True Blue LA - September 15: Dodgers 3, Padres 1Where The Dodger Dogs Are Always Grilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49563/truebluela_fav.png2020-09-17T13:29:00-07:00http://www.truebluela.com/rss/stream/212032112020-09-17T13:29:00-07:002020-09-17T13:29:00-07:00Caleb Ferguson will undergo Tommy John surgery
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<img alt="MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/miLcQ_ILZ_oho2CKgU27MPbghGQ=/154x0:5158x3336/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67420092/usa_today_14936605.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Dodgers LHP placed on the injured list Wednesday with torn UCL</p> <p id="ccQYZ3"><a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> pitcher <span>Caleb Ferguson</span> was placed on the injured list Wednesday with a left elbow injury, and MRI results showed a tear in his ulnar collateral ligament. He will undergo Tommy John surgery next week.</p>
<p id="7lmDcY">“He took the news as good as anyone would take it, just understanding that it’s a long road ahead. We’re going to be with him every step of the way,” manager <span>Dave Roberts</span> said on a conference call Thursday. “He’s a big part of what we’re doing and what we’re planning on doing going forward. I just feel terrible.”</p>
<p id="Uke0ze">Ferguson <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2020/9/15/21439280/caleb-ferguson-elbow-injury-dodgers-mri-exam">left Tuesday’s game after facing just one batter</a>. He felt something in his elbow on his third pitch, a strikeout of <span>Jurickson Profar</span> in the eighth inning, and immediately exited the game.</p>
<p id="kRU7eR">Initial X-rays and an ultrasound on Tuesday night were inconclusive, but an MRI exam in Los Angeles delivered the bad news.</p>
<p id="KbhTBX">Ferguson has already had Tommy John surgery once, in May 2014 when he was a senior in high school, a month before the Dodgers drafted him. Ferguson made his professional debut 13 months later, in the rookie-level Arizona League.</p>
<p id="BJFHWR">Ferguson was one of the Dodgers’ most trusted relievers, having the fourth-highest average leverage index on the staff. Ferguson had a 3.06 ERA and 3.60 FIP with 27 strikeouts and three walks in 18⅔ innings in his 21 appearances.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2020/9/16/21440573/caleb-ferguson-tommy-john-surgery-ulnar-collateral-ligament-tear-left-elbow-dodgersEric Stephen2020-09-15T22:11:49-07:002020-09-15T22:11:49-07:00Caleb Ferguson awaits MRI on injured elbow
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<img alt="MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/I9bzCHX-uyY404EF9D6h7bpgRXM=/0x0:4085x2723/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67414038/usa_today_14936604.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Dodgers LHP left after facing one batter in the 8th inning Tuesday</p> <p id="hRqaxu"><a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> left-hander <span>Caleb Ferguson</span> suffered an elbow injury in <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2020/9/15/21439141/tony-gonsolin-justin-turner-dodgers-recap-padres">Tuesday night’s win over the Padres in San Diego</a>, and is headed to Los Angeles for more testing.</p>
<p id="D8fi8b">Ferguson struck out his only batter faced on three pitches in the eighth inning, but felt something in his elbow and called for a team trainer to come to the mound. After exiting the game, X-rays and an ultrasound were inconclusive.</p>
<p id="0Hfm5Q">“We’re going to get an MRI tomorrow in Los Angeles. Right now we’re just going to remain in a hopeful state,” manager <span>Dave Roberts</span> said on a conference call after the game. “The tests, everything as of right now, didn’t present as a UCL, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed for Caleb.”</p>
<p id="Z0sZUS">Ferguson had Tommy John surgery as a high school senior in May 2014, a month before the Dodgers drafted him in the 38th round. He has blossomed into one of their best relievers this season. </p>
<p id="oKxM2m">He has a 2.89 ERA in 21 appearances this season and 27 strikeouts against only three walks in 18⅔ innings. He is second on the team with a 36% strikeout rate.</p>
<p id="8XaXPm">The Dodgers won’t put Ferguson on the injured list just yet, at least not until they get the results of the MRI exam. But the bullpen on Wednesday <em>will</em> add <span>Joe Kelly</span>, who will be activated before the series finale after serving <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2020/8/9/21361452/joe-kelly-suspension-dodgers-astros-alex-bregman-carlos-correa-dave-roberts">his five-game suspension</a>.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2020/9/15/21439280/caleb-ferguson-elbow-injury-dodgers-mri-examEric Stephen2020-09-15T21:10:54-07:002020-09-15T21:10:54-07:00Tony Gonsolin has the Dodgers in 7th heaven
