True Blue LA - May 17: Dodgers 7, Twins 3Where The Dodger Dogs Are Always Grilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49563/truebluela_fav.png2023-05-17T15:22:23-07:00http://www.truebluela.com/rss/stream/234882762023-05-17T15:22:23-07:002023-05-17T15:22:23-07:00Dodgers lose Dustin May, but win on a James Outman grand slam
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<img alt="Minnesota Twins v Los Angeles Dodgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/dI_mP8ymtmdnfCK3oaaUDyu5hls=/0x119:4782x3307/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72290068/1491080701.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Harry How/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>LA wins sixth consecutive series</p> <p id="GJGnrW">The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> overcame an early blow after losing Dustin May, with James Outman’s grand slam in the seventh inning providing a 7-3 win over the Twins on Wednesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium.</p>
<p id="RsrNu7">The Dodgers wrapped up a 5-1 homestand and a sixth straight series win.</p>
<h3 id="wVswpV">A single inning microcosm</h3>
<p id="f1SGjh">Baseball presents every imaginable and unimaginable scenario, within the entire of regular season that includes these many games, and today at the bottom of the seventh, we saw something unique.</p>
<p id="3TpOSf">The Dodgers entered the bottom of the seventh, trailing 3-2, after a Caleb Ferguson throwing error on a pickoff from second to third, giving Minnesota the lead.</p>
<p id="0Zr6aA">José De León — yes, <em>that José De León</em>. Hello, old friend — was set for his second inning of work, having retired the side in order in the sixth. De León covered two-thirds of an immaculate inning, striking out Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman on six pitches, combined. All was well, and then Will Smith came up.</p>
<p id="aWWlOq">The Dodgers’ catcher kept the inning alive with a single, Max Muncy did the same, and with the Dodgers threatening, Twins’ manager Rocco Baldelli made a move, replacing De León with Emilio Pagán.</p>
<p id="Od2lSO">Pagan walked Jason Heyward, and then in a déjà vu moment, the Twins walked in another run, at a crucial moment, by giving Miguel Vargas a base on balls, <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2023/5/16/23724236/phil-bickford-game-dodgers-trayce-thompson-walk-off-walk-twins">reminiscent of Monday’s walk-off in the 12th inning</a>.</p>
<p id="d98nJ9">With the score tied, and Pagán needing to face at least one more batter, up came James Outman, with one hit in his last 15 at-bats.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">JAMES OUTMAN IS A BAAAAD MAN. <a href="https://t.co/45hbKxqwvr">pic.twitter.com/45hbKxqwvr</a></p>— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dodgers/status/1658950262202187776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2023</a>
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<p id="osjQr7">The rookie outfielder has been struggling with the high heat, but much to his satisfaction, Pagan kept this one down, and James hit it out of the park man for a grand slam.</p>
<p id="CVSdoq">Prior to the seventh inning, the offense hadn’t scored much, but one can’t say enough about making Sonny Gray labor, and only cover four innings, today, needing 84 pitches to do so.</p>
<p id="p0kIZY">The Dodgers weren’t the only taxed bullpen in this matchup, and it certainly paid off by making the Twins unity covered four frames.</p>
<h3 id="cKHo0b">Dylan Covey came up, and not a second too late</h3>
<p id="vzsoja">The goal was that Clayton Kershaw would’ve been able to provide good length on Tuesday night, following the bullpen marathon on Monday. However, Kershaw ended up with one of his least efficient outings of the year, leaving the game after four innings, with a high pitch count, forcing the bullpen to cover over half of the game.</p>
<p id="lG8bEe">This created a ripple effect, and with a unity wholly gassed, and no rest in sight, as the Dodgers wouldn’t have an off-day for a week-plus, the organization <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2023/5/17/23727418/dodgers-roster-dylan-covey-justin-bruihl-jimmy-nelson">called up Covey from Triple A</a>.</p>
