus Luzardo. Then Kiké Hernandez--now batting .318 with a .809 OPS this postseason, both marks ahead of Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman!--worked the count to earn a walk and load the bases.

  And that set up the dramatics for Andy Pages--batting a microscopic .042 with a .122 OPS this postseason--to hit the comebacker that quickly unfolded into an error, with Kim crossing the plate and the Dodgers winning the game. But all four of those players were our 6-7-8-9 in the lineup on Thursday; the heroics were all theirs.

• Dave Roberts, again, made all the right calls and beat Phillies manager Rob Thomson in the chess match. Roberts gets a lot of flack, and I know I defend him more than most. But honestly, with Thomson going to closer Jhoan Duran in the seventh inning (Duran ended up blowing ths save by walking Mookie Betts with the bases loaded, which was amazing); then throwing his Game 5 starter in the tenth inning, in a do-or-die move--Thomson was trying everything to give his team the win.

  But Roberts' bullpen choices, even going back to how he (ab)used Kershaw in Game 4 (see above), proved to be key. Pushing Sasaki for three frames in Game 3 was ballsy, and it worked out (and so did using Alex Vesia in the 11th, and Vesia might be gaining some girth on his trust tree branch of late). It seems like Doc has gotten a lot better over time about reading the moment and trusting his players in key situations; it may not always work out, but it seems to be successful more often than not. Now, why we are sticking with starting Pages is another issue.

And look, I hated to see it end on Orion Kerkering's shoulders like that. He just freaked out, with 50,000 fans screaming and a bobbled ball that shifted things from routine to chaos in an instant. Yeah, maybe he should have thrown to first base to get Pages. And the play at the plate might have been close. But you don't like to see a walk-off error. I feel for the guy.

But hey, let's watch that play again anyway :)

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Needless to say, it wasn't his fault that the Phillies are going home. Look at their big three: Trea Turner, 0-for-5 on Thursday with 2 Ks, finishing with a .235 average and .551 OPS (Turner did make a sweet defensive play in Game 4 on a grounder). Kyle Schwarber, who erupted for two home runs in Game 3, was a sad 1-for-5 in Game 4, also with 2 Ks, finishing the postseason with a .188 average (and .903 OPS). Bryce Harper, who has not fared well in Dodger Stadium in his career, went 0-for-4 and finished with a .200 average and .600 OPS.

So in NLDS Game 4, combined, Philly's big three went 1-for-14 with 4 Ks.

Now look, our big three didn't do much better: 2-for-13 with 5 Ks across Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman (Roberts wedged Teoscar Hernandez in there for Game 4, batting third but he was worse: 1-for-5 with 3 Ks on his own). Ohtani and Freeman look pretty bad right now, which some speculate is because Philadelphia's lefties are so strong. You know who else has strong lefty pitching? The Cubs (who play a winner-take-all game in Milwaukee Saturday). Gulp.

But I'll think about our adjustments that we'll need to make for the NLCS later. For now, I'm going to revel in the fact that the Dodgers are moving on, having vanquished the team that many believe would be our biggest obstacle this 2025 postseason.

After sitting through 11 innings of totally clenched ball last night, I'm still pretty nervous.

Post-Game 162 Thread: Kershaw Gets Final Win; Reds Take Back Door Into Playoffs

DODGERS 6, MARINERS 1

Clayton Kershaw's final regular season game line: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB and 7 Ks. Amazing.

Shohei Ohtani was also pretty damn good today, 3-for-5 with a HR and 2 runs scored.

Hyeseong Kim also had a two-run bomb to open up the scoring for the Dodgers, and Freddie Freeman added a two-run HR of his own, as the Dodgers rolled to the sweep, ending the season with five wins in a row.

So now, we play Cincinnati in the NL Wild Card, who lost to the Brewers 4-2, but backed into the playoffs when the Mets were blanked in Miami, 4-0.

Game 1 is Tuesday at 6p. I'm not sleeping on the Reds. Hoo boy!

Post-Game 158 Thread: Vesia and Henriquez Try To Throw This Away, But New Bullpen Arms (and Tommy Edman) Earn The Win Anyway

This game was exhausting.

DODGERS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 4 (11)

No one will remember Blake Snell's six innings of one-run ball tonight. And they may not even remember scoreless frames from two Dodger starters, Roki Sasaki and Clayton Kershaw, to contribute to the cause.

