Dodgers Week 25: Max Scherzer all about process, still getting results

The Dodgers kept the foot on the gas last week, sweeping the D-backs at home then winning two of three games on the road in Cincinnati. The momentum helped gain close the gap in the National League West to just one game.

Winning five of six games helped the Dodgers clinch a playoff spot last week, their ninth straight. Los Angeles has won 34 of its last 45 games since adding a certain pitcher to the roster.

Batter of the week

Gavin Lux played his way back into a regular role, and had extra-base hits that helped break open wins in Cincinnati both Saturday and Sunday. Lux led the regulars in on-base percentage (.450), batting average (.389), and RBI (seven) last week, all while playing left field, a new position to him.

It was a solid showing by the offense, averaging over five runs per game while sporting seven regulars with an OPS over .800 last week.

Pitcher of the week

Max Scherzer has been so ridiculous that it would be easy to take his success for granted. The Dodgers have won all nine of his starts, the last five of which he allowed zero earned runs. The results — 0.78 ERA, 1.35 FIP — have been ridiculous, but he’s more interested in the granularity of how he got there. Like on Saturday, when Scherzer threw 12 curveballs, seven of which were either a called or swinging strike.

“I don’t get caught up in results. It’s a process. It’s executing pitches. It’s having every single pitch and going out there with the plan and knowing what you want to do with it,” Scherzer said. “Getting results is great. It is. But at the same time, I’m not worried about the results. Because at any one moment in time, the results can flip on you. So you can’t can’t really get caught up on results.

“It’s great to go out there and throw shutout innings. But it’s more important to just stay, kind of blinders up and just focus on what you can control. That’s just controlling your executions, controlling your pitches and making sure that you’re consistent from start to start. That’s how I think, that’s how I live, and the results are what they are.”

Honorable mention goes to Clayton Kershaw, who returned after missing 10 weeks to strike out 13 in 9⅓ innings in his two starts, allowing only two runs. That included 20 swings and misses in five innings on Sunday in Cincinnati, 15 on the slider alone.

Dodgers starters had a 1.95 ERA on the week.

Week 25 results

5-1 record
32 runs scored (5.33 per game)
17 runs allowed (2.83 per game)
.761 pythagorean win percentage

Year to date

96-54 record
757 runs scored (5.05 per game)
508 runs allowed (3.39 per game)
.675 pythagorean win percentage (101-49)

Miscellany

Nine times: Tuesday’s win over the Diamondbacks clinched the ninth consecutive playoff berth for the Dodgers, the third-longest streak in MLB history. The Dodgers still have larger goals in mind, namely winning the World Series but also winning the division. But they still found time to celebrate the postseason berth with a champagne toast in the locker room. “You don’t ever want to get jaded and not appreciate getting to the postseason. It’s not a rite of passage,” manager Dave Roberts said.

One shot: MLB sent a memo to teams requiring all non-playing personnel with access to players to be vaccinated to take part in the postseason. Ken Rosenthal at The Athletic has more details. Roberts on Sunday said he was fully vaccinated, and said he didn’t expect the mandate to be a problem for the Dodgers. “I don’t want to speak specifically to any coaches, right now,” he said. “But whatever is asked of us, we’ll adhere to. We’ll take care of it.”

Transactions

Monday: Clayton Kershaw was activated off the 60-day injured list after missing more than two months with left elbow inflammation. Outfielder Steven Souza Jr. was designated for assignment, making room on the active and 40-man rosters.

Tuesday: Kenley Jansen was activated from the paternity list after missing two games for the birth of his fourth child. Mitch White was optioned to Triple-A.

Wednesday: Souza cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A.

Game results

Monday: Dodgers 5, Diamondbacks 1

Tuesday: Dodgers 8, Diamondbacks 4

Wednesday: Dodgers 5, Diamondbacks 3

Friday: Reds 3, Dodgers 1

Saturday: Dodgers 5, Reds 1

Sunday: Dodgers 8, Reds 5

Previous reviews: Apr. 1-4 | Apr. 5-11 | Apr. 12-18 | Apr. 19-25 | Apr. 26-May 2 | May 3-9 | May 10-16 | May 17-23 | May 24-30 | May 31-June 6 | June 7-13 | June 14-20 | June 21-27 | June 28-July 4 | July 5-11 | July 12-18 | July 19-25 | July 26-Aug. 1 | Aug. 2-8 | Aug. 9-15 | Aug. 16-22 | Aug. 23-29 | Aug. 30-Sep. 5 | Sep. 6-12

Up next

The Dodgers finish off their last road trip of the year with series in Colorado and Arizona, running the Mike Myers gauntlet playing the bottom two teams in the National League West. Though it’s probably no longer fair to lump those two teams together, especially since the Rockies are 45-27 at Coors Field.