Dodgers Week 2: Lords of the rings

If you want to nitpick, the Dodgers didn’t go undefeated last week. But just about everything else went their way.

They played two series — facing the A’s in Oakland, then the Nationals at home — and won them both, with only a blown save on Wednesday preventing a 6-0 week. And yes, they lost Cody Bellinger to the injured list after getting spiked in his left calf, and Mookie Betts missed four games with back stiffness, but none of that seemed to matter.

As if the wins weren’t enough, the Dodgers also got their championship rings and played in front of fans at a newly-improved Dodger Stadium for the first time in 18 months, while also paying tribute to franchise legends Tommy Lasorda and Fernando Valenzuela over the weekend.

“It couldn’t have played out any better,” Dave Roberts said Sunday.

Batter of the week

Justin Turner was one of several who looked like a kid in a candy store when getting their rings Friday — “It was obviously a very special day and a special moment that I’ll never forget,” he said — then followed that up with a home run for the only run of the game. Turner tattooed the ball all week, with six extra-base hits and 10 hits, slugging .769.

Honorable mention goes to Max Muncy and his glaring .609 on-base percentage, and to Zach McKinstry, who was pressed into duty with injuries on the team and led the Dodgers with nine RBI.

“He’s a baseball player, man. I think that’s the best compliment you can give somebody that plays our game,” Clayton Kershaw said of McKinstry. “He’s got a great feel for the game, can play multiple positions, and has a great arm.”

Pitcher of the week

Clayton Kershaw shook off the rust nicely after his opening day loss, settling in to allow just one run and no walks in 13 innings, with 14 strikeouts against the A’s and Nationals. Dodgers starting pitching was excellent all week, posting a 1.45 ERA with 39 strikeouts against only three walks.

Week 2 results

5-1 record
31 runs scored (5.17 per game)
13 runs allowed (2.17 per game)
.831 pythagorean win percentage

Year to date

8-2 record
57 runs scored (5.70 per game)
34 runs allowed (3.40 per game)
.720 pythagorean win percentage (7-3)

Miscellany

Welcome aboard: Luke Raley was called up Friday and got into the game in the eighth inning on a double switch, making his major league debut against the Nationals. Raley, picked in the seventh round in 2016, is one of 11 players drafted and signed by the Dodgers that year to reach the majors. “I was definitely nervous,” Raley said. “To finally make those dreams a reality was very surreal.”

Transactions

Friday: Cody Bellinger was placed on the injured list with a left calf contusion after he was spiked earlier in the week. The move was retroactive to Tuesday, so the earliest Bellinger could be activated is next Friday. Luke Raley was recalled.

Saturday: Claimed pitcher Ashton Goudeau off waivers from the Giants.

Game results

• Monday: Dodgers 10, A’s 3
• Tuesday: Dodgers 5, A’s 1
• Wednesday: A’s 4, Dodgers 3 (10 innings)
• Friday: Dodgers 1, Nationals 0
• Saturday: Dodgers 9, Nationals 5
• Sunday: Dodgers 3, Nationals 0

Previous weekly review: Week 1

Up next

The Dodgers run the John Vander Wal gauntlet, staying home to host the Rockies for three games before moving on to San Diego for the first of six series showdowns against the Padres this season, with some excellent pitching matchups lined up for next weekend. Adrian Morejon is in line to start Friday for San Diego, but he left Sunday’s game with an elbow/forearm strain so perhaps that isn’t set in stone.