But after Alex Vesia and Edgardo Henriquez' ineptitude in the eighth inning to cede the 4-1 lead and let the Snakes tie the game; and after pinch runner Hyeseong Kim hesitates at second and is thrown out at the plate in the top of the 10th inning--the Dodgers had some unlikely solid performances from the bullpen: Blake Treinen, who came in with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the 10th, and got the final out; and Justin Wrobleski, who pitched a scoreless 11th to earn the victory.

Also, Tommy Edman had a two-out, two-strike single to left-center which scored Freddie Freeman from third in the top of the 11th, scoring the game's winning run. Edman also had a solid play in the field to end the ninth inning for Kershaw.

No Tanner Scott tonight, so we actually won this game. Magic number is at 1.

And big credit to SportsNet LA's Jessica Mendoza for noticing Kim's hesitation at second immediately and calling it out. She did great on color commentary tonight and I love to hear her insight in the booth.

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.

Post-Game 58 Thread: Dodgers Rout Yankees And It Was Really Fun

DODGERS 18, YANKEES 2

I didn't get a chance to see SoSG Dusty at this game, which was pretty much the only disappointing part of what was otherwise an outstanding afternoon at the Stadium. My anxiety level was high, knowing Landon Knack was on the mound for the Dodgers, and my nerves were already fried having had awful traffic luck getting to Chavez Ravine (the crossing guards really need to let cars flow too, and not just pedestrians; or install some damn bridges for god's sake, Frank McCourt!).

Knack worked out of a leadoff walk to Trent Grisham in the first by getting Aaron Judge to ground into a double play, and then Cody Bellinger flied out to end the top of the first.

And then, it was on.

Four singles in the first five batters, including a solid RBI single from Max Muncy, put the Dodgers up 2-0. A sacrifice fly from Michael Conforto stretched the lead to three, and a hot shot off the bat of Tommy Edman tied up Yankees third baseman Jorbit Vivas and scored Muncy, for a 4-0 lead.

One inning later, the Dodgers had Will Warren on the ropes, knocking him out of the game on a three-run HR by Muncy. But it dind't stop there: a two-out walk to Conforto, a RBI double by Edman, and then a surprising two-run HR from Hyeseong Kim stretched the lead to 10-0 thorugh two frames. The Dodgers batted around in both of the first two innings, posting two very crooked numbers. And it kept getting silly.

Aaron Judge did have two solo HR this game, which was great for the reigning AL MVP. Max Muncy, on the other hand, had two three-run HRs this game, as well as an RBI single, to total 7 RBI on the day. Muncy went 3-for-6 and raised his batting average to .220. His .723 OPS at the completion of this game may have gotten him all the way back to replacement level (he had an OPS+ of 94 entering tonight's game), and if Muncy can break out of his year-long slump at last, that would be incredible for the bottom of our lineup.

Pages, another bat who has gotten really hot in the last 2-3 weeks, notched a HR of his own in the seventh to extend the lead to 15-1, and, following Judge's second HR, rookie Dalton Rushing came out in the eighth inning and hit his first major-league HR to make it 18-2 (a three-run shot off of Yankees position player Pablo Reyes).

Knack ended up earning the win with a 6.0 IP, 5 H performance (3 BB, 6 Ks). Anthony Banda had an impressive 2 K seventh inning; Chris Stratton gave up only one run in the eighth; and position player Kike Hernandez pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the Dodgers. Knack's great starting effort, one night after Tony Gonsolin went six innings on his own, helped rest that Dodgers bullpen that has worked more than any other pen in baseball this year.

The Dodgers also had some sweet defensive play from Hyeseong Kim, in the third inning with an unassisted double play that douvbled Austin Wells off second with Kim diving to tag the second-base bag before Wells got back, and then an amazing strike from centerfield (where Kim had shifted to start the sixth inning), nailing Judge at second when Judge tried to stretch a leadoff single to a double (and instead, was nailed with a perfect throw and tag by Edman). No issues with Judge trying to make something happen there for the Yankees, but credit to the Dodgers for shutting that effort down quickly.

So that's the second straight game the Dodgers have taken from the Yankees on national television, with tomorrow's game also nationally televised (this time, on ESPN). It was a wonderful time for me, sipping that huge can of Michelob Ultra, and enjoying the fireworks on the field.

Let's go, Dodgers!

Boston Adds FA Cheater ($120M) and Mets Drop $765M on Soto, Forcing Dodgers to Scramble to Compete

Cheaters love short left-field porches.

