Losing the World Series again

When your team loses the World Series for the second year in a row it makes you wax philosophical.

On one hand, it's a good thing your team made it to the World Series two years in a row. That means your team won two straight National League championships.

That means your team finished better than 28 other teams. That means your team did better than last year's champs, the Houston Astros, and the New York Yankees.

But it still means your team finished second -- again.

I don't like fans that play the blame game after their teams lose.

Some are calling for a new manager, departure from analytics, new players who will play better.

Look, the Dodgers already have the priciest payroll and a loaded roster. They struggled but still won 92 games to eke into the playoffs. They won the division series against Atlanta and the NLCS over Milwaukee.

Not exactly a failed season.

The Red Sox, however, were better. They took the 100-win Yankees 3-1 in the ALDS, the defending champion Astros 4-1 in the ALCS and the Dodgers 4-1 in the Series. That's a dominating 11-3 in the playoffs and 119 wins in 2018. 

Only the 1998 Yankees (125) and 2001 Mariners (120) won more games in a single season. This team will go down as one of the best in baseball history.

Not that it makes the medicine go down any easier. The Dodgers, like the Yankees and Astros, did not offer much resistance.

But hey, it was a fun ride nonetheless.

Dodgers in a World Series hole

Well, there was a reason the oddmakers had Boston as the heavy favorite in the World Series -- they are darn good.

After dropping 8-4 and 4-2 losses at Fenway, the Dodgers return home to the friendly confines of Chavez Ravine for Games Three, Four and hopefully, Five this weekend.

The odds continue to be in Boston's favor. Of the 51 times teams have taken a 2-0 lead in the 2-3-2 playoff format, 41 of those teams won the series. Which means 10 times teams made a comeback.

Here are reasons for hope:

• Boston will possibly start two righties in Games Three and Four (Rick Porcello and Nathan Eovaldi), which means L.A.'s left-handed power (Muncy, Bellinger, Pederson, Grandal) will be back in the starting lineup.
• The Dodgers will throw Walker Buehler and Rich Hill in Games Three and Four as they try to make a comeback. Buehler is the nascent ace of the staff and Hill has been money as of late. Chris Sale was so-so in Game One but David Price was lights out in Game Two. Let's hope the momentum shifts.
• The weather. Ok, you can't blame the two losses on the weather, but it was a miserable 45 degrees in Fenway last night. The players were bundled up like Packers fans at a January outdoor game. It will be in the low-80's in L.A. this weekend. Baseball weather. Gotta be a lift for the boys in blue.
• No DH, which means the Red Sox pitchers will have to hit and Alex Cora will have to manage National League rules. A subtle nuance, but hey, when you are down two games to none you gotta find hope where you can.

Brian Dozier said it well after last night's loss. "Going home, that can be rejuvenating. We lost back to back, but this team has been resilient. You can wallow in self-pity, or do something about it."

Go Dodgers.

Dodgers are underdogs against Boston

After Saturday's Game Seven win over Milwaukee to win the National League Championship Series, the Dodgers barely had time to wipe the champagne out of their eyes before thinking about their World Series foe, the Boston Red Sox.

Boston won a major league-best 108 games this year and cut through the Yankees and the Astros like butter.

Las Vegas has the Red Sox as a prohibitive favorite to win the Series.

It's a good thing they play these games on the field, not in a computer simulation.

The Dodgers went to the seventh game of the World Series a year ago only to be denied the ultimate prize.

That's the kind of thing that sticks in your craw for a while.

Boston is good, no doubt about it. But don't be too quick to count out veterans like Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill, Justin Turner, Matt Kemp and Ryan Madson, who realize their window to get a ring may be closing. And then there's Manny Machado, who hasn't been a Dodger very long but could catch lightning in a bottle as a mid-season acquisition.

As a boy growing up in Bell Gardens, California, me and my buddies (Yeah you Hartnett) use to have summertime wiffle ball and spray can lid (they produce wicked curves) games in my backyard. We used flour to chalk out baselines and even had our own version of the Green Monster, someone's two story garage in the rear of the property.

When I wasn't the Dodgers I liked to be Boston, with Jim Lonborg pitching and Carl Yastremski leading the offense. Boston won the American League pennant in 1967, when I was 11 years old. They reached the World Series by edging out Detroit and Minnesota by one game but lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the Series.

Years later I was attending a conference in Boston and skipped out on a dinner speaker to take the Green Line to Fenway to watch the Red Sox and Orioles play. Cal Ripken was playing for the Orioles that night as he marched toward the end of an amazing career.

I asked the hotel concierge to get me the best seat available and he rewarded me with a choice spot off third base about three rows in.


Now here we are, a lifetime later, the Dodgers playing in Fenway for all the marbles.


If I hit one over the fig tree it would be a homer.

