LOS ANGELES DODGERS NOTES:
RAIN CAME POURING DOWN: After snapping their 11-game win streak with a 11-3 loss on Friday, the Dodgers started a new win streak by sweeping Saturday’s surprise doubleheader due to Hurricane Hillary and beating the Marlins 3-1 in both games. The Boys in Blue are now 17-2 in the month of August and a Major League best 25-9 (.735) in the second half of the season. The Dodgers’ finished their longest homestand of the season with a 9-1 record. This evening, the Dodgers will begin a three-game series against the Guardians, as they visit Cleveland for the first time since 2017. Following this series, The Boys in Blue will continue their road trip and travel to Boston for a three-game series (Aug. 25-27). The Dodgers still hold a season-high 12-game lead over the San Francisco Giants in the National League West. The Dodgers are 21-13 in interleague play this season, which is the second highest winning percentage in interleague play behind the Toronto Blue Jays (.650). After starting off interleague play with an 11- 9 mark, the Dodgers are 10-4 in their last 14 interleague games. Dating back to 2012, the Dodgers own the best mark in interleague play in the Major Leagues with a 151-98 mark (.606), ahead of the Boston Red Sox (.602, 157-104). The Dodgers lost two of three contests against the Guardians last year at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are 8-7 against the Guardians all-time. Los Angeles is 5-4 vs. the AL Central this season.
GAME FIT FOR A KING: The Dodgers won both games of their doubleheader on Saturday, and both by a final score of 3-1. Ryan Pepiot made his season debut in the first game of the day as the 27th man added to the roster for the doubleheader, firing five innings and giving up three hits and one run while striking out five. Julio Urías tossed seven innings in the nightcap, giving up five hits and only one run while striking out five. Mookie Betts smashed his 33rd and 34th home run in the series finale, while also contributing in Game 1 with a game-winning, two-run single to give the Boys in Blue the win. The Dodgers’ 194 home runs ranks second in the Major Leagues and are already the ninth most in L.A. Dodger history. In August, Julio Urías is 4-0 with a 1.44 ERA (4 ER/25.0 IP), 0.72 WHIP, 27 strikeouts and two walks while holding batters to a .184 average. He has faced 70 straight batters without surrendering a walk.
HELLO OLD FRIEND: The Dodgers will begin this series with Bobby Miller on the hill against former Dodger Noah Syndergaard. Syndergaard was traded to the Guardians on July 26th for Amed Rosario, who will be facing his former club for the first time. Rosario is slashing .237/.250/.458 with the Dodgers, including four doubles, three home runs, and 12 RBI in 19 games. Bobby Miller’s last two starts have been stellar for the Dodger rookie, tossing six scoreless innings with only four hits in Arizona on August 9th, then allowing one run but retiring his last 18 batters on the 16th against Milwaukee while punching out four in both appearances. On the season, he is 7-2 with a 3.70 ERA (31 ER/75.1 IP) and 70 strikeouts.
THE MAN: All-Star Mookie Betts went 2-for-4 on Saturday night with two solo home runs, bringing his batting average for the season to .298. Betts is now slashing .379/.474/.764 with 15 homers, 39 RBI, 44 runs scored and 29 walks in his last 42 games since June 28. Betts is first in the NL in OPS (.989), tied for third in the NL in home runs with 34 while ranking second in slugging (.595), third in runs (101) and fifth in walks (70). Betts is hitting .408 (29-for-71) in the month of August. Since May 1, the 2018 American League MVP is hitting .315 (112-for-355) with 30 homers, 75 RBI and a 1.049 OPS. During that span, he is third in the Majors in homers, second in runs (86), second in OPS, tied for fourth RBI and third in extra-base hits (55). Betts is hitting .372 (35-for-94) with RISP, which ranks third in the Major Leagues. The Dodgers are 36-20 when Betts drives in a run and 20-9 when he hits a home runs this season.
SUPERMAN: Dodger first baseman Freddie Freeman went 1-for-4 Saturday night and is slashing .398/.473/.681 with 12 doubles, six homers and 20 RBI in his last 29 games since July 17. Freeman was the first player in Dodger history with at least 20 homers and 35 doubles before the end of July and ranks second in the Majors with 102 runs scored, trailing only Ronald Acuña Jr. (110). He also leads the Majors with 45 doubles, ranks second with 70 extra-base hits, third in hits (162) and second in batting average (.333). His career best in runs scored is 120, established in 2021. The All-Star is one of four players in the Majors with a .300+ batting average, .400+ on-base percentage and a .500+ slugging percentage, along with Yandy Diaz, Ronald Acuña Jr and Shohei Ohtani.
LIKE MIKE: Prior to today’s game, the Dodgers’ recalled INF Michael Busch from Triple-A Oklahoma City and placed J.D. Martinez on the injured list with groin tightness. Busch returns for his third stint with the Dodgers after hitting .200 (9-for-45) with three doubles and four RBI in 15 games for the Dodgers this season. the infielder has appeared in 88 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City, hitting .323 (114-for-356) with 23 doubles, 24 homers and 82 RBI.
TONIGHT’S STARTER at GUARDIANS: RHP BOBBY MILLER (7-2, 3.70 ERA in 14 GS)
2023 SEASON NOTES:
- In his last start on August 15 against the Brewers, he fired 6.0 innings, giving up one hit, one run and one walk while punching out four en route to his seventh win of the season…retired the last 18 batters he faced
- Had the longest scoreless innings streak for the club this season with 20 consecutive innings (May 29-June 17)…it was snapped on the 17th against the Giants
- Became the first Dodger pitcher since at least 1901 with a 6.0+ IP scoreless start allowing one hit or fewer within his first three appearances (ESPN Stats)
- First Dodgers rookie starting pitcher to earn the win in his first two career starts since Jose De Leon (9/04/16 vs. SD and 9/12/16 at NYY)
- Illinois native picked up the win in his Major League debut against Atlanta May 23 after spinning five innings and giving up four hits, one run and one walk while striking out five
- Owns a 1-1 record across four starts with Triple-A Oklahoma City with a 5.65 ERA (9 ER/14.1 IP) with 12 strikeouts and just 6 issued walks…has limited the opposition to a .212/.295/.385 slashline
- Was a non-roster invitee to Spring Training…did not appear
VS. GUARDIANS:
- Will face Cleveland for the first time in his career
CLEVELAND GUARDIANS NOTES:
No team release available.