<div class="c-float-right"><aside id="BKdMbX"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Dustin May headed for IL with flexor pronator strain in right elbow","url":"https://www.truebluela.com/2023/5/17/23727482/dustin-may-injury-right-elbow-pain-dodgers"}]}'></div></aside></div>
<p id="JbnXlh">Again, the hope was for May to provide length in this one, and if the game got out of hand, Covey’s number would be called on. Long story short, the game got out of hand, but not in any way pertaining to the result.</p>
<p id="qkqkg9">It got out of hand for the ‘pen immediately, as <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2023/5/17/23727482/dustin-may-injury-right-elbow-pain-dodgers">May left with right elbow pain after one inning of diminished velocity</a>. May is headed for the injured list with a flexor pronator strain in his right elbow.</p>
<p id="hXlYlA">Covey entered and, considering the circumstances, the veteran right-hander did a heck of a job, keeping his pitch count in check to cover four-plus innings.</p>
<p id="mynlpt">The Twins got some base runners on him, with five hits, and a walk, but the thirty-one-year-old kept the Dodgers in the game, surrendering only a pair of runs. Although, primarily assisted by the efforts of Victor González, who keeps piling up string performances.</p>
<p id="2eT1fs">Covey came out for the sixth inning but left a mess for González with the bases loaded, and no outs. González cleaned it up, getting Jorge Polanco, Donovan Solano, and Kyle Farmer in order, leaving all three on base.</p>
<h3 id="T3qJht">Wednesday’s particulars</h3>
<p id="rEkTLW"><strong>Home runs: </strong>Byron Buxton (9), Joey Gallo (10)</p>
<p id="ycAlqn"><strong>WP — Brusdar Graterol (2-1): </strong>1⅓ IP, 1 strikeout</p>
<p id="2eClvg"><strong>LP — José De León (0-1): </strong>1⅔ IP, 2 hits, 2 runs, 3 strikeouts</p>
<h3 id="d1OEBm">Up next</h3>
<p id="4LLPZ4">After the early game, the Dodgers get a jump on a 10-game road trip, their longest of the season. First up is the Cardinals on a four-game set. For the opener on Thursday (4:45 p.m. PT; SportsNet LA, MLB Network), it will be southpaw Julio Urías’ turn, facing veteran Adam Wainwright.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2023/5/17/23727650/james-outman-grand-slam-dodgers-dustin-may-dylan-covey-twinsEstevão Maximo2023-05-17T13:09:33-07:002023-05-17T13:09:33-07:00Dustin May headed for IL with flexor pronator strain in right elbow
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<img alt="Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Minnesota Twins 7-3 during a baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jM9s22KAo_nJr4vWjOcCa84uS3I=/0x0:5888x3925/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72289549/1255634730.5.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Flexor pronator strain will land Dodgers RHP on the injured list</p> <p id="gEUzG2"><a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> pitcher Dustin May left his start on Wednesday afternoon against the Twins after just one inning, experiencing right elbow pain. He’ll be placed on the injured list, manager Dave Roberts said after the game.</p>
<p id="cUW5Up">“We got some early tests, and it’s a flexor pronator strain. That’s an IL,” Roberts said, per SportsNet LA. “When he returns to play, I don’t know the answer.”</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Source: Early testing showed Dustin May's UCL didn't appear to be impacted. Diagnosed with a flexor pronator strain. Dave Roberts said missing a month was "the floor" but didn't want to speculate beyond that. <a href="https://t.co/uL4eOeTyGk">https://t.co/uL4eOeTyGk</a></p>— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) <a href="https://twitter.com/FabianArdaya/status/1658966390647439360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2023</a>
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<p id="p6dTL2">May worked around a single to strike out two in a scoreless first inning, throwing 16 pitches. Half of those were two-seam fastballs that averaged 94.7 mph, down from 96.7 mph on the season for the right-hander. May also threw four cutters and two four-seam fastballs, and those were down two ticks as well from his season average.</p>