Dodgers a win away from return to Series

A year ago, the Dodgers battled to the seventh game of the World Series only to lose to the Houston Astros when Yu Darvish was pummeled.

Now the Dodgers are up 3-2 in the NLCS, a win away from a return to the Fall Classic and a date with Boston after Clayton Kershaw's gem on Wednesday. Kershaw held Milwaukee to one run on three hits over seven innings with nine strikeouts as he rode his slider and curve ball to a vintage outing.

His fastball didn't crack 92 miles per hour but his off-speed pitches had the Brewers lunging and leaning.

Pedro Baez, Caleb Ferguson, Ryan Madson and Kenley Jansen finished the final two innings and timely hitting by Austin Barnes, Cody Bellinger, Yasiel Puig, Brian Dozier, Max Muncy and Justin Turner propelled Los Angeles to a 5-2 victory.

The Dodgers send Hyun-Jin Ryu to the hill tonight against Wade Miley as Los Angeles looks to close out the NLCS in six games. A Milwaukee victory would force a deciding seventh game on Saturday.

Boston closed out Houston for a 4-1 series win and await the National League representative to start the World Series Tuesday.

Milwaukee came into the NLCS touting a strong bullpen, and they have delivered. However, the Dodgers' relievers have stepped up with Madson, Ferguson, Baez and Kenta Maeda playing major roles in the playoffs.

Brewers' manager Craig Counsell pulled the switcheroo on the Dodgers by sending Wade Miley out for the first batter then switching to right-hander Brandon Woodruff, a move designed to throw off the Los Angeles lineup with a last-minute change to a righty.

Woodruff gave up three runs on five hits in 5.1 innings and right-hander Joakim Soria was tagged for the final two runs.

L.A.'s platoon system, showcasing a deep bench, paid off Wednesday as Barnes, Bellinger, Puig, Muncy and Dozier had critical at bats. Look for right-handed hitters David Freese, Dozier, Kike Hernandez and Matt Kemp to make appearances against Miley.

Bellinger breaks out to even series

Cody Bellinger's 13th inning walk-off single to right field in the early morning hours here on the East Coast kept the Dodgers alive in the National League Championship Series.


 Down 2-1 in the NLCS against Milwaukee, another loss would have put the Dodgers in a deep, deep hole.


Instead, the 2-1 thriller knotted the series at 2-2 and gives Los Angeles a shot at advancing to the World Series for the second year in a row.


 Clayton Kershaw gets the ball today and will try to atone for his Game Two disaster when he gave up five runs on six hits and lasted only three innings in a 6-5 loss.



Kershaw will face off against Wade Miley, who held the Dodgers to two hits over 5.2 innings in the Game Two loss to the Dodgers.


In the critical Game Four, Dave Roberts used every player on the roster to outlast the Brewers, who have one of the deepest pens in baseball.


Rich Hill was masterful over five frames before handing the reins over to the pen, where Pedro Baez, Kenta Maeda, Ryan Madson, Caleb Ferguson, Kenley Jansen, Alex Wood, Dylan Floro, and Julio Urias pitched shutout ball to stifle the Brewers.


Bellinger got two of L.A.'s seven hits to raise his playoff batting average to .214, but his walk-off couldn't have come at a better time. L.A.'s other run came in the first inning when Chris Taylor drew a walk, moved to second on a Justin Turner ground out and scored on a Brian Dozier single to left.


L.A.'s defense was stellar with Bellinger and Taylor making circus catches and Turner making a great stab at third.

                                                                                 

Hurricanes, babies and the Dodgers

The juxtapositions we face in our lives can be stark and startling.

Take today, for instance.

A major hurricane is coming ashore a couple of hours away on the Florida Gulf Coast with our Tallahassee in line for major wind and rain later this afternoon. Because we live in a tree paradise, we will most likely lose power in a few hours.

Meanwhile, my daughter, her husband and newest grandchild are a few miles away in a hospital because the hospital is in a lock down due to the hurricane. They may let them come home tomorrow. For now, photos sent on a smartphone will have to suffice. I look forward to that new baby smell, one of the few aromas that exceeds the leather in a new car.

And then there's the Dodgers, fresh off a 3-1 series win over the Braves, getting ready to face off against Milwaukee. The Brewers dispatched the Rockies in three straight and figure to be a hand full.

The good news for the Dodgers is that Clayton Kershaw, pitching in the second game, was masterful over eight innings and Hyun Jin-Ryu, who started the Atlanta series, was equally impressive.

Rookie Walker Buehler, the ace in waiting, had a rocky inning against the Braves in a 6-5 loss but he will be just fine against the Brewers. And then there's Kenley Jansen, who showed no ill effects of recent health issues as he shut down the Braves in the series finale.