With Alex Bregman getting picked up by the Red Sox yesterday ($120M, three years), off the backs of a wild off-season in which the Mets snagged Juan Soto for $765M and 15 years, it is clear that baseball players are getting rich contract, especially from the subset of teams that decide to spend money. Roster Resource now has 11 of the 30 MLB teams with a 2025 payroll projection of at least $200: Dodgers ($389M), Mets ($331M), Phillies ($288M), Yankees ($285M), Blue Jays ($250M), Rangers ($222M), Cheaters ($218M), Braves ($212M), Red Sox ($210M), Padres ($207M), and Angels ($202M).

So let's break down some of the bigger moves this offseason:

• Mets: Soto ($765M/15), Pete Alonso ($54M/2), Sean Manaea ($75M/3), Clay Holmes ($38M/3), Frankie Montas ($34M/2)
• Yankees: Max Fried ($218M/8), Cody Bellinger (trade), Devin Williams (trade), Paul Goldschmidt ($12.5M/1)
• Red Sox: Bregman ($120M/3), Walker Buehler ($21M/1), Patrick Sandoval ($18M/2), Garrett Crochet (trade), Aroldis Chapman (10.7M/1)
• Padres: Nick Pivetta ($55M/4)
• Diamondbacks: Corbin Burnes ($210M/6)
• Giants: Willy Adames ($182M/7), Justin Verlander ($15M/1)
• Braves: Jurickson Profar ($42M/3)
• Phillies: Max Kepler ($10M/1)
• Orioles: Charlie Morton ($15M/1), Tyler O'Neill ($49.5M/3)
• Angels: Kenley Jansen ($10M/1), Yusei Kikuchi ($63M/3), Travis d'Arnaud ($12M/2), Kyle Hendricks ($2.5M/1)
• Tigers: Jack Flaherty ($35M/2), Gleyber Torres ($15M/1)
• Rangers: Joc Pederson ($37M/2), Nathan Eovaldi ($75M/3)
• Blue Jays: Anthony Santander ($92.5M/5), Max Scherzer ($15.5M/1)
• Cheaters: Christian Walker ($60M/3)

So the Dodgers could have sat on the laurels of their 2024 World Series Championship crown, sure. Instead, though, they did some deals of their own:

• Clayton Kershaw ($7.5M/1)
• Kiké Hernandez ($6M/1 TBC)
• Blake Treinen ($22M/2)
• Kirby Yates ($13M/1)
• Tanner Scott ($72M/4)
• Roki Sasaki ($6.5M/6)
• Hyeseong Kim ($12.5M/3)
• Teoscar Hernandez ($66M/3)
• Michael Conforto ($17M/1)
• Tommy Edman ($74M/5)
• Blake Snell ($182M/5)

In isolation, none of those Dodger deals looks out of whack with market norms. There are no $40M AAV deals on the table like Boston gave to Bregman; there are no long-term deals like the Mets gave to Soto or the Yankees gave to Fried or the Snakes gave to Burnes (in fact, the longest-term Dodger deal, to Roki Sasaki, is an absolute bargain due to international signing rules).

And in aggregate, the team added some players, sure. But we also lost Buehler, Flaherty, Gavin Lux, Daniel Hudson, and Joe Kelly, not to mention others who are recovering from season-ending injuries and won't play for all or most of next year.

As pointed out on The Windup (Athletic podcast), with the Dodgers' consistent divisional dominance, they never get access to the generational draft picks (like Paul Skenes or Bryce Harper), forcing them to have to go to the open market as well as make higher-risk, lower-in-order draft decisions.

I'm ecstatic for the Tommy Edman signing (to get a utility player with a potent bat!), albeit less so for the Dodgers getting a full year of sub-100 OPS+ Kiké Hernandez (not sure why we couldn't just pick him up in July in order to leverage his annual October performance uptick). Oh yeah, and we still have Chris Taylor for another year...(cries).

The Dodgers won the World Series last year. That said, we also came very close to getting dispatched in the 2024 NLDS to San Diego, which would have added more fuel to the ridiculous narrative that the Dodgers choke in the playoffs--but sure, it almost happened again.

But you can't have that (debunked) narrative on the one hand, and then turn around and begrudge the Dodgers for fortifying their own arsenal with reinforcements--especially after last year's experience, when we were down to 2.5 starters in the playoffs and ran bullpen games as a matter of course. (Of note: 1.5 of those 2.5 playoff starters, comprised of Flaherty and Buehler, has left the Dodgers this off-season, leaving only Yoshinobu Yamamoto.)

Blame the Mets, Yankees, and Red Sox for ruining baseball. It's not the Dodgers. They're just trying to keep in the game.