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<figcaption>Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Gonsolin lowers ERA to 1.51 in win over Padres.</p> <p id="W5dYQS"><span>Tony Gonsolin</span> pitched the longest outing of his career, shutting down the <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> over seven innings in a 3-1 <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> win.</p>
<p id="ld0qGS">The Dodgers widened their advantage in the National League West to 2½ games over San Diego, and lowered their magic number to clinch the division to nine.</p>
<p id="lmqXMI">Gonsolin only struck out two but was efficient with 90 pitches in seven innings, matching the longest start by a Dodgers pitcher this season. Gonsolin induced ground ball outs, included two he fielded himself and recorded the out at first base unassisted, plus an infield pop up that Gonsolin caught.</p>
<p id="zCrfrz">“Tony is awesome. We love when he takes the ball. He’s a competitor. He’s got four quality pitches and really knows how to move the ball around,” Justin Turner said. “Just another outstanding start for him.”</p>
<p id="yIy3dM">Gonsolin also walked none, the sixth time in seven outings this season Gonsolin has walked zero or one batter.</p>
<p id="jfCF4G">“With this team, I think every series is important at this point,” Gonsolin said on a conference call. “I know we want to go out there and get on a roll, and get into a rhythm heading into the playoffs.”</p>
<p id="gD9ozi">After a night when the Dodgers struggled to get much going against starter <span>Dinelson Lamet</span>, who retired his final 12 batters faced in seven strong innings, LA’s offense threatened all night Tuesday against <span>Zach Davies</span>, who went six but only had one clean inning on the night.</p>
<p id="JlDRwY">In a game he was designated to hit, <span>Justin Turner</span> was in the middle of the Dodgers’ first two rallies. A Turner single drove home <span>Mookie Betts</span> in the first inning, then Turner had the first of three straight two-out singles in the third.</p>
<p id="7hkUtF">Turner added another hit in the fifth inning, a 106.4-mph ball to the wall in left field that would have been a double most times, just not on his first night back from a hamstring strain. So Turner settled for his third single.</p>
<p id="IckS2y">“We told him to just put the governor on and be smarter,” manager Dave Roberts said after the game. “It’s more the net of getting him into the lineup, taking at-bats to get his timing down as we get to the postseason. As long as we can end with a net positive each day, he’ll continue to get better.”</p>
<p id="Jt7dVz"><span>Edwin Ríos</span> added a solo shot in the fifth inning to widen the advantage to 3-1. It was the first home run since August 4 for Ríos, who was 5-for-33 (.152) in between long balls. Eight of Ríos’ 10 hits this season are for extra bases.</p>
<h3 id="Whj5Qh">Injury alert</h3>
<p id="iMa9hg"><span>Caleb Ferguson</span> started the eighth inning with a three-pitch strikeout of <span>Jurickson Profar</span>, but on the third pitch grimaced in pain on the mound, and immediately left the game with a trainer, suffering an elbow injury. Ferguson is <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2020/9/15/21439280/caleb-ferguson-elbow-injury-dodgers-mri-exam">headed back to Los Angeles for an MRI exam</a>. </p>
<p id="6kfxh6"><span>Blake Treinen</span> recorded the final two outs of the eighth inning. <span>Kenley Jansen</span> loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, but converted his first save opportunity since Saturday’s meltdown with back-to-back strikeouts of <span>Wil Myers</span> and <span>Jake Cronenworth</span> to end it.</p>
<p id="CWts8x">“They signed me for a reason: to win the championship. It’s been a long time, and these fans deserve it,” <span>Jansen</span> told Alanna Rizzo on the SportsNet LA broadcast. “If that’s what it takes to put that pressure on and get motivated every day, that’s the goal. It didn’t look nice today, but tomorrow I’ll get back to work and grind, to focus on bringing that championship here.”</p>
<h3 id="nYVpdp">Tuesday particulars</h3>
<p id="JgLCIO"><strong>Home run</strong>: Edwin Ríos (4)</p>
<p id="Yn0SPH"><strong>WP — Tony Gonsolin (1-1)</strong>: 7 IP, 4 hits, 1 run, 2 strikeouts</p>
