Do You Want a CF'er?

Saturday scores

Oklahoma City 4, Reno 3

Amarillo 6, Tulsa 4

Great Lakes 2, South Bend 1 (completion of Friday)

Great Lakes 2, South Bend 1

San Jose 10, Rancho Cucamonga 4 (10 innings)

ACL White Sox 5, ACL Dodgers 1

Sunday schedule

11 a.m. PT: Tulsa (Peter Heubeck) vs. Amarillo (Cesar Gomez)

11:05 a.m.: Great Lakes (Brooks Auger) at South Bend (Kenten Egbert)

12:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Matt Sauer) vs. Reno (Dylan Ray)

2 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Aidan Foeller) vs. San Jose (Drake George)

For more detailed recaps,stats,schedules, standings and box scores for Dodger minor league teams go to the top of this page and cIick on MINOR LEAGUE AFFLIATES.

woke up from a hellish. nightmare! i dreamt the dodgers only scored 1 run in 2 games against the mighty cardinals! Whew! they scored 18 runs against the A’S and have scored 18 runs since!! they lead the league in rbi with runners in scoring position. they lead in runs. i may be wrong but they have the highest batting average too! is it just me or does these stats seem like they are not real? oh well, just thinking out loud. Seriously, this offense can disappear in the “bat” of an eye. Lead off with a basehit. stand there for 3 outs. go play defense. Easy system to learn. i know, wait till october and turn it on. A little sense of urgency wouldn’t hurt sometimes. Wouldn’t mind someone added to the lineup with some piss and vinegar in their blood!! Someone to light a fire under their feet! someone to break a bat now and then! Not someone who’s a cancer in the dugout, but someone who’s not afraid to yell and get pissed. i’m probably gonna get slammed for being “non” grateful for having such a good team, but i want some life! some passion, not just some sunflower seeds flying around after a homer. My Sunday morning rant. Going to watch my grandson play today. They aren’t great, but they have a few “pistols “ on that team ! My grandson wears #5! plays first, and hits left handed. wonder why?

st louis is a 4th place team in the nl west! what is it, 20 something hits and 1 run? still nothing on the bases! just kim. RUN SOME DOC! oh i forgot , max swiped one! Reset and score some damn runs!

Losing sucks, losing like they did today, sucks even worse. Freddie and Smith both whiffed with the bases juiced. Not really what their DNA says they will do.

well as freddie mercury would say, another one bites the dust. Catman is likely down for the season. that leaves Yamamoto and Dustin may and possibly Clayton. Knack,JW, Sheehan, possibly Ben if the bullpen gets healthy. .. in all my years of watching baseball, i have never seen anything like this! .. A small and probably not accurate rumor i saw earlier. If the Braves continue to fall further down the standings, they could look to move Chris Sale, and the dodgers were at the top of the list. Probably just gossip, but wouldn’t that be interesting? …. is it just me, or has Freddie had a sour look on his face this weekend? I think someone stole the real “Freddie “” and replaced him with a clone. … another just me moment, i would have used Teo to pinch hit instead of Kike. Just me….. Max continues to get on base. And he still struggles on defense at times. Although it was a tough play, and it didn’t really hurt other than increase yamamoto’s pitch count. …. Ben got shook today! forget it and move on!

wow! bob gibson and steve carlton pitching for the cardinals!!!!! for gods sake get yy a run!

Kirsten Watson

@kirsten_watson

#Dodgers activated right-handed pitchers Michael Kopech and Kirby Yates from the injured list, designated right-handed pitcher Chris Stratton for assignment and placed right-handed pitcher Tony Gonsolin on the injured list with right elbow discomfort.

The Los Angeles Dodgers plan to activate both Michael Kopech and Kirby Yates off the injured list ahead of Saturday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Chris Stratton will be one of the roster casualties to make room.

2:15 PM ET

Dodgers (38-26)

Cardinals (35-28)

SP Y. Yamamoto R

6-4 2.39 ERA

SP Erick Fedde R

3-5 3.82 ERA

Confirmed Lineup

DH S. Ohtani L

SS Mookie Betts R

1B F. Freeman L

C Will Smith R

3B Max Muncy L

RF Andy Pages R

LF M. Conforto L

2B Tommy Edman S

CF Hyeseong Kim L

60% RAIN

75° Wind 6 mph R-L

06/06/25 Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent RHP Chris Stratton.