With the bats, we started to see why Manny Machado was such a big investment. Machado hit a pair of dingers against the Braves, including a key three-run shot in the clinching Game Four. Max Muncy, David Freese, Joc Pederson, Matt Kemp, Justin Turner, Chris Taylor, Yasiel Puig and Yasmani Grandal had moments against Atlanta as the Dodgers seem to be peaking at the right time.

If the Dodgers can get past the Brewers, they will face either Houston or Boston in the World Series. The Astros might even be better than the team that won it all a year ago and the Red Sox just plowed through the Yankees with ease. That series will be fun to watch.

But for now, Milwaukee presents a real test.

October baseball. The playoffs. Hurricanes. New babies. This life is good.

Dodgers win the West, face Braves in NLDS

Walker Buehler had his coming out party as the Dodgers' ace last night, shutting down Colorado in a 5-2 win over the Rockies that gave Los Angeles their sixth straight NL West title.

Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy hit two-run homers and Buehler got the first RBI of his career as the Dodgers earned a spot against Atlanta in the NLDS starting Thursday at Chavez Ravine.

Buehler went 6.2 innings, struck out three and surrendered one hit in the biggest game of the year so far. Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth and gave up solo homers to Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story, but it was a case of too little, too late for the Rockies, who play in the Wild Card play-in game tonight.

The Dodgers went 5-2 against Atlanta this year, and if they get past the Braves, they will face off against the Milwaukee/Colorado/Chicago winner in the NLCS.

Hyun Jin Ryu will be on the bump Thursday in LA with Clayton Kershaw scheduled to go Friday. Games 3 & 4 will be in Atlanta Sunday and Monday with a Game 5, if necessary, back at Chavez Ravine on Wednesday, Oct. 10.

Former Dodger Charlie Culberson is the shortstop for the Braves, which have a lineup led by Freddie Freeman, Ronald Acuna, Jr., Nick Markakis and Ozzie Albies. All-Star Mike Foltynewicz, a righty, will be on the mound for the Braves on Thursday.

Ryu has been lights out since coming off the DL, posting a 7-3 record and 1.97 ERA. Foltynewicz is 13-10 with a 2.85 ERA.

Buehler has the title in his hands

The Dodgers host the Rockies today with the NL West division title on the line.


It figures to be a pitcher's duel, with rookie Walker Buehler facing off against Colorado's German Marquez.

Marquez has tamed the Dodgers twice at Dodger Stadium this season and Buehler is 0-1 against the Rocks with a 2.61 ERA.

The Rockies appear to have the edge on the mound.

The Dodgers erupted for 15 runs against the Giants to end the season in a tie for the division yesterday and are capable of busting out on offense -- but Marquez has been able to figure out the LA lineup on two previous occasions so don't expect a Los Angeles explosion.

If the Dodgers lose today they will play in the Wild Card play-in game tomorrow against the Chicago-Milwaukee loser for a trip to the playoffs.

Los Angeles, if they get that far, would play Thursday against either Atlanta or the Cubs-Brewers winner.

A well-rested Clayton Kershaw would take the mound Thursday. Kershaw, the finest Dodgers' pitcher since Sandy Koufax, is in a peculiar situation. He is a free agent after the season and the Dodgers have to decide whether to sign him to a long-term contract.

At 30, his fastball has lost 3-4 mph velocity and he can no longer overpower batters like he used to do. Though teetering on sacrilege to Dodgers' fans, I don't think they should open the checkbook for  one of the best that ever played the game. His back injuries and fading velocity have taken a toll.

Kershaw is now a good pitcher. He used to be a great one. It's time for the Dodgers to move on. Pursue another ace to go along with the rising Buehler, Julio Urias and other young guns.

Dodgers face Giants in must-win scenario

I guess it's fitting that the Dodgers face off against the Giants for the final three games of the regular season with everything on the line.

The Dodgers-Giants rivalry goes back to New York and the two teams genuinely despise each other.

Tonight, Hyun-Jin Ryu faces off against Madison Bumgarner in the series opener. The Dodgers trail Colorado by one game in the NL West and have a one-game lead over St. Louis for the second Wild Card spot.

These next few days are not for the faint of heart.

The Rockies have been on fire. Since losing three at Chavez Ravine last week, the Rocks have won seven straight, sweeping Arizona and Philadelphia. Now they host the Washington Nationals with a chance to win the division.

I bleed Dodger Blue, but if Colorado closes the season with 10 straight pressure wins ya gotta tip your hat.

The playoff scenarios are crazy. If the Dodgers and Rockies end the season in a tie for the NL West, there will be be a one-game playoff Monday in Los Angeles. At this point, the Dodgers, Rockies, Brewers, Cardinals and Cubs are all fighting for either a division title or a Wild Card spot. 

