Dodgers Week 9: Splitting the Braves/Rays gauntlet

The Dodgers faced their toughest test yet this season, facing the team with the best record in the National League and the team with the best record in the majors. They split six games, taking two of three against the Braves in Atlanta, then lost two of three to the Rays in St. Petersburg.

Much like last week, the offense did the heavy lifting, to make up for a pitching staff that is going through a rough time.

Batter of the week

The offense was humming last week and this was a close call. We’ll go with J.D. Martinez, who homered four times, doubled twice, and led the team in RBI (eight) and runs scored (eight), with a 1.357 OPS.

He narrowly edged Freddie Freeman, who doubled five times, homered once, and reached base over half the time with a 1.293 OPS.

Honorable mention goes to Chris Taylor, who homered twice and reached base five times on Sunday.

Pitcher of the week

Bobby Miller allowed a run within his first four batters faced in the majors, but then settled down on Tuesday to beat the Braves. He worked around traffic in each of the first four innings, holding Atlanta to 0-for-6 with two strikeouts with runners in scoring position. Miller averaged 99.4 mph on his fastball but also utilized his entire pitch mix, especially his slider and changeup, striking out five in five innings to win his major league debut.

Honorable mention goes to Yency Almonte, who got off to a terrible start this season but he slider has been sliding of late. He faced 12 batters last week in four games, and retired them all, striking out seven.

Week 9 results

3-3 record
38 runs scored (6.17 per game)
36 runs allowed (6.00 per game)
.525 pythagorean win percentage

Year to date

32-22 record
298 runs scored (5.52 per game)
248 runs allowed (4.59 per game)
.583 pythagorean win percentage (31-23)

Miscellany

Welcome aboard: Bobby Miller is the third Dodger to make his major league debut in 2023, joining Michael Busch (April 25) and Gavin Stone (May 3). With his five innings against the Braves on Tuesday, he was just the 13th Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher to win their major league debut.

Extra, extra, read all about it: Freddie Freeman doubled twice on Saturday against the Rays, then did so again on Sunday, giving him a major-league-leading 22 two-baggers on the season. Freeman has 16 doubles, five home runs, and a triple in May, giving him the eighth Los Angeles Dodgers month with at least 20 extra-base hits. He has three more games to add to his total. The franchise record, including the Brooklyn years, is 23 extra-base hits, accomplished by Babe Herman in July 1930 and Duke Snider in June 1954.

Freeman’s 16 doubles in May tied Herman for most in a single month by a Dodgers hitter.

The Bergen record: Trayce Thompson struck out as a pinch-hitter on Saturday at Tampa Bay. That pushed his skid to no hits in 39 consecutive at-bats, with 23 strikeouts. That passed infielder Larry Burright (June 4-27, 1962) for the longest hitless streak by a Los Angeles Dodger non-pitcher. However, Thompson got the start on Sunday, and his RBI single in the second inning off Josh Fleming was his first hit since April 17, snapping the skid. Thompson singled again the next inning and later homered. He reached base all four trips to the plate on Sunday.

Before his big day, Thompson had the longest 0-for by any Dodgers non-pitcher since Brooklyn catcher Bill Bergen’s 0-for-45 streak from June 27-July 19, 1909, which stood as a major league record for 102 seasons.

Maelstrom in the middle: On Saturday at Tropicana Field, Jason Heyward started against right-hander Tyler Glasnow and played the first five innings in center field. Chris Taylor pinch-hit for Heyward, then played the sixth in center. Trayce Thompson took over in center field in the seventh with Taylor moving to left, then James Outman pinch-hit for Thompson and played the final two innings in center. That’s four different Dodgers centerfielders in four innings. Four playing the position in one game tied a franchise record, with the other three instances (1975, 1978, 2018) coming with expanded active rosters in September.

Transactions

Monday: Gavin Stone was recalled from Triple-A to start against Atlanta, and Wander Suero was designated for assignment.

Monday: Clayton Kershaw was placed on the bereavement list after the death of his mom. Tayler Scott was selected from Oklahoma City.

Tuesday: Bobby Miller was selected from OKC to make — and win — his major league debut. Tyler Cyr was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder impingement. Dustin May was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

Thursday: Scott was optioned to Oklahoma City after not pitching in his three games with the Dodgers.

Friday: Kershaw was activated off the bereavement list.

Friday: Zack Burdi was claimed off waivers from the Rays, and optioned to Oklahoma City. Cyr was transferred to the 60-day IL.

Game results

• Monday: Dodgers 8, Braves 6
• Tuesday: Dodgers 8, Braves 1
• Wednesday: Braves 4, Dodgers 3
• Friday: Rays 9, Dodgers 3
• Saturday: Dodgers 6, Rays 5
• Sunday: Rays 11, Dodgers 10

Previous reviews: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8

The week ahead

After the longest road trip of the season, the Dodgers return home to run the Nick Johnson gauntlet, hosting the Nationals for three games and the Yankees over the weekend. Saturday’s game is televised exclusively by Fox, and Sunday evening is on ESPN.

Saturday would be the next turn in the rotation for Gavin Stone, who has allowed 17 runs (16 earned) in 12 innings in his three major league starts. Also at the ready is Michael Grove, who struck out seven in 5⅔ scoreless innings Saturday night in his second rehab start at Triple-A. For now, Saturday is TBD, with manager Dave Roberts telling reporters in St. Petersburg after Sunday’s loss to the Rays that the team would at least “re-assess” where Stone starts next.

What’s sure is that Julio Urías won’t yet be ready to return by the weekend, after feeling soreness in his left hamstring during the weekend at Tropicana Field.