<p id="Csvg3c">Wednesday is just the 15th start for May since coming back from Tommy John surgery, which sidelined him for 15 months from May 2021 to August 2022. This season he has a 2.63 ERA in nine starts, with 34 strikeouts and 16 walks in 48 innings, the latter third on the staff behind Clayton Kershaw and Julio Urías.</p>
<p id="LVqCKr">The Dodgers have tried to be cautious with May in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery. After a career-high 104 pitches on April 28 against St. Louis, May was given seven days of rest before his next start, with Gavin Stone making his major league debut in between to give the starting rotation a bit of a reset.</p>
<p id="qgZi2v">“We all sort of get mired in each start. But we have a lot of people that forecast usage, and we’ve still got to be mindful of what Dustin has been through in the last calendar year and a half,” <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2023/5/1/23707512/dodgers-starting-rotation-gavin-stone-dustin-may-rest-padres-series">Roberts said on May 1</a>. “We pushed him a lot at this point, but if we can at times give him an extra day or two, we feel it can only prove beneficial.”</p>
<p id="ElVQ8z">Wednesday was May’s third start on four days rest this season.</p>
<p id="Q91lJP">Dylan Covey, who was called up from Triple-A earlier Wednesday to add a fresh arm to a beleaguered bullpen, took over for May in the second inning. The 31-year-old Covey was a starter for Oklahoma City, with a 4.22 ERA in 32 innings and lasted five innings in three of his previous four starts.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2023/5/17/23727482/dustin-may-injury-right-elbow-pain-dodgersEric Stephen2023-05-17T12:40:34-07:002023-05-17T12:40:34-07:00Dodgers add Dylan Covey, option Justin Bruihl
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<img alt="Minnesota Twins v Los Angeles Dodgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/pZCDECDLPbarkZ5UNj86DVwU5Uo=/0x0:2862x1908/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72289451/1491063775.5.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Harry How/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Jimmy Nelson was moved to the 60-day injured list</p> <p id="JKd6og">The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> selected Dylan Covey from Triple-A Oklahoma City before Wednesday’s series finale against the Twins, adding a fresh arm to a pitching staff that has been taxed in the last week.</p>
<p id="HAcDpS">The 31-year-old Covey was a starter for Oklahoma City, with a 4.22 ERA in 32 innings, with 28 strikeouts and 18 walks. He’s here to provide length in case a game or games get out of hand, as both Monday and Tuesday did for the Dodgers.</p>
<p id="ch9zRl">Covey arrived in the clubhouse before <em>Tuesday’s</em> game, but the team opted not to add him after six pitchers combined for eight innings the night before. </p>
<p id="TOlvVN">“He’ll taxi, then we’ll see how we come out of tonight to see if we need to activate him,” manager Dave Roberts said before Tuesday’s game.</p>
<p id="tLA4eT">The need became apparent once Clayton Kershaw needed 90 pitches to complete four innings. The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2023/5/16/23726499/dodgers-gassed-clayton-kershaw-bullpen-twins">final five innings were covered by three pitchers</a>, all of whom had heavy workloads recently. Bullpen usage was so heavy in the first two games against the Twins that Roberts was effusive in his praise for <em>three</em> different pitchers who were pushed past normal limits:</p>
<ul>
<li id="iflJpo">Phil Bickford <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2023/5/16/23724236/phil-bickford-game-dodgers-trayce-thompson-walk-off-walk-twins">pitched a career-high three innings and threw 48 pitches Monday</a>.</li>
<li id="kKmNeJ">Shelby Miller threw 30 pitches and got five outs Monday, then threw 30 pitches to get six outs Tuesday.</li>
<li id="3Acs5p">Justin Bruihl threw 16 pitches in an inning on Sunday, then 20 more in an inning on Monday, then tossed <em>two</em> innings and 28 pitches on Tuesday.</li>