Going into this weekend, the Cubs hold a one-game lead over the Brewers for the NL Central title. The Cards are one game behind the Dodgers for the NL Wild Card. Chicago and St. Louis face off to end the season. The Brewers have locked up a trip to the playoffs, either as a division champ or a Wild Card team. Milwaukee faces Detroit.

When all the dust clears, we hope the Dodgers are still standing. According to MLB.com, the Dodgers have a 38 percent chance to win the division and a 90.5 percent chance to make the playoffs.

I think there is a 100 percent chance my blood pressure is going up.

Dodgers step it up at critical hour

Ah, the joys of a pennant race.

After chasing Arizona and Colorado for most of the season, the Dodgers breathed some hope into their 2018 chances this week when they edged into first place with a three-game sweep of the Rockies at Chavez Ravine on the heels of taking three out of four in St. Louis.

Clayton Kershaw got the call on Sept. 13 in St. Louis but Manny Machado was the hero, knocking in three RBI, including his 34th homer, as the Dodgers posted a 9-7 win.  

On Sept. 14,  the Dodgers shut down the Cards 3-0 as rookie Walker Buehler held the Redbirds to two hits over eight innings and Yasiel Puig hit a pair of dingers.

On Sept. 15, Los Angeles unloaded on St. Louis for a third-straight victory, 17-4, as Puig erupted for three home runs and seven RBI as the Dodgers pulled even with St. Louis for a wild card slot.

The hot streak cooled off on Sept. 16 when Adam Wainwright held the Dodgers to two hits over six innings as St. Louis salvaged a win in the series, 5-0.

Which set up the epic showdown with the Rockies this week. The Dodgers entered Monday a half game out of the division lead with everything on the line.

On Monday, Hyun Jin-Ryu pitched seven scoreless innings and held Colorado to four hits as the Dodgers posted an 8-2 win. Joc Pederson homered twice and Max Muncy added his 33rd dinger in the rout.

Tuesday, Kershaw went seven innings and allowed two runs on three hits but it was Chris Taylor who was the hero, hitting a walk-off homer in the 10th inning for a dramatic 3-2 victory.

Last night, Buehler held St. Louis to three hits over six innings and Puig hit a three-run pinch-hit homer in the seventh to guide the Dodgers to a 5-2 win and a 2.5 game lead in the NL West standings with nine games left in the season.

Puig has hit six homers in his last 18 at-bats.

The Dodgers close out their home schedule with three against the Padres this weekend followed by three at Arizona and three at San Francisco to end the regular season.


Buckle up. It may get rocky.

Are these Dodgers up for the stretch run?

Going into tonight’s tilt against Texas, the Dodgers are one game out of first place, trying to catch Arizona and Colorado.

Los Angeles is trying to win its sixth straight NL West title, but the hill looks a little steep. Mid-season acquisitions Manny Machado and Brian Dozier have solidified the infield and the batting order and Justin Turner has his sweet stroke back after a wrist injury in spring training. Matt Kemp is having a renaissance season, Max Muncy has 30 dingers, Cody Bellinger has 20 homers and Yasiel Puig is maturing right before our eyes.

It is the Dodger pitching that raises questions. Staff ace Clayton Kershaw is 6-5 with a 2.39 ERA. His fastball, once regularly clocked in at 93-94 mph, now comes in at 91-92 mph. Kershaw is a competitor, but three years
of back problems have taken a toll. He goes to the slider now as his out pitch and though still capable of winning a game, he is also capable of giving up the long ball.

The rest of the rotation remains questionable. Rich Hill is 6-4 with a 3.50 ERA, Walker Buehler is 6-4 with a 2.96 ERA, Hyun-Jin Ryu is 4-1 with a 2.18 ERA and Alex Wood is 7-6 with a 3.60 ERA. A decent staff, but no
one is having a championship season.

It is the bullpen that has been the issue. Kenta Maeda has been shipped to the pen and Ross Stripling is headed to the pen as soon as he comes off the DL. Kenley Jansen, since having a heartbeat scare, has blown three save opportunities by giving up home runs and looked shaky again last night in an 8-4 L.A. win.

Maeda, Stripling and Jansen could be a lights-out 7-8-9 combination but it will depend on Jansen getting his mojo back.

Arizona and Colorado are hungry to depose the five-time NL West champs and the Dodgers will have to play inspired ball in September to keep the crown and make the playoffs.

The schedule may work in L.A.’s favor. After two games in Texas this week the Dodgers return to Chavez Ravine for a critical four-game set against the Diamondbacks. L.A. could regain first-place with a strong showing against Arizona.

The Dodgers then host the Mets for a three-game series before heading to Colorado for three against the Rockies. The seven games against the Diamondbacks and Rockies between Thursday and Sept. 9 will define the pennant race.