06/06/25 Los Angeles Dodgers designated RHP Ryan Loutos for assignment.

Friday scores

Reno 8, Oklahoma City 7

Amarillo 6, Tulsa 5

Great Lakes 2, South Bend 1 (suspended, top 5th inning)

San Jose 10, Rancho Cucamonga 6

ACL Reds 8. ACL Dodgers 6

Low-A: Quakes shortstop Kellon Lindsey started a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League after missing the last three weeks on the injured list, but he did not play.

Saturday schedule

2:35 p.m. PT: Great Lakes at South Bend, resumption of suspended game

~4:05 p.m.: Great Lakes (Payton Martin) at South Bend (Brian Gallagher)

4:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Emmet Sheehan) vs. Reno (Spencer Giesting)

5 p.m.: Tulsa (Jared Karros) vs. Amarillo (Jose Cabrera)

6:30 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Sterling Patick) vs. San Jose (Gerelmi Maldonado)

I think it’s a fun twist to include ChatGPT here. It did nicely summarize what MT has written. It would be even more fun to make sure it is widely enhanced with additional inputs so it can provide broader analysis of the Dodgers and MLB. I have recently heard it explain the Big Beautiful Bill and keep wondering why we don’t feed it as much as possible and ask it to outline the proper (means fair) analysis of revenues (taxes) and expenses (spending) for the US Government! With the crazy tax codes and the potential unfair nature of things, maybe having it try to balance our books makes sense, the humans can’t do it! Go Dodgers!

I see posts about bringing back Walker. i am not opposed to, but i won’t be disappointed if it doesn’t happen. Now let me say that i absolutely love Walker! i was so sad to see him go, especially to cheater cora, cheater bregman, and the sox. But after watching him last night against the yankees? the dodgers have plenty of pitchers that can do that! I still would go get Duran if possible. But i would leave Walker in Boston for now. Walker will always be a dodger in my mind, but like Clayton, there comes a time. I still have high hopes for Clayton. Matter of fact, i trust kershaw more than Buehler. …. If by chance Duran were to come to the dodgers, it’s time to move on from Rojas. keep him in the organization, but his productivity is almost gone. Will be a manager some day! …. No need for concern, Freddie had an off night! it happens. i’m more concerned about Teo right now! .. Pages keeps getting better and better every day!…. And lastly, i agree with Bear. it’s hard to criticize a guy on pace for 60 homers, but ohtani has some ugly swings, especially against lefties! not complaining! .. oh, one more thing. Ohtani and mookie on first and second. nobody out. 3 straight outs. Why don’t they steal? why does nobody bunt? i know heart of the lineup was up. but double steal , or is that not a thing anymore? Down 2-0, would it hurt to get aggressive? last time i checked, they didn’t score last night. They had 8, count em,8 hits off Gray! Move a little!!

Some commenters try to put words in my mouth, but ChatGPT doesn’t lie!

Of course, this forum would not be complete unless I included Miguel Vargas ;):

Mark Timmons of LA Dodger Talk has extensively discussed Miguel Vargas, offering a nuanced perspective that combines both optimism about his potential and candid critiques of his performance.

Early Confidence in Vargas

Timmons has long been a proponent of Vargas’s abilities. In a July 2023 article, he expressed strong belief in Vargas’s potential, stating, “I am not wrong about Miguel Vargas. Time will tell who the moron is.” He acknowledged past misjudgments but remained steadfast in his support for Vargas, emphasizing that many baseball professionals share his high regard for the player.

⚠️ Acknowledgment of Struggles

Despite his early confidence, Timmons did not shy away from addressing Vargas’s challenges. In a May 2024 piece, he noted that Vargas had “succeeded and mastered every level where he played… except on the MLB Level.” He emphasized that while injuries like broken fingers could be cited, “there are no excuses,” underscoring the importance of performance at the major league level.

