There are thirteen pitchers who love Austin Barnes. He is an “on-the-field-pitching coach.” He is not going anywhere, so get that out of your mind. Hunter Feduccia, who happens to be LH, may or may not be a better hitter, and maybe his arm is slightly better, but he is no Austin Barnes insofar as a receiver. Unless Barnes is injured, he is not going anywhere (did I mention that already?). Quit harping on Barnes! Just stop it… already! Disclaimer: All this goes out the window if Rushing is promoted to AAA.
So, I got that out of the way! That leaves seven more players who could stay or go:
- Miguel Rojas
- Chris Taylor
- Kike Hernandez
- Gavin Lux
- Andy Pages
- Miguel Vargas
- Jason Heyward
Let’s talk about who could stay or go, but before I get there, let’s not forget James Outman, who could very well come back in the second half of 2024. I am going to rank the order that players who could depart from this roster:
- Chris Taylor is a great guy, an awesome teammate, and a solid Dodger. However, his time is up. There is a 96% chance he will be gone.
- Andy Pages is the next most likely to be gone. It’s all about whether he can re-adjust. I hope he can, but we have to see. There is a 49% chance he will be gone.
- Miguel Vargas is untested, unproven, and untried. They have to give him an opportunity. It’s coming. There is a 40% chance he will be gone.
- Kike Hernandez is not likely to be traded, although if the Dodgers could get a good return, then it could be a possibility. I put it at less than 20%.
- Gavin Lux could be a part of a trade for a SS, but that seems unlikely dujring the season. There’s less than a 15% chance of that.
- Miguel Rojas won’t be traded UNLESS a contending team loses their SS and is willing to overpay. The chance of this happening is less than 10%.
- Jason Heyward is on the team unless he just totally tanks and can’t hit at all. The chance of that is less than 5%.
Note: The above highly scientific calculations were done through a process called WAG (Wild Ass Guessing). Chris Taylor is the most likely to go away and I think it should be sooner than later, so that we can see if Andre Lipcuis is for real or an illusion.
Bullpen Arms
Insofar as trading for a closer, there are just four words: It is not happening! Mason Miller will cost a boatloads and is a huge Tommy John Candidate. Andrew Friedman does not operate that way. The bullpen will be fine. Kyle Hurt should be back at some point. Clayton Kershaw will be back and push Stone to the Bullpen. Dustin May will probably be back. Ryan Brasiser will be back as will Brogden and you will need to keep an eye out for River Ryan. Don’t forget about Joe Kelly or the Bazooka. Bobby Miller is nearly ready as is Evan Phillips. Banda looks like he could be very promising and the jury is out on Yohan Ramirez. The Dodgers have a glut of excellent relievers so their is almost no chance they trade for a reliever… especially a significant one as other teams are lineup to overpay.
Discussion (34)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Gritty gut check day for the Dodgers, they needed that big time. They will be just fine. Looong season ahead. Ya know it’s the Damdest thing. Whenever we win all the haters have swallowed their keyboards, yet string a