Later in the month, the Dodgers go to St. Louis for four games against the red-hot Redbirds before hosting the Rockies for three, San Diego for three and then a down-to-the-wire road trip against Arizona and San
Francisco to close out the season.

Buckle up, it is going to be a fun ride.

 

Will starters in the pen save the season?

When the Dodgers got Manny Machado and Brian Dozier in mid-season trades it was obvious that management was all in – a taste of last year’s World Series was not enough, the organization wants the whole enchilada.

Then Kenley Jansen started having heart issues and Dozier followed a couple of nights later with dizziness and unusual EKG readings.

The Dodgers lost three straight games in Colorado where the bullpen did not hold a lead then wasted a gem by Clayton Kershaw against the Giants to make it four in a row.

Now word comes that Skipper Dave Roberts is going to send Ross Stripling and Kenta Maeda down to the bullpen to shore things up. Let us hope they can settle things down.

Maeda proved he could pitch effectively out of the pen last season and hopefully Stripling will be able to make the adjustment. With Jansen out of action, the Dodgers are in dire need of some fire fighters in the pen.

Thankfully, Arizona has had its own problems and their lead in the NL West is only a game. The Rockies are even with the Dodgers in second place, which means the stretch run for the pennant will be highly competitive.

Last season, the Dodgers built an insurmountable lead in the standings and coasted to the finish. This year, if the Dodgers are fortunate enough to make the playoffs, it will require a battle against Arizona and Colorado.

Offensively, the Dodgers have the sticks. Justin Turner, Matt Kemp, Dozier, Yasiel Puig, Machado, Max Muncy, Cody Bellinger, Joc Pederson, Yasmani Grandal and Chris Taylor can all rake.

It is the pitching, especially in the pen, that has been spotty. If Stripling and Maeda can bolster the pen, L.A. has a chance to return to the promised land.

 

Dodgers slip into first place for first time in 2018

The Dodgers are in first place.

It may be by a razor-thin half game, but the fact remains, the Dodgers are in first place in the NL West.

This team, which many wrote off earlier this season (I was one of them), has stormed back into contention and they have done it with baling wire and duct tape due to a long list of injuries, call ups from Oklahoma City and the unlikeliest of heroes.

Last night, Ross Stripling tossed six innings of shutout ball to notch his record at 8-2 with a stingy 2.03 ERA. Dave Roberts named him to the NL All-Star team as a replacement and the funny thing is, he earned it.

With Clayton Kershaw spending most of the season on the DL, Stripling, who started the season in the bullpen, has emerged as the staff ace. The Dodgers now have a pitching rotation of Stripling, Kershaw, Kenta Maeda, Walker Buehler and Rich Hill.

And then there’s the offense.

Matt Kemp apparently made a deal with the Devil because he came to L.A. as a washed-up veteran obtained to clear cap space and earned a starting spot in the All-Star game. Then there’s Max Muncy. After two lackluster seasons in Oakland, he is now the Munsternator, swatting 21 home runs going into the weekend series against the Angels.

Other players have stepped up at times. Cody Bellinger is having a little bit of a sophomore slump but is still productive; Kike Hernandez is raking; Chris Taylor has moments; Yasmani Grandal can be dangerous; and Justin Turner is trying to get healthy.

Yasiel Puig tweaked his oblique so Andrew Toles showed up from Oklahoma City and promptly stroked a few hits. These are not the juggernaut Dodgers of 2017. This is not the team that coasted into the World Series with domination.

But they are in first place.

Dodgers draw even with Arizona

On an off-day, preparing for a Freeway Series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (formerly the California Angels and still suffering an identity crisis), the Dodgers moved into a first-place tie with Arizona last night when the Diamondbacks fell to San Diego.

It has been a roller coaster ride for the Dodgers, who came out of the gates like the Three Stooges, stumbling through April like a drunken sailor.

Arizona took advantage, rushing out to a sizeable lead in the standings.

But around mid-May the Dodgers woke up. Their resurgence was led by some unlikely heroes. Matt Kemp was supposed to be washed up, but he showed up from Atlanta slimmed down and hungry, earning a starting spot in the All-Star game with a .318 batting average, 20 dingers and 55 RBI. At this pace, Kemp will hit 40 home runs and drive in more than 100 RBI.

Then there's the curious case of Max Muncy. After two forgettable seasons in Oakland, the A's released the chubby infielder. The Dodgers signed him as a free agent in April 2017 and invited him to spring training this year.

The 27-year old from Midland, Texas found something during his sojourn to Los Angeles. Muncy has crashed the party in Dodger town. He is hitting .280 with 20 home runs and 38 RBI and can play first or second base. Muncy has gone yard 11 times in the last 30 games and is hitting .329 over that period.

