Dodgers Week 23: Running to stand still

A week of opportunity to move closer to clinching the division turned into a slog of a road trip for the Dodgers. Hyun-jin Ryu was very touchable for a third straight start, Clayton Kershaw failed to last six innings for the first time in 24 starts this year, and Yimi Garcia lost a game in relief that saw him throw 19 pitches, all strikes, only to allow the winning run on a balk after a third-strike passed ball.

The weird week for the Dodgers saw them lose three one-run contests, and drop four of seven games against the Padres and Diamondbacks.

Chase Field was the backdrop for a particularly cruel series for the Dodgers, who led each of the first three games 3-0 and lost. They led 2-0 early Sunday and gave back that lead too before staging a comeback of their own in an 11-inning triumph on getaway day.

There was injury added to insult, with Max Muncy suffering a wrist fracture on a hit by pitch that was basically the same malady that cost Chris Taylor 31 games. Then on Sunday, Dustin May took a 91.6-mph line drive off the side of his head, a particularly scary moment after which he amazingly walked off the field under his own power.

The Dodgers’ magic number to clinch the NL West is seven over Arizona. The earliest clinch date in franchise history was Sept. 8, 1955, when Brooklyn won the pennant with 16 games remaining, on their way to the first championship in Dodgers history. The earliest the Dodgers can clinch is Friday, Sept. 6.

Batter of the week

Joc Pederson doubled twice and homered twice, and this 11th-inning mammoth blast on Sunday went 454 feet to give the Dodgers their second extra-inning win of the week.

Pitcher of the week

Walker Buehler delivered his second consecutive scoreless start, striking out 11 in six innings in a rout in San Diego on Tuesday. Buehler allowed six runs in his five August starts, and in his career against the Padres has allowed two runs in four starts, with 42 strikeouts and five walks in 28 innings. He won all four games, including both this season.

Honorable mention goes to Pedro Baez, who earned his first career save with a scoreless 11th inning Sunday, working on his third day in a row for just the second time all season.

Week 23 results

3-4 record
36 runs scored (5.14 per game)
33 runs allowed (4.71 per game)
.540 pythagorean record

Season to date

89-50 record
755 runs scored (5.43 per game)
538 runs allowed (3.87 per game)
.650 pythagorean record (90-49)

Miscellany

Gassed: The hard-charging yet smooth Hyun-jin Ryu train has finally hit turbulence, with the left-hander allowing seven runs in Arizona on Thursday, his second consecutive seven spot. Ryu has allowed 18 runs in his last three starts, after allowing 19 total runs in his previous 16 starts. There’s a reason seasonal ERAs that start with 1 are so rare. Ryu was at a ridiculous 1.45 on Aug. 11, but now sits at 2.35 just three starts later. Now at 157⅓ innings on the season, his most since 2013, a September rest period sure seems likely, and probably very necessary, for Ryu.

Opposing batters were hitless in their first 29 at-bats with runners in scoring position and two outs this season against Ryu, with the first hit (by Nolan Arenado) not coming until June 22. Batters are 10 for 29 in that situation against Ryu since, including Arizona going 4 for 6 on Thursday, and their two doubles were the first extra-base hits allowed by Ryu with RISP and two outs all season.

Petcowned: A weekend series win in San Diego pushed the Dodgers to 4-2 at Petco Park in 2019, keeping a trend that has been alive for nearly a decade. The Dodgers have won more games than they’ve lost in San Diego every season dating back to 2011, losing four total series at Petco Park in nine years, going 19-4-2 in series and 50-28 (.641) in games in San Diego during that time.

What a relief: For the fourth time this season, Russell Martin took the mound, and for the fourth time he pitched a scoreless inning. This time it was Tuesday in San Diego, closing out a 9-0 win, the third time Martin has finished off a win. Martin, who has allowed two hits, no walks while striking out two and facing just one batter over the minimum in 2019, did something Tuesday that we haven’t seen in 102 years.

Another home run record: The Dodgers surpassed their club record for home runs, ending the week with 238 home runs on the season. The record-breaking 236th shot was a solo blast by Russell Martin on Sunday in Arizona, surpassing the 2018 club mark.

Left on left: Cody Bellinger ended a 12-game homer drought with a game-tying solo shot in the ninth inning Sunday off southpaw Andrew Chafin of Arizona. It was the 16th home run for Bellinger against left-handed pitching in 2019, the most by a left-handed batter since Curtis Granderson in 2011. The record for home runs by a left-handed batter against left-handed pitching in a season is 21, held by Ken Griffey Jr. (1996, 1998) and Barry Bonds (2002).

One more homer note: The Dodgers on Sunday hit four solo home runs to account for their entire offense, setting a franchise record for most runs in a game with solo home runs accounting for all the runs. It was the sixth time they pulled this feat since 1908, and the first since June 3, 2016 against Atlanta.

Transactions

Tuesday: Russell Martin returned from bereavement leave, and Austin Barnes was optioned back to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Friday: Max Muncy was placed on the injured list, retroactive to Aug. 29, with a right wrist fracture. Kristopher Negron was activated from the IL on his first day eligible to return.

Sunday: On the first day of expanded roster limits, the Dodgers activated David Freese, Ross Stripling, and Dylan Floro off the injured list, with Stripling starting the series finale in Phoenix. The Dodgers end the week with 28 active players, a number that will certainly grow in the coming days. Especially on Monday, when Gavin Lux will be called up and make his major league debut by starting at second base against Colorado.

Game results

• Monday: Padres 4, Dodgers 3
• Tuesday: Dodgers 9, Padres 0
• Wednesday: Dodgers 6, Padres 4 (10)
• Thursday: Diamondbacks 11, Dodgers 5
• Friday: Diamondbacks 5, Dodgers 4
• Saturday: Diamondbacks 6, Dodgers 5
• Sunday: Dodgers 4, Diamondbacks 3 (11)

Stats

Previous weeks in review: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14 | Week 15 | Week 16 | Week 17 | Week 18 | Week 19 | Week 20 | Week 21 | Week 22

The week ahead

The Dodgers are back home with a division title in their sights, running the Royce Clayton gauntlet in hosting the Rockies and Giants.