Belief in Non-Linear Progress

Timmons frequently highlights the unpredictable nature of player development. In a March 2024 article, he drew parallels between Vargas and Gavin Lux, stating, “I believe in Gavin Lux’s bat the same as I do in Miguel Vargas’ bat. They are the same player… except that one is RH and the other is LH.” He stressed that “progress is not linear,” advocating for patience with young talents.

Statistical Comparisons and Advocacy

Timmons has delved into statistical analyses to support his views. In January 2024, he compared minor league splits of Vargas and James Outman, highlighting Vargas’s consistent performance against both right-handed and left-handed pitchers. He argued that Vargas’s track record indicated a higher ceiling, stating, “No case can be made from the splits that Vargas should be platooned.”

Trade and Post-Trade Reflections

After Vargas was traded to the Chicago White Sox, Timmons continued to monitor his progress. In a May 2025 article, he noted that while Vargas had struggled initially, he was named AL Player of the Week, suggesting a potential turnaround. Timmons remarked, “I think Miguel Vargas has a better chance of being an outstanding player than James Outman does of ever being a major league 4th or 5th outfielder!”

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Summary

Mark Timmons’s commentary on Miguel Vargas reflects a balanced perspective: he has been a vocal supporter of Vargas’s potential, candidly addressed his struggles, and consistently emphasized the unpredictable nature of player development. While acknowledging setbacks, Timmons maintains that Vargas possesses the tools to succeed at the major league level.

I also asked ChatGPT the same about Gavin Lux:

Yes, Mark Timmons of LA Dodger Talk has offered critical assessments of Gavin Lux’s performance and role with the Los Angeles Dodgers over the years. While acknowledging Lux’s potential and contributions, Timmons has consistently expressed skepticism about Lux’s suitability as a starting shortstop and his overall fit within the team’s roster.

Critiques of Gavin Lux by Mark Timmons

Shortstop Capabilities: Timmons has repeatedly questioned Lux’s ability to handle the shortstop position effectively. In a March 2024 article, he stated, “Gavin Lux has one position he can play on this team and it is already manned by the best second-baseman in baseball,” referring to Mookie Betts. He also noted that the Dodgers’ acquisition of multiple shortstops indicated a lack of confidence in Lux’s ability to fill that role.

Defensive Concerns: Timmons has expressed concerns about Lux’s defensive reliability, particularly his throwing accuracy. In March 2024, he commented, “Gavin Lux is screaming ‘Don’t hit the ball to me.’ Even at 2B. I can see the fear in his eyes.” He suggested that Lux’s defensive struggles might be psychological, potentially linked to the yips.

Offensive Role and Mental Toughness: In June 2022, Timmons questioned the common practice of batting Lux ninth in the lineup, implying it was due to concerns about his mental toughness. He wrote, “Why do so many fans who love Gavin Lux say ‘Just let him bat 9th?’ Is it because they don’t think he can handle the pressure?” He challenged Lux to “man up” and take on more responsibility in the batting order.

Trade Justification: Following Lux’s trade to the Cincinnati Reds in January 2025, Timmons supported the move, citing Lux’s limited defensive versatility and platoon limitations. He described Lux as “an average to below-average 2B defensively” and noted his struggles against left-handed pitching. Timmons viewed the trade as a strategic decision to acquire outfield prospect Mike Sirota, who he believes has significant potential.

While Timmons has been critical of certain aspects of Lux’s game, he has also acknowledged his contributions to the team and expressed hope for his success in a different role or environment.

For the record, I feel badly for Corbin Burnes – but I expected this. He probably did too.

Duran looks good on paper, offensively and defensively. His biggest plus would be getting rid of Conforto and Ward, who the Dodgers refuse to promote. Also, I know Kim is not a favorite to spell Mookie at SS, but he did get a GG at SS and defense is the same in any league. Strong arm, speed, agility and determination can’t be taught and Kim has them all. Worst case, he becomes the new Dodger Swiss army knife. Clearing out the attic in the minors and lLA and getting a 4 year CFer would be hard to pass up. Is probably are going to sell too. Any ideas our there on a steal in Baltimore?