The Dodgers lead the NL in home runs and over the last 30 games Muncy, Joc Pederson (9), Cody Bellinger (8), Kike Hernandez (8), Kemp (6) and Justin Turner (4) have provided the juice.

Pitchingwise, over that same period, Alex Wood (4-1) and relievers Daniel Hudson (0.68 ERA) and Kenley Jansen (1.32 ERA) have been the stalwarts.

This week, the Dodgers swept a three-game set against Pittsburgh and outscored the Bucs 31-8 with six home runs in one game and four in another. 

And then there's the promising status of Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw went six innings against the Pirates on Tuesday for his longest outing of the season. Kershaw gave up two runs on four hits and struck out two. Not a commanding performance, but a strong sign he is on the mend.

Dodgers having summer breakout

Kike Hernandez and Chris Taylor went yard and Dodgers’ right-hander Kenta Maeda posted nine strike outs last night in a 2-1 win over the Cubs at Chavez Ravine, pulling Los Angeles to within 1.5 games of first place Arizona.

The Dodgers are having a breakout month of June, posting a 16-5 record with five games left to play in the month.

Matt Kemp, headed for the All-Star game, and the likes of Cody Bellinger, Joc Pederson, Hernandez, Taylor, Max Muncy and Yasiel Puig have heated up in June, leading the Dodgers to the most home runs in the National League. And then there’s Justin Turner, who missed 40 games with a wrist injury. He’s back and starting to find his stroke.

But they say it always comes down to pitching – and that’s where Los Angeles is starting to restock the shelves. After having the entire rotation on the DL, Clayton Kershaw, Maeda and Rich Hill have returned to the mound and the once generous LA bullpen has jelled, giving the Dodgers a formidable roster.

With Walker Buehler and Hyun Jin-Ryu still on the DL, the Dodgers are not yet back to full strength. Manager Dave Roberts has options. Ross Stripling (6-2, 1.99 ERA) is having his best season and Alex Wood and rookie Caleb Ferguson have had decent outings as of late.

Roberts could go into the second half with a rotation of Kershaw, Stripling, Maeda, Hill and Wood with Buehler, Ryu and Ferguson getting spot starts. Before getting a rib injury, Buehler was looking like the real deal. If the rookie comes back healthy he may force Wood or Hill out of the rotation.

It’s the bullpen that has made the most dramatic turnaround. Edward Paredes, Erik Goeddel, Josh Fields, Scott Alexander, Daniel Hudson, Tony Cingrani and Yimi Garcia are getting most of the work to get to closer Kenley Jansen.

During the sizzling month of June, the LA pen has been stellar in shutting down opposing offenses. The Dodgers have 14 pitchers, including starters, with ERAs under 4.0.

Dodgers continue pursuit of Arizona

Matt Kemp and Kiki Hernandez hit homers and Alex Wood turned in a solid mound performance last night as the Dodgers posted a 3-1 win over the Giants for their fifth straight win and 21st out of the last 27 games to pull within 1.5 games of first-place Arizona, 5-1 losers to New York.

Wood went 5.2 innings, allowing four hits, for his second win of the season. Yimi Garcia, Scott Alexander, Josh Fields and Kenley Jansen finished the final 3.1 innings without surrendering a hit as the once generous bullpen has become downright stingy.

Kemp continued his all-star season with his 12th homer, raising his batting average to .340. Kemp is currently the third top vote-getter for the NL all-star outfield and deserves a starting slot.

Hernandez, who owns San Francisco's Madison Bumgarner, launched a two-run jack in the fifth inning for the winning margin. Hernandez has faced the Giants' ace 34 times and has hit for a .455 average with four dingers and five doubles.

The Dodgers lead the National League with 90 home runs. Five American League teams (Yankees, Red Sox, Indians, Angels and Astros) have hit more.

The Dodgers are now 11-2 in June and hope to sweep the Giants this afternoon. L.A sends rookie Caleb Ferguson to the mound today against San Francisco's Chris Stratton as the Dodgers try to complete a sweep of the three-game set.

Dodgers tip-toe past Texas

Well, apparently you can mess with Texas.

Kike Hernandez showed off some nifty footwork to score on a play at the plate last night as the Dodgers outlasted Texas, 3-2, in extra innings to keep Los Angeles on a roll.

With the two-game sweep of the Rangers, the Dodgers improved to 9-2 in June and 19-6 in their last 25 games to pull within two games of first-place Arizona in the NL West.

The Dodgers welcomed Kenta Maeda back into the rotation after a hip injury and he turned in a solid five-inning performance before turning it over to the bullpen. Los Angeles relievers pitched six innings of shutout ball, surrendering only three hits, to shut down the Rangers.

Justin Turner, still nursing a sore wrist, opened the scoring with a dinger to left in the first and the Dodgers added a single run in the second on an error by Adrian Beltre.

