Dodgers notes: Noah Syndergaard stretches out, more solo home runs

ANAHEIM — The slow climb to the regular season is almost complete, with Noah Syndergaard stretching out but getting hit around, and solo home runs comprising all the Dodgers offense for a second straight night. This time, in a 5-4 loss to the Angels in the middle game of the Freeway Series.

Before the start, Dave Roberts said Syndergaard only had a few loose ends to tie up in his final tuneup, and that the right-hander would likely throw somewhere in the range of what Clayton Kershaw did on Sunday, which was 74 pitches in six innings, plus a brief stint in the bullpen afterward.

Syndergaard achieved the goal, throwing 85 pitches in five-plus innings, but also allowed five runs on nine hits, striking out two. He faced one batter in the sixth inning, allowing a slow ground ball that hit third base for an infield single. Syndergaard followed Dustin May (Saturday) and Kershaw in Dodgers pitching into the sixth inning in their last time through the rotation.

The velocity increase that Syndergaard pined for during the offseason after he signed with the Dodgers hasn’t yet materialized in spring training. On Monday, he averaged 93 mph on his two-seam fastball and 93.4 mph on his four-seam, slightly down from his averages during the 2022 season (93.6 mph two-seam, 94.1 mph four-seam).

Higher numbers did come on Monday, but in the form of exit velocities off Angels bats, in the form of 10 hard-hit balls (defined by Statcast as 95 mph or higher), including home runs by Mike Trout and Taylor Ward.

Notes

• Chris Taylor homered off a left-handed pitcher for the second straight night, this time off reliever Aaron Loup.
• The Dodgers got solo home runs from Mookie Betts in the fourth inning and Miguel Rojas in the fifth, both off Tyler Anderson. Luke Williams hit a solo shot against José Quijada in the eighth.
• Yency Almonte pitched to three batters, recording two outs Monday after throwing an inning on Sunday. Brusdar Graterol also pitched in both games of the Freeway Series so far, the first Dodgers pitchers to appear in back-to-back games this spring.
• Of the eight pitchers who will make the Dodgers opening day bullpen, only Andre Jackson hasn’t pitched this series against the Angels, though he threw 2⅓ innings on Saturday against the Royals at Camelback Ranch.

Monday particulars

Home runs: Mookie Betts, Miguel Rojas, Chris Taylor, Luke Williams; Mike Trout, Taylor Ward

WP — Tyler Anderson: 5⅓ IP, 4 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts

LP — Noah Syndergaard: 5+ IP, 9 hits, 5 runs, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts

Up next

One more exhibition game awaits, with the final Freeway Series contest on Tuesday night (6:07 p.m.; SportsNet LA. Bally Sports West). Ryan Pepiot starts for the Dodgers, with Reid Detmers pitching for the Angels.