Got our butts kicked at St Louie last night. Robo could have gave up one run and still lost. Sonny pitched a gem. Again no hitting with men on base. If we keep splitting series until AS break, we will be fine.

don’t even imagine mark is “gloating “ over someone’s misfortune. you never ever want to win by default! I believe Blake Snell will help the dodgers win another world series! i am beginning to wonder if Tyler Glasnow will be a part of that. I don’t believe he’s just quitting, i just don’t know if he will ever be healthy again. i’m not so sure about Tony Gonsolin either. i hope he’s almost back. Emmit may be a good replacement. And i’m not so sure that the dodgers don’t go get another starter. JW was vert impressive at times last night. really just one bad inning. I really don’t know what sending knack down means. is it just another part of the AF shuffle? … The offense let sonny gray off the hook last night. Mookie did his part. (told yall he was ready to get HOT!).. Has anyone heard anything about Barnes? Haven’t seen a thing anywhere. Hopefully the dodgers bounce back tonight!

I just asked ChatGPT this question: “Did Mark Timmons in http://www.ladodgertalk.com ever write that Corbin Burnes was a candidate for Tommy John Surgery?”

ChatGPT wrote this back:

Yes, Mark Timmons of LA Dodger Talk did mention Corbin Burnes in the context of Tommy John surgery. In his article titled “How to Fix the Plethora of Tommy John Surgeries,” published on September 14, 2024, Timmons discussed the prevalence of arm injuries among pitchers and the factors contributing to them. While he did not specifically state that Burnes was a candidate for Tommy John surgery, he included Burnes in a broader discussion about pitchers’ workloads and injury risks.

In the article, Timmons emphasized the issue of “max effort” pitching and its correlation with increased arm injuries, suggesting that the trend of pitchers throwing at maximum velocity could be a contributing factor to the rise in Tommy John surgeries. He advocated for changes in pitching approaches to mitigate these risks.

Corbin Burnes (elbow) will undergo Tommy John surgery next week, Jose M. Romero of The Arizona Republic reports.

“Burnes landed on the injured list Tuesday due to inflammation in his right elbow, and after receiving multiple opinions on his injury, he’ll elect to go under the knife to address the issue. His surgery will put an abrupt end to his 2025 season, and he’ll finish the year with a 2.66 ERA and 1.17 WHIP alongside a 63:26 K:BB across 64.1 innings (11 starts). He’s likely to miss most, if not all, of the 2026 campaign as well”.

8:15 PM ET

Dodgers (38-25)

Cardinals (34-28)

SP Justin Wrobleski L

1-1 8.00 ERA

SP Sonny Gray R

6-1 3.65 ERA

Confirmed Lineup

DH S. Ohtani L

SS Mookie Betts R

1B F. Freeman L

RF T. Hernandez R

3B Max Muncy L

CF Andy Pages R

LF M. Conforto L

2B Tommy Edman S

C D. Rushing L

41% Rain

74° Wind 5 mph In

As a trade proposal, Duran is not worth two top 100 prospects, in my opinion. They have Edman and Pages who can handle center and maybe Kim gets some more work there to see if he is viable. If the Dodgers feel that Conforto has run out of rope, they may bring up Freeland (with Edman going to center on a regular basis) or explore a deal for a CF. I can see that but Duran for two of the top 100 prospects seems like an overpay. I know that was a suggestion but not necessarily something you would pull the trigger on.

Is there a scenario where the return of Kopech, Yates, Henriquez and Luis Garcia to the pen gives the Dodgers room to stretch out Casparius as a starter if Kershaw continues to struggle and they don’t see Knack as an option? My guess is no and that they would just wait on the return of Ohtani/Snell/ Sasaki/Sheehan. He strikes me as too valuable in the pen and is a “break glass in case of emergency” option.

Dodgers had no business splitting that series. Sign of a good team to get a split this week. Going to be some interesting baseball coming with 10 against Padres and Giants.

sorry misspelled Doc. nothing derogatory intended!

if conforto ain’t the answer, then duran is damn sure a good replacement. with the way Dic manages, there’s plenty of playing time for everyone. kim relieves at ss, 2nd, and some outfield. kike relieves at 3rd, 1st, and outfield. Dalton spells Will. Rojas? occasional relief at 2nd. let’s face it. he ain’t hitting like last year. Walker? he was a hero last season! Could he be a hero again? Knack and Catman have become homer heaven for opposing hitters! Hopefully at least one of them will figure something out! … Still having fun playing GM!! just ain’t getting paid!