The Dodgers won the game in the bottom of the 11^th inning when Hernandez drew a walk, alertly moved to second on a fly out to left field by Cody Bellinger and to third when Logan Forsythe drew a walk, loading the bases with one out.

The winning run scored when Austin Barnes grounded back to Texas pitcher Matt Bush, who threw errantly to catcher Carlos Perez. Perez had to leave the plate to take Bush’s throw and his tag on Hernandez missed when the Dodgers’ runner danced around the glove.

Perez was behind the plate because starting catcher Robinson Chirinos was tossed out of the game after a third inning collision with Matt Kemp at the plate. Kemp barreled over Chirinos and was called out. After a shoving match ensued, both players were ejected.

Next up for the Dodgers is a three-game set with the Giants at Chavez Ravine starting Friday night before heading to the Windy City for a three-game set with the Cubs.

Dodgers back in the race

After sleepwalking through April and May, the Dodgers have come alive this summer. On May 10, the Dodgers opened a four-game series at Chavez Ravine against the Cincinnati Reds.

Cincy swept the four-game set and the Dodgers looked like toast. On May 15^th and 16^th the Dodgers lost to Miami on the road, extending the losing streak to six games and the word on the street was that Dave Roberts was in trouble.

But in the May 17, get-away game in Miami, the Dodgers posted a 7-0 win and headed to Washington to face the Nationals.

Despite facing Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg, the Dodgers managed to sweep three from the Nats and hope started peeking around the corner.

Then the first-place Rockies came to L.A. and the Dodgers took three out of four after losing the opener, 2-1.

Next up, the Dodgers took two of three from San Diego at home and split a four-game series with Philadelphia to end the month of May.

From May 10-31 the Dodgers went 10-10 but were starting to once again resemble the defending National League champions.

The Dodgers started the month of June in Colorado and the mountain air agreed with them. The Dodgers put up 33 runs in three games to sweep the Rocks and suddenly the NL West was looking like a race.

The Dodgers then took two out of three against the Pirates and two out of three against the Braves in Chavez Ravine.

The Dodgers open a two-game set against Texas tonight in L.A. The Dodgers are 7-2 in the month of June and are 19-13 since May 10. Arizona, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Colorado are all bunched up in the NL West standings with the D-Backs holding a three-game edge over L.A. and a 3.5 game lead over the Giants.

Amazingly, the Dodgers have fought their way back into the race with Clayton Kershaw, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Kenta Maeda, Rich Hill, Walker Buehler and Justin Turner all fighting injuries.

Ross Stripling has emerged as the ace of the staff and Roberts has been patching together a starting rotation with duct tape and baling wire. On more than one occasion Roberts has rolled out a bullpen staff with different relievers pitching an inning or two to get to Kenley Jansen in the late innings.

The offensive star for the Dodgers has been Atlanta castoff Matt Kemp, who returned to the Dodgers in super hero fashion. Kemp is hitting .338 with 10 dingers and 41 RBI and is among the top three outfielders in All-Star voting. All this from a guy the Dodgers tried to move after picking him up for salary reasons in the offseason.

Other hot hitters have been Max Muncy, Cody Bellinger, Joc Pederson and Yasmani Grandal. Muncy has gone yard 12 times, Bellinger 12 times, and Grandal 11 times. Pederson has hit seven dingers and raised his average to .275. Yasiel Puig has shown flashes of brilliance, hitting seven dingers and hitting at a .260 clip.

Dodgers’ comeback has echoes of 2017

A year ago, the Dodgers had a magical season, winning 104 games and falling one game short of a World Series title.

The baseball gods may not grant them another shot. Clayton Kershaw may end his brilliant career without a World Series ring. The Dodger faithful, waiting for a title since 1988, may have to wait longer.

But last night in Chavez Ravine the Dodgers showed a little spark that had the look and feel of 2017. After being no-hit for five innings by Philadelphia’s Vince Velasquez, the Dodgers found themselves in a 4-0 hole.

The Dodgers got out of the hole with two runs in the sixth inning and three more in the eighth to knock off the Phillies, 5-4.

LA got big hits from Yasiel Puig, Joc Pederson, Matt Kemp, Justin Turner, Yasmani Grandal and Max Muncy and a little help from a shaky Philadelphia defense.

LA’s bullpen bailed out starter Brock Stewart, who left after four innings as Scott Alexander, Erik Goeddel, Yimi Garcia and Kenley Jansen stitched together five innings of shutout ball in relief for the win.

With the win, the Dodgers remained 3.5 games behind Colorado but slipped past San Francisco for third place in the division. LA has Colorado and Arizona in their sights, winning for the ninth time in the last 11 games.

If they keep this up, we may have to party like its 2017.

