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The Dodgers negated their hot start thanks to a disaster trip through the National League Central, getting swept by the Cardinals then losing two of three to the Brewers.
The rotation was the glaring, festering wound most noticeable during the week, with Dodgers starters allowing 24 runs in 31⅔ innings, an average of just 4.52 innings per game. The week started with Hyun-jin Ryu succumbing to another groin strain, cutting his start short in just the second inning, then went downhill from there.
Even ignoring Caleb Ferguson‘s “start” in Saturday’s bullpen game, Dodgers starters still averaged just 4.83 innings during the week. This figure is boosted by Ross Stripling ‘s eight-inning gem on Sunday that snapped the team’s six-game losing streak.
We knew the Dodgers’ rotation depth would be tested out of the gate with both Clayton Kershaw and Rich Hill starting the season on the injured list. It’s been a combination of ineffectiveness — Walker Buehler after his abbreviated spring training and Julio Urias coming off of a 22-inning season after surgery both performing like fifth starters at best — and injury, with Ryu becoming the third starting pitcher on the shelf.
The result is a 4.50 starters’ ERA that ranks eighth in the National League, a Dodgers strength becoming a weakness, an albatross dragging the team down. Kershaw is due back this week, and Hill probably isn’t far behind, but the Dodgers not only need those two in the rotation but for the rest of the staff to pitch like they belong, too.
Batter of the week
This is becoming the Cody Bellinger award, with two more home runs and getting on base more than half the time. Joc Pederson gets honorable mention after his three-homer week.
Pitcher of the week
Ross Stripling pitched eight innings on Sunday, the longest outing of the season by a Dodgers pitcher.
Week 3 results
1-6 record
25 runs scored (3.57 per game)
39 runs allowed (5.57 per game)
.307 pythagorean record
Season to date
9-8 record
109 runs scored (6.41 per game)
87 runs allowed (5.12 per game)
.602 pythagorean record (10-7)
Miscellany
Hoo is the new guy: In the same week the University of Virginia won its first NCAA basketball championship, former Virginia College World Series standout Josh Sborz was called up to the majors for the first time. Sborz, drafted by the Dodgers in the second round in 2015, was the Most Outstanding Player for the Cavaliers in their 2015 championship run, and so far this season had nine strikeouts in four scoreless innings over two appearances with Triple-A Oklahoma City before getting his first majors promotion.
St. Louis sweep: The Dodgers dropped all four games to the Cardinals in St. Louis for the first time since July 15-18, 2010. The all-time series between the two teams — which dates back to 1892 — is separated by just one game: Cardinals 1,030 wins, Dodgers 1,029.
Transactions
Tuesday: One day after leaving his start in just the second inning, Hyun-jin Ryu was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left groin strain, the same injury that caused him to miss three months in 2018. JT Chargois was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Wednesday: Russell Martin was placed on the DL with lower back inflammation, and catcher Rocky Gale was recalled from Triple-A.
Thursday: An arm swap in the bullpen, with Jaime Schultz recalled from Oklahoma City, and Chargois sent back down to the minors.
Sunday: Josh Sborz was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City to give the bullpen a fresh arm, with Dennis Santana optioned back to OKC.
Game results
- Monday: Cardinals 4, Dodgers 3
- Tuesday: Cardinals 4, Dodgers 0
- Wednesday: Cardinals 7, Dodgers 2
- Thursday: Cardinals 11, Dodgers 7
- Friday: Brewers 8, Dodgers 5
- Saturday: Brewers 4, Dodgers 1
- Sunday: Dodgers 7, Brewers 1
The week ahead
The Dodgers run the Glenn Braggs gauntlet, with three home games against a slew of old friends on the Reds, followed by four games in Milwaukee. The reigning NLCS combatants will conclude this year’s regular season meetings with more than a week remaining in April.