Thursday scores

Oklahoma City 5, Reno 3

Tulsa 7, Amarillo 4

South Bend 6, Great Lakes 5, game 1

Great Lakes 3, South Bend 0, game 2

San Jose 6, Rancho Cucamonga 4

ACL Rangers 5, ACL Dodgers 2

“Eriq Swan pitched six no-hit innings in his best professional performance so far. Needing 84 pitches (50 strikes), Swan matched his career high with seven strikeouts. The 23-year-old is MLB Pipeline’s 17th-ranked Dodger prospect. Taken in the fourth round of the 2023 draft, Swan has a fastball that reaches triple digits and is given a scouting grade of 70. In his last five starts, Swan has 28 strikeouts in 19⅓ innings and a 3.26 ER”..

Friday schedule

Great Lakes (Luke Fox) at South Bend (Erian Rodriguez), 4:05 PM PST

Amarillo (Logan Clayton) at Tulsa (Patrick Copen), 5:00 PM PST

Reno (Yu-Min Lin) at Oklahoma City (Kyle Funkhouser), 5:05 PM PST

San Jose (Greg Farone) at Rancho Cucamonga (Christian Zazueta), 6:30 PM PST

Dodgers are deep at shortstop in their farm system. I’d think they would hate to give up Freeman but logically one would think that Betts will play at least one more year at short. Another team may also want to take a younger shortstop. As far as the outfield is concerned I would love the Dodgers to keep at least 3 of the 4 outfielders that they have at Great Lakes. Those guys along with Pages COULD be a great outfield for a decade. Kind of like when the Dodgers kept Garvey, Lopes, Russell and Cey together

Conforto’s game winner yesterday first hit RISP since March.

If they throw in Buehler, yeah im game.

What a GUTTY GRITTY win yesterday for the Boys in Blue.

Never underestimate the heart of a champion….

Durran? I dunno. Sure, I guess. He had a solid year last year, but he’s a just a little above average this year, and the defensive metrics I just looked at have him slightly under water this year (last year was pretty good).

I don’t really like the idea of trading a quality prospect for a guy just because you think the Padres are interested in him. Seems rather reactive to me. You trade or sign a player because he fills a need and makes YOUR team better, not to keep up with the Jones or to keep him away from the Padres.

And if he plays, as you pointed out, it means a guy like Kim does not. If Kim is actually the real deal, and adds a lot to the offense, as well as shores up the defense, why do you get a guy who doesn’t really move the needle all that much just to keep Kim on the bench?

Besides, I don’t like his mullet. He looks like he belongs at a Poison concert circa 1988.

YES! make the move! Tucker more than likely will be a yankee. move teo to left and andy to right, absolutely. would hate to lose freeland, so maybe someone else? … gutty win yesterday. Dryer doesn’t have the -alls of a rookie ! He’s been outstanding! … Scott , if just for a day looked sharp. …. Urena? won’t be around long, but did a nice job yesterday. …. hopefully knack rebounds from an absolutely dismal outing yesterday….. Still can’t stand Soto!! …… If Will Smith isn’t the starting catcher in the all. star game there shouldn’t be one!……look for Mookie to get red hot!! it’s coming!……. Maybe Teo needs a day off………. Yes Pages should be considered for an all star team. playing all 3 outfield positions and playing them very well! Not to mention his offense! …. on to st. louis where it look like ollie may have weathered the storm and learned how to manage. good for him, i thought he’d be gone by now!! ….. 2 out of 3 and on to the Friars!

You were right Matt. I can live with the dingers but the 5 walks are a no no. But hey we won the game. I like Duran and Tucker, who doesn’t. Just wondering how deep the pockets really are.

Book em

No to Duran. Hold tight for King Tuck.

2026

DH Ohtani

SS Betts

1B Freeman

3B Murakawi

RF Tucker

LF Teo

C Smith

CF Pages

2B Kim

Impressive oppo field HR by Sirota.