Maeda shuts down Rocks for series win

Kenta Maeda tossed two-hit, shutout ball for 6.2 innings last night, striking out 12, as the Dodgers shut out the first-place Colorado Rockies 3-0, won the three-game set and moved to 3.5 games out of first place.

With the shutout, the Dodgers won for the sixth time in the last seven outings and served notice that Los Angeles will be part of the equation in the National League West this year.

Clayton Kershaw tossed a bullpen session and is reportedly getting close to returning to the rotation. If Kershaw comes back healthy and finds his fastball, the Dodgers, suddenly clicking on all cylinders, will give Colorado, Arizona and San Francisco some competition for the NL West flag.

All but written off a few weeks ago, the Dodgers have a pulse and the heart monitor is skipping a beat or two. It lives!

Justin Turner had another two hits last night and the sizzling hot Matt Kemp knocked in another run. Logan Forsythe had a big ground-rule double for the Dodgers.

Arizona is now in a free fall; the Giants don’t figure to have the legs to go the distance and the Rockies don’t have the bats they have had in recent years.

The Dodgers, it appears, may be fortunate enough to be playing in a division where excellence will not be a prerequisite to win the division.

Last-place San Diego rolls into Chavez Ravine tomorrow night for a three-game set as the Dodgers try to keep Big Mo in town.

Pitching cavalry to the rescue

Ross Stripling, Brock Stewart and Walker Buehler did not figure to be front line starters this season as the Dodgers set out to defend the National League championship.

Yet, here we are on the cusp of June and the Dodgers’ pitching fortunes now rest on guys who at best have been on the periphery the last few seasons.

Stripling and Stewart have bounced between Chavez Ravine and Oklahoma City the last few years and Buehler has emerged as the latest rookie stud. With Hyun Jin-Ryu, Kenta Maeda and Alex Wood starting to hit their strides and Clayton Kershaw getting closer to returning to the rotation, the Dodgers are closing in on having a settled pitching staff.

The bullpen, which has struggled during the first two months of the season, is also getting its footings.

Dave Roberts continues to experiment with different relievers to pitch the seventh and eighth innings but thankfully Kenley Jansen has regained his mojo in the closer role.

Now, let’s talk about the offense.

Yasiel Puig, his average hovering above .200, has found his power stroke in the last week or so and is once again flirting with being an offensive force. We will see. Matt Kemp has been a revelation, leading the club with a .331 average, getting timely hits and playing left field like he was a youngster.

Justin Turner’s return to the batting order has been a good jolt to the offense and Cody Bellinger and Yasmani Grandal have picked up the pace.

Dodgers bats still trending cold belong to Chris Taylor, Joc Pederson, Austin Barnes, Logan Forsythe and Kike Hernandez. Rookie Max Muncy is getting playing time at first base with Bellinger in center for Chris Taylor, now playing short with the season-ending injury to Corey Seager.

The Dodgers now trail Colorado by 4.5 games in the NL West with Arizona and San Francisco near the front of the pack trailing the Rockies.

In a season that once seemed lost, the Dodgers are only a modest winning streak away from regaining their swagger and first place in the NL West.

Hey, it could happen.

Dodgers show some signs of life

Well, maybe we shouldn’t be too quick to sign that death certificate.

The Dodgers, looking like their 2018 season was pretty much a wrap, pulled off a three-game sweep against the Washington Nationals over the weekend, shrinking their eight-game deficit to only five behind Arizona. While the Dodgers were stunning the Nats, the Mets were sweeping the D-Backs in New York.

Arizona is 1-9 in its last 10 games and suddenly the Rockies, Giants and Dodgers are eying the top spot in the NL West. Colorado is only a half-game off the pace and the Giants are only two games out. It’s still May, and the Dodgers could get back into this thing.

Ross Stripling, Alex Wood and Kenta Maeda pitched well over the weekend and the LA bullpen, generous of late, teamed up to pitch a nine-inning combined gem when Rich Hill’s sensitive fingers got another blister. Hill left after two pitches, so Dave Roberts made it a bullpen game. The Dodgers won that one and have now won four in a row after salvaging the final game of the series against the Marlins.

Hill is on the 10-day DL but the Dodgers are hoping Clayton Kershaw will return to the mound in the short term and discover his fastball again.

Justin Turner provided a lift to the team with his return to the lineup and he was raking like he never left. Cody Bellinger, Yasiel Puig, Yasmani Grandal, Kike Hernandez and rookie Max Muncy hit dingers against the vaunted Washington pitching staff and Matt Kemp kept up his torrid hitting.

When you face Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg on the same weekend and still come away with a sweep you know the baseball gods are smiling on you.

The Dodgers open a critical homestand against the Rockies tonight in Chavez Ravine as LA tries to keep the winning trend rolling.

Who knows, we may need to put that wake on hold.