Week 3 schedule
| Mon, Apr 15 | Tue, Apr 16 | Wed, Apr 17 | Thu, Apr 18 | Fri, Apr 19 | Sat, Apr 20 | Sun, Apr 21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, Apr 15 | Tue, Apr 16 | Wed, Apr 17 | Thu, Apr 18 | Fri, Apr 19 | Sat, Apr 20 | Sun, Apr 21 |
| vs. Reds | vs. Reds | vs. Reds | at Brewers | at Brewers | at Brewers | at Brewers |
| 7:10 p.m. | 7:10 p.m. | 12:10 p.m. | 5:10 p.m. | 5:10 p.m. | 4:10 p.m. | 11:10 a.m. |
| Kershaw v. | Maeda v. | Buehler v. | Urias v. | Stripling v. | Kershaw v. | Maeda v. |
| Castillo | Mahle | Gray | Davies | Chacin | Peralta | Woodruff |
| SNLA/ESPN | SNLA | SNLA | SNLA/MLB | SNLA | SNLA/FS1 | SNLA/MLB |
Previous weeks in review: Week 1 | Week 2
Stats
Week 3 batting
| Player | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | HBP | SH | SF | PA | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | BABIP | Player |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | HBP | SH | SF | PA | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | BABIP | Player |
| Bellinger | 22 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0.364 | 0.517 | 0.682 | 1.199 | 0.353 | Bellinger |
| Pederson | 23 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0.217 | 0.333 | 0.696 | 1.029 | 0.125 | Pederson |
| Seager | 23 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0.261 | 0.346 | 0.478 | 0.824 | 0.278 | Seager |
| Hernandez | 20 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0.250 | 0.286 | 0.500 | 0.786 | 0.286 | Hernandez |
| Muncy | 21 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0.286 | 0.348 | 0.429 | 0.776 | 0.417 | Muncy |
| Taylor | 16 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0.250 | 0.333 | 0.313 | 0.646 | 0.400 | Taylor |
| Turner | 20 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 0.250 | 0.333 | 0.300 | 0.633 | 0.278 | Turner |
| Pollock | 25 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 28 | 0.200 | 0.250 | 0.240 | 0.490 | 0.263 | Pollock |
| Barnes | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0.118 | 0.211 | 0.118 | 0.328 | 0.167 | Barnes |
| Starters | 187 | 20 | 46 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 22 | 45 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 215 | 0.246 | 0.335 | 0.428 | 0.763 | 0.279 | Starters |
| Freese | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0.500 | 0.500 | 1.125 | 1.625 | 0.500 | Freese |
| Verdugo | 19 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0.263 | 0.263 | 0.421 | 0.684 | 0.267 | Verdugo |
| Martin | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.000 | 0.250 | 0.000 | 0.250 | 0.000 | Martin |
| Gale | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | Gale |
| Bench | 34 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0.265 | 0.286 | 0.500 | 0.786 | 0.280 | Bench |
| Pitchers | 11 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 0.273 | 0.273 | 0.545 | 0.818 | 0.500 | Pitchers |
| Offense | 232 | 25 | 58 | 10 | 1 | 11 | 25 | 3 | 0 | 22 | 58 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 263 | 0.250 | 0.326 | 0.444 | 0.770 | 0.285 | Offense |
Week 3 pitching
| Pitcher | G | GS | W | L | Sv | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | IBB | SO | HBP | ERA | WHIP | FIP | Pitcher |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pitcher | G | GS | W | L | Sv | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | IBB | SO | HBP | ERA | WHIP | FIP | Pitcher |
| Ferguson | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2.7 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3.38 | 2.250 | 8.83 | Ferguson | |
| Stripling | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 13.0 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 3.46 | 1.000 | 3.58 | Stripling | |
| Maeda | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5.3 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 8.44 | 1.500 | 4.33 | Maeda | |
| Urias | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5.0 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 9.00 | 1.400 | 8.00 | Urias | |
| Ryu | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.7 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10.80 | 1.800 | 11.60 | Ryu | |
| Buehler | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4.0 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 11.25 | 1.750 | 2.95 | Buehler | |
| Starters | 7 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 31.7 | 33 | 24 | 23 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 27 | 2 | 6.54 | 1.389 | 5.19 | Starters |
| Floro | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4.3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.231 | 1.82 | Floro | ||
| Schultz | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.00 | 1.000 | 3.20 | Schultz | ||
| Ferguson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.750 | 0.20 | Ferguson | ||
| Alexander | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4.3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2.08 | 0.692 | 1.82 | Alexander | ||
| Garcia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 3.00 | 0.667 | 1.87 | Garcia | ||
| Baez | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4.0 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6.75 | 1.000 | 2.45 | Baez | ||
| Kelly | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2.3 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7.71 | 2.571 | 3.63 | Kelly | ||
| Jansen | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9.00 | 2.000 | 2.20 | Jansen | ||
| Chargois | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.7 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10.80 | 1.800 | 11.60 | Chargois | ||
| Santana | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2.3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 11.57 | 3.000 | 10.49 | Santana | ||
| Bullpen | 24 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 27.3 | 23 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 27 | 3 | 4.28 | 1.171 | 3.49 | Bullpen |
| Totals | 31 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 59.0 | 56 | 39 | 36 | 8 | 20 | 0 | 54 | 5 | 5.49 | 1.288 | 4.40 | Totals |