</ul>
<p id="buV4rr">Bruihl is just the second Dodgers pitcher this season to pitch three days in a row, and he’s done everything that’s been asked of him this season, striking out 12 in 10⅔ innings with a 2.53 ERA in the majors.</p>
<p id="H0jmW4">But baseball can be cruel sometimes, and since he’ll be unavailable for likely at least a few days, Bruihl was the odd man out when it came to adding Covey.</p>
<div class="c-float-right"><aside id="gYPwCG"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"2023 option counter","url":"https://www.truebluela.com/2023/4/17/23630570/dodgers-minor-league-options-2023"},{"title":"Dodgers 40-man roster","url":"https://www.truebluela.com/2023/2/16/23596648/dodgers-roster-2023-transactions"},{"title":"Injured list tracker","url":"https://www.truebluela.com/2023/3/30/23630044/los-angeles-dodgers-injured-list-tracker-2023"}]}'></div></aside></div>
<p id="1lkWFe">What’s notable is that the Dodgers didn’t simply put Clayton Kershaw on the bereavement list after his Tuesday start. Kershaw <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2023/5/16/23726459/clayton-kershaw-bereavement-leave-dodgers-dylan-covey">said Tuesday night he discussed his plans with Andrew Friedman, and that he’d make his Sunday start in St. Louis</a>.</p>
<p id="y7cBC2">Bereavement leave stays are a minimum of three days, so the Dodgers would need to place Kershaw on the list by Thursday in order for him to start Sunday. Maybe that is still in the plan, with another pitcher coming to give the Dodgers nine relievers instead of eight for a few days.</p>
<p id="5Pkdxp">Pitchers <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2023/4/17/23630570/dodgers-minor-league-options-2023">currently on optional assignment in Triple-A</a> are Andre Jackson, Wander Suero, and left-hander Alex Vesia.</p>
<p id="VLQ6XH">Further complicating things is that Covey’s first action was earlier than even the Dodgers were expecting, as <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2023/5/17/23727482/dustin-may-injury-right-elbow-pain-dodgers">Dustin May exited his Wednesday start after only one inning with right elbow pain</a>, with Covey taking over in the second.</p>
<p id="3iL5Mt">This is also an interesting time for the Dodgers pitching staff as a whole. Wednesday is day six of a stretch of 13 games in a row, and 19 out of 20. May was starting on four days rest in the series finale on Wednesday, and the entire rotation is expected to do the same the next time through.</p>
<p id="4NXVB9">Dodgers pitchers started on four days rest 13 times in the first 43 games of the season, 30 percent of the time, as Los Angeles often prefers to give its starting pitchers an extra day of rest whenever possible. Last year, Dodgers pitchers started on four days rest 45 times, 28 percent of the season.</p>
<p id="sQQV0A">Dodgers starters average 5.31 innings per start this season, 11th in MLB and just above the league-wide average of 5.21. Maybe this time through the rotation, starters might not be pushed to pitch as deep while on four days rest. Adding a ninth reliever for at least three of those days could help facilitate that.</p>
<p id="ur0nLk">To make room for Covey on the 40-man roster, Jimmy Nelson was transferred to the 60-day injured list. Nelson is recovering from 2021 Tommy John surgery and flexor tendon repair. He pitched once in Triple-A on a rehab assignment, but has been shut down from throwing about two weeks ago.</p>
<p id="NeipBH">Moving Nelson to the 60-day injured list means the earliest he can possibly return is May 29.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2023/5/17/23727418/dodgers-roster-dylan-covey-justin-bruihl-jimmy-nelsonEric Stephen2023-05-17T11:51:00-07:002023-05-17T11:51:00-07:00Dodgers vs. Twins Game III chat
