Dodgers Week 5: Firing on all cylinders

The Dodgers fired on nearly all cylinders against the Giants and Cubs, winning all five games. They averaged more than six runs per game, but the spotlight remains on a pitching staff that is the stingiest in baseball this season.

Dodgers pitchers allowed only five runs in five games last week, with the starters earning the win in all five games. To give you an idea of how dominant Dodgers pitching has been so far in 2022, here are the season ERAs of the rotation, sorted by most innings:

1.96
1.80
1.88
2.78
1.64

That group doesn’t include Andrew Heaney, who has a 0.00 ERA in two starts but is currently on the injured list with shoulder discomfort. Heaney is expected to start throwing this week as he makes his way back. But the group that’s currently here is doing very, very well so far.

Batter of the week

The Dodgers had a literal 1-2 punch this week, with the top two batters in their lineup steering the offense to success. Freddie Freeman takes this very narrowly over Mookie Betts, who drove in more runs and scored more times. Both had the same number of total bases plus walks (16), but Freeman did so in one fewer plate appearance. Freeman had the slight edge in batting average and slugging percentage, and a larger lead in on-base percentage. Both were great.

Pitcher of the week

When a team gives up only five runs in five games, there are no shortage of candidates here. We’ll go with Clayton Kershaw here, pitching seven scoreless innings on Saturday in Chicago.

Week 5 results

5-0 record
32 runs scored (6.40 per game)
5 runs allowed (1.00 per game)
.968 pythagorean win percentage

Year to date

19-7 record
134 runs scored (5.15 per game)
60 runs allowed (2.31 per game)
.813 pythagorean win percentage (21-5)

Miscellany

Triple double: Freddie Freeman doubled three times in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader. That matched the Dodgers franchise record for a game, the 61st time someone on the team has done so dating back to 1901, and the first such time by a Dodger at Wrigley Field. Two of Freeman’s teammates are also on the list of three-double games with the franchise — Justin Turner twice (2015 and 2018), and Mookie Betts last year.

Dominant arms: The sixty runs allowed by the Dodgers is the third-fewest through 26 games in the live-ball era, which runs from 1920 to present, trailing only the 1981 A’s (57 runs allowed) and 1958 Yankees (59 runs allowed).

Deferential differential: The Dodgers have scored more than double the runs they’ve allowed, and their plus-74 run differential is tied for the sixth-best through 26 games by any major league team since 1901.

Transactions

Monday: The active roster was trimmed from 28 to 26 players by optioning Zach McKinstry and designating Carson Fulmer for assignment.

Thursday: Fulmer cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A.

Saturday: Robbie Erlin was selected to the roster as the 27th player for the doubleheader in Chicago.

Sunday: Justin Bruihl was optioned to Oklahoma City.

Game results

• Tuesday: Dodgers 3, Giants 1
• Wednesday: Dodgers 9, Giants 1
• Friday: Dodgers at Cubs, postponed by rain
• Saturday: Dodgers 7, Cubs 0 (Game 1)
• Saturday: Dodgers 6, Cubs 2 (Game 2)
• Sunday: Dodgers 7, Cubs 1

Previous weekly reviews: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4

Up next

The Dodgers run the Kent Tekulve gauntlet, playing a pair of Pennsylvania opponents — three games against the Pirates in Pittsburgh, and four against the Phillies back home.