<p id="An1HML"><strong>LP — </strong><span><strong>Zach Davies</strong></span><strong> (7-3)</strong>: 6 IP, 8 hits, 3 runs, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts </p>
<p id="FB1NdO"><strong>Sv — </strong><span><strong>Kenley Jansen</strong></span><strong> (11)</strong>: 1 IP, 2 hits, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts</p>
<h3 id="c1FxkY">Up next</h3>
<p id="xeemP0"><span>Dustin May</span> gets the call in Wednesday afternoon’s series finale (1:10 p.m.; SportsNet LA, plus an ESPN broadcast that won’t be available locally). <span>Adrian Morejon</span> starts for San Diego.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2020/9/15/21439141/tony-gonsolin-justin-turner-dodgers-recap-padresEric Stephen2020-09-15T17:51:00-07:002020-09-15T17:51:00-07:00Dodgers vs. Padres Game IX chat
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<figcaption>Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Game 49 of 60</p> <p id="vDvMY3">The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> try to settle the score with the <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> on Tuesday night at Petco Park, the middle game of their final regular season series.</p>
<p id="gLbb9U"><span>Tony Gonsolin</span>, who has a 1.57 ERA in his 28 innings this season, starts for the Dodgers, facing off against <span>Zach Davies</span>.</p>
<h3 id="6nXAAg">Pregame reading</h3>
<aside id="OPsqvd"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"The 2020 MLB postseason schedule","url":"https://www.truebluela.com/2020/9/15/21420339/mlb-postseason-schedule-2020-bubble-texas-california"},{"title":"Turner activated from injured list","url":"https://www.truebluela.com/2020/9/15/21438147/justin-turner-activated-injured-list-dodgers"},{"title":"Turner at DH in his 1st game back, Smith bats cleanup","url":"https://www.truebluela.com/2020/9/15/21438603/justin-turner-will-smith-dodgers-lineup"},{"title":"Podcast: Dodgers pitching springing a leak","url":"https://www.truebluela.com/2020/9/15/21436420/dodgers-podcast-pitching-woes-kenley-jansen-injuries-walker-buehler-dustin-may"}]}'></div></aside><h3 id="VB9WAW">Game info</h3>
<p id="eFP0hv">Time: 6:10 p.m. </p>
<p id="Cw3wkK">TV: SportsNet LA</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2020/9/15/21438903/dodgers-padres-game-threadEric Stephen2020-09-15T15:54:08-07:002020-09-15T15:54:08-07:00Turner at DH in his 1st game back, Smith bats cleanup
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<img alt="Los Angeles Dodgers v Arizona Diamondbacks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/BNnlJU8uM2YsDNVvJ-1hxIpCtCU=/0x0:3648x2432/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67412615/1271623559.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Turner back after missing 14 games with a left hamstring strain</p> <p id="eApLHK"><span>Justin Turner</span> is back in the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> lineup after getting activated from the injured list earlier Tuesday. He’s the designated hitter, a position he could occupy for a few days after missing 14 games with a left hamstring strain.</p>
<p id="PfkR1g">“Just seeing him back in there with us makes us considerably better,” manager <span>Dave Roberts</span> said on a conference call Tuesday. “I don’t know how many days we’re gonna run him out there as a DH, but I just could see for the next three or four, then hopefully we’ll get them back at their base as well soon.”</p>
<div class="c-float-right"><div id="GVvA5Y"><div data-anthem-component="table:9432726"></div></div></div>
<p id="tjfPaP">Turner was 1-for-3 on Aug. 12 against <span>Zach Davies</span>, who is starting Tuesday night for San Diego. Turner’s 4-for-17 (.235) with a home run in his career against the right-hander.</p>
<p id="fxUKUF">This is Turner’s first game since Aug. 28.</p>
<p id="PZebRc">“I’ve gone through a lot of tests and spent a long time in the training room trying to get ready, and I’m excited to be back out there tonight,” Turner said on a conference call.</p>
<p id="HWtYJP">Batting directly behind Turner in the lineup is catcher <span>Will Smith</span>, who has been one of the Dodgers’ best hitters this season. Smith is hitting .303/.432/.618 with six home runs in 27 games, including 12 for his last 23 (.522), with an extra-base hit in five of his last six games.</p>
<p id="BNT2gK">“As far as Will in the middle of the order, I think his at-bat quality has been consistent, the on-base, using the whole field,” Roberts said. “As we look out, to finish the season and into the postseason, I just want to count on the certainty of a quality at-bat.”</p>
<p id="nYVB5P">Roberts said Smith was originally slated to bat fifth in this one, but moved him up after decided on Tuesday as <span>Max Muncy</span>’s off day, which Roberts mentioned Monday as something that would come early this week. Since his last home run, hit on September 4, Muncy is 4-for-32 (.125) with 13 strikeouts, and eight walks.</p>
<p id="l5w21f">This is the second time Smith has batted fourth in his career, and the first time since August 31, 2019 against Arizona.</p>
<h3 id="fSzO66">Game info</h3>
<p id="ssxSgQ">Time: 6:10 p.m. PT</p>
<p id="l9tKMN">TV: SportsNet LA</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2020/9/15/21438603/justin-turner-will-smith-dodgers-lineupEric Stephen2020-09-15T09:35:18-07:002020-09-15T09:35:18-07:00Turner activated from injured list
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<img alt="MLB: SEP 13 Astros at Dodgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CiHWKVwn7pwp9oWKe_1KP45kokk=/0x0:4825x3217/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67409874/1228502472.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Pitcher Josh Sborz was optioned</p> <p id="Xob1i3"><span>Justin Turner</span> was activated from the injured list on Tuesday, and is expected to start at designated hitter for the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> in the second game of their three-game tilt with the <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> at Petco Park in San Diego.</p>
<p id="bFWYiR">Turner missed 14 games with a left hamstring strain, stemming from a hit by pitch on August 22 and aggravated while stealing a base on August 28. He did hitting and running drills before Monday’s series opener in San Diego, clearing the final hurdles for his return.</p>
<p id="rGSI00">“He looked good,” manager Dave Roberts said on a conference call Monday night. “I talked to him. I expect him to be in the lineup [Tuesday].” </p>
<p id="vetxBT">Turner is hitting .282/.384/.410 with two home runs and seven doubles in 32 games.</p>
<p id="mmsk5P">To make roster room, pitcher <span>Josh Sborz</span> was optioned. The right-hander has allowed a run in three innings this season, and pitched each of the last two games. The move gives the Dodgers 13 position players and 14 pitchers on the active roster, including 10 relievers. They will go back to 11 relievers and 15 pitchers active on Wednesday, when <span>Joe Kelly</span> is activated after serving his five-game suspension.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2020/9/15/21438147/justin-turner-activated-injured-list-dodgersEric Stephen2020-09-14T10:21:00-07:002020-09-14T10:21:00-07:00Showdown in San Diego
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<img alt="Los Angeles Dodgers v San Diego Padres" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/JKHAM0_6rxSkahLvdeHmQHjvDt8=/0x369:4200x3169/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67403868/1266672375.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>“They’re going to be ready for us, so I expect us to have that same intensity,” Dave Roberts said.</p> <p id="hRHONb">The best two teams in the National League will meet for three games starting Monday night at Petco Park in San Diego, with the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> and <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> fighting for seeding and staging what they both hope would be a National League Division Series preview.</p>
<p id="a0HG6w">San Diego is the hottest team in baseball with seven straight wins, and 20 victories in their last 25 games. They’ve pulled within 2½ games of the Dodgers with 12 to play (the Dodgers have 13 games left).</p>
<div class="c-float-right c-float-hang"><div id="cqkuPJ"><div data-anthem-component="table:9429590"></div></div></div>
<p id="EYzOGF">It’s the second-closest NL West race for the Dodgers of the last eight years, the first seven of which ended with a division title. Only the 2018 clash with Colorado, that needed an extra day to decide, was closer than the Dodgers and Padres are now with two weeks remaining in the regular season.</p>
<p id="oPwGiQ">“We better embrace it as a pennant race. The goal is to win the division, every year. Those guys are playing as good a baseball as anyone in the big leagues, playing with a lot of confidence,” manager <span>Dave Roberts</span> said on a conference call Sunday. “They’re going to be ready for us, so I expect us to have that same intensity.”</p>
<p id="xP8JDh">The Dodgers have the best record (33-14) and run differential (+103) in the majors. The Padres have the third-best record (31-17) and second-best run differential (+78). The <a href="https://www.southsidesox.com/">White Sox</a> are the only other team with a better record than San Diego. </p>
