Dodgers Week 26: Finishing strong at home

The Dodgers finished up their home schedule and reached the century mark in victories, setting LA records for runs scored and home wins in a season, but did the unthinkable over the weekend. They actually lost a game to the Rockies at Dodger Stadium.

Saturday’s loss was the Dodgers’ first at home against Colorado since June 30, 2018, snapping a 12-game streak that was the longest against any opponent in the history of Chavez Ravine.

Record-wise the Dodgers are fine, including 12-6 in September. They reached 100 wins for the eighth time in franchise history, and the second time in three years. Their magic number over the Braves for the No. 1 seed in the National League is just one.

But there are concerns. On the injury front, Justin Turner returned to the lineup after missing nine games. Max Muncy hasn’t homered since his return from a fractured wrist, and was held out of the lineup Saturday and Sunday with a quad injury. Joe Kelly continues to deal with some sort of general muscle soreness that the Dodgers have been purposely vague in describing.

The starting pitching was suspect during the week, and that’s even after ignoring the two bullpen games against the Rays. The short series was such a slog, with a hideously unaesthetic 51 combined players and 34 pitchers used, that Cody Bellinger was bummed out. Here he was during yet another pitching change on Tuesday:

“There was just no flow,” Bellinger said of the Rays series, “I hope we never play them in September again.”

Next year, with potential 28-player roster limits in the season’s final month, perhaps those monstrosities will be avoided.

But back to the starting pitching, one of the Dodgers’ unquestioned strengths throughout the season. However, concerns remain with the top three starters with how they are looking heading into the postseason. Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler each allowed four runs in six innings to Colorado, with Kershaw surrendering three home runs and Buehler two. Hyun-jin Ryu had two solid outings in a row to stop a personal skid, but only after getting extra days off, starting on nine and seven days rest in his last two starts, a luxury rarely available in October.

Rockies utility man Garrett Hampson entered the weekend with four home runs in 329 career plate appearances, and he took both Kershaw and Ryu deep during the series. Ryu allowed two home runs in his Sunday start, giving the Rockies seven against the Dodgers’ top three starters during the series.

Kershaw has a 4.96 ERA in three September starts, while Buehler is at 4.70 in four outings this month.

“The health, the stuff from all of our guys is where it needs to be, but as far as the execution we’re just a little bit short right now,” manager Dave Roberts said on Saturday.

“All of those guys have had postseason experience and understand the importance of every outing,” Roberts said. “Each of these guys is close.”

Each will have one more tuneup in the regular season’s final week to shore things up.

Also notable is the rotation order, which was altered again, with Buehler slotted in between Kershaw and Ryu. One would think this was in preparation for this same order to be used in the National League Division Series, which starts in Los Angeles on Oct. 3, but Roberts insisted that nothing was set beyond the regular season.

“Things can change,” Roberts said, then added the next day, “You can’t go wrong with any of those three” to start Game 1.

Batter of the week

Corey Seager ended the week on an eight-game hitting streak, during which he is 15 for 32 (.469). Last week he had five multi-hit games, hitting .500 with five extra-base hits and six RBI. He also reached the 40-double plateau, something only done 12 times in LA Dodgers history, including twice by Seager.

Hyun-jin Ryu was a candidate as well, thanks to his first career home run.

It was the second home run hit by a Dodgers pitcher this season, along with Walker Buehler on April 11 in St. Louis.

Pitcher of the week

Hyun-jin Ryu gets the nod here thanks to completing seven innings for a second straight start. He struck out eight and walked none Sunday against the Rockies, allowing three runs. Honorable mention goes to Julio Urias, who struck out six in his three scoreless relief innings.

Week 26 results

3-2 record
35 runs scored (7.00 per game)
26 runs allowed (5.20 per game)
.633 pythagorean record

Season to date

100-56 record
853 runs scored (5.47 per game)
604 runs allowed (3.87 per game)
.653 pythagorean record (102-54)

Miscellany

Scoring is up: The Dodgers ended the week with 853 runs scored, their best offensive output since moving to Los Angeles. The last time they scored more was in Brooklyn in 1955, with 857 runs, in 154 games. The highlight of the week offensively was a seven-run fourth inning on Friday against Colorado, sending 12 batters to the plate in a frame that lasted 41 minutes.

Transactions

None this week, as things are pretty much set.

Game results

• Tuesday: Dodgers 7, Rays 5
• Wednesday: Rays 8, Dodgers 7 (11)
• Friday: Dodgers 12, Rockies 5
• Saturday: Rockies 4, Dodgers 2
• Sunday: Dodgers 7, Rockies 4

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 | Week 23 | Week 24 | Week 25

The week ahead

The regular season concludes with the Dodgers hitting the road to run the Don Mason gauntlet, finishing up in San Diego and San Francisco. Old friend Rod Barajas is the interim manager for the Padres, who fired Andy Green on Saturday.