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<img alt="San Diego Padres v Los Angeles Dodgers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/A2QcSi8iXESj-cRpaAyRkonFBbI=/0x0:5868x3912/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72289278/1489590086.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="t8KhXh">The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> finish off the homestand with Dustin May against Sonny Gray during the day.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">It’s a Sonny day in LA.☀️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MNTwins?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MNTwins</a> <a href="https://t.co/t2R7n3eHZu">pic.twitter.com/t2R7n3eHZu</a></p>— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) <a href="https://twitter.com/Twins/status/1658870422920675341?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2023</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Today’s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dodgers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dodgers</a> lineup vs. Twins: <a href="https://t.co/B7aJZ2NDZV">pic.twitter.com/B7aJZ2NDZV</a></p>— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dodgers/status/1658893918313005062?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2023</a>
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<h3 id="fdr9Tx">Game info</h3>
<ul>
<li id="ZL3WE1">Teams: Dodgers vs. Twins</li>
<li id="tQFNfP">Ballpark: Dodger Stadium</li>
<li id="ipxAAz">Time: 12:10 p.m. PT</li>
<li id="yx3Lxu">TV: SportsNet LA</li>
<li id="dwj5Kq">Radio: AM 570 (English); KTNQ 1020 (Spanish)</li>
</ul>
https://www.truebluela.com/23724225/dodgers-twins-game-chatEric Stephen2023-05-15T05:01:00-07:002023-05-15T05:01:00-07:00Dodgers vs. Twins series info
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<img alt="MLB: New York Yankees at Minnesota Twins" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/nDGw22riAOqe3WRX3Fx6qRShSIw=/0x0:3150x2100/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72280845/usa_today_20542759.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>First interleague series of year for LA</p> <p id="mxMPCW">The <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> are the last team in Major League Baseball to play an interleague game in 2023, checking off that box by hosting the Twins for a three-game series beginning Monday night at Dodger Stadium.</p>
<p id="PFjdEv">It’s a battle of first-place teams, with Minnesota (23-18) the only team in the American League Central without a losing record.</p>
<p id="68y1MR">The Dodgers are 13-6 all-time in interleague play against the Twins, not couting the 1965 <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/world-series">World Series</a>. Los Angeles has won the last 10 meetings between the two teams, having last lost to Minnesota a dozen years ago. The Dodgers swept three-game series in 2014 in Minnesota and 2017 in Los Angeles. Last season, the Dodgers won both two-game series against the Twins.</p>
<p id="XQCMp9">Noah Syndergaard will have his right index finger covered <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/2023/5/14/23722702/noah-syndergaard-clayton-kershaw-dodgers-rotation-schedule">in making his start in Monday’s series opener</a>. Clayton Kershaw is expected to start Tuesday, after his mother passed away on Saturday.</p>
<p id="kdVjH5">Minnesota placed outfielder Max Kepler on the injured list on Saturday with a left hamstring strain, so he’ll miss the series. Old friend Joey Gallo is hitting .209/.327/.582 with nine home runs in 31 games and a 147 wRC+, and homered on both Saturday and Sunday.</p>
<p id="yk4nkd">The Twins will send all right-handed starting pitchers to the mound, including a series finale matchup of May vs. May, during the day. Old friend Kenta Maeda is on the injured list for Minnesota with a right triceps strain, missing the last two and a half weeks. Bailey Ober, who was recalled from Triple-A to take Maeda’s place in the rotation, starts Tuesday night.</p>
<h3 id="z1oria">Dodgers vs. Twins schedule</h3>
<p id="IPwtaH"><strong>Monday, 7:10 p.m. PT</strong><br>Noah Syndergaard vs. Pablo López<br><em>SportsNet LA</em></p>
<p id="GmCMSk"><strong>Tuesday, 7:10 p.m.</strong><br>Clayton Kershaw vs. Bailey Ober<br><em>SportsNet LA, MLB Network (out of market)</em></p>
<p id="qOP0YE"><strong>Wednesday, 12:10 p.m.</strong><br>Dustin May vs. Sonny Gray<br><em>SportsNet LA</em></p>
<p id="tlKZx8"></p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2023/5/15/23722601/dodgers-schedule-twins-game-times-tv-pitchingEric Stephen