<p id="wTi2rp">The Dodgers lead the majors in home runs (90), with the Padres tied for the lead in stolen bases (44). Both teams are in the top four in the National League in runs per game, home runs, slugging percentage, OPS, OPS+ and wRC+.</p>
<p id="xZCdpU">Los Angeles has won four of the seven games this season with the Padres, winning two of three in San Diego from August 3-5, and splitting four from August 10-13 at Dodger Stadium.</p>
<p id="dPrlg9">“We had a couple really good series with them, high intensity,” <span>Chris Taylor</span> said on a conference call Sunday night. “They picked up a couple guys at the deadline, and they’ve been playing really good baseball. We just have to keep doing what we’ve been doing, match their intensity, and play our game.”</p>
<p id="SFUnaa">San Diego was baseball’s most active team at the August 31 trade deadline, making six trades and acquiring <em>nine new players</em> on the active roster. The headliner was <span>Mike Clevinger</span>, who pitched a seven-inning shutout on Sunday against San Francisco. The Padres swapped their rotation order, pushing <span>Dinelson Lamet</span> to start the series opener against the Dodgers. Whether that was a ploy to avoid the Dodgers getting a look at <span>Clevinger</span> before potentially facing him in one of the first couple games of the NLDS remains to be seen.</p>
<p id="nZ2nKt">The Padres also added two catchers who can actually hit, led by <span>Austin Nola</span>, who’s hitting .296/.369/.530 this season. Nola and fellow newcomer <span>Jason Castro</span> have a combined eight extra-base hits in 54 plate appearances with San Diego, compared to the seven extra-base hits in 125 plate appearances for former catchers <span>Austin Hedges</span>, <span>Francisco Mejia</span>, and <span>Luis Torrens</span> (Hedges and Torrens were traded away).</p>
<p id="G4OHqs"><span>Trevor Rosenthal</span>, now the Padres’ closer, was one of three relievers added at the deadline. Rosenthal, <span>Dan Altavilla</span>, and Taylor Williams have allowed a combined one run in nine innings, with 13 strikeouts since joining San Diego.</p>
<p id="Bw2AXB">After the trade deadline, the Padres are 10-2.</p>
<p id="qCHNKj">“They kind of look like a whole new ball club,” Dodgers catcher <span>Will Smith</span> said on a conference call Sunday.</p>
<h3 id="uAwySL">What’s at stake</h3>
<p id="oju6Ta">With the way <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2020/9/10/21430751/mlb-postseason-bubble-dodger-stadium-2020-dodgers-families">the playoffs are reportedly set up this season</a>, the wild card rounds will be played at home ballparks of the top four seeds in each league, before the postseason moved into bubbles, which for the National League (and potential World Series) would be in Texas.</p>
<div class="c-float-left c-float-hang"><div id="a3bKVk"><div data-anthem-component="table:9429593"></div></div></div>
<p id="rTLSfo">If the only home field advantage a team will get is in the first round, it’s worth it to finish among the top four seeds. Meaning either win the division, or finish with the best record among second-place teams in the NL. But there’s such a gap between the Padres (31-17) and the current No. 5-seed <a href="https://www.fishstripes.com/">Marlins</a> (23-21) that it’s not plausible either the Dodgers or Padres would fall farther than the fourth seed.</p>
<p id="yo99R2">The division winner will also at least in theory face a worse opponent in the wild card round. Should the Dodgers (who are five games up on the No. 2-seed <a href="https://www.talkingchop.com/">Braves</a>) or Padres finish with the top seed, they would face the No. 8 seed in the first round instead of the No. 5 team as the No. 4 seed. But there is such a jumble of mediocre teams on the lower half of the NL standings that it might not matter much whether you’re the first or fourth seed, at least in terms of opponents faced. Only three games separate the No. 5 Marlins and No. 10 <a href="https://www.brewcrewball.com/">Brewers</a> (20-24).</p>
<p id="7wkLpD">What these two teams are playing for is pride. The Dodgers want to win the division like they have done under every full season of this ownership group, and the Padres would love nothing more than stopping the Dodgers’ seven-year stranglehold on the National League West.</p>
<p id="n1Ylpq">That should be more than enough to make a fascinating series in San Diego.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2020/9/14/21435801/dodgers-padres-preview-national-league-west-showdownEric Stephen