The most obvious move imaginable came to fruition for the Dodgers, as manager Don Mattingly named Kenley Jansen as his closer over Brandon League, telling reporters before Tuesday's game against the Diamondbacks. League allowed four runs in the ninth inning to lose Monday's game, his fourth blown save of the season.
Jansen is 1-3 with a 2.53 ERA, two saves, 44 strikeouts and just six walks in 32 innings this season. Jansen saved 25 games in 2012 after also beginning the season as a setup man.
Mattingly said he would use different pitchers to get to Jansen in the ninth inning based on matchups, per J.P. Hoornstra of the LA Daily News. Though Mattingly didn't sound too confident in his setup options, telling reporters, "That's a great question," per Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.
As noted by Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, Mattingly didn't want to make the announcement of his closer change in the heat of the moment "12 minutes after the game" on Monday.
Notes
- Ronald Belisario was unavailable with soreness near the collarbone on Monday, but is much improved on Tuesday, per Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.
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Chris Capuano will start a rehab game for Triple-A Albuquerque on Friday, per Hernandez, which as noted by Gurnick on Monday means Capuano will be in line to start Wednesday, June 19 in New York against the Yankees. That lines up the starting rotation through the weekend, with Stephen Fife, Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke starting in Pittsburgh, then Hyun-jin Ryu opening the two-game series in The Bronx on Tuesday. The Dodgers are off on Monday.
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Ted Lilly, who was placed on the disabled list on Sunday with a neck sprain, had an epidural injection in his neck on Tuesday, per Hoornstra.
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Matt Kemp hit but hasn't run in two days, per Gurnick, which is something Kemp will need to do before getting cleared to play in minor league rehab games.
Game info
Time: 7:10 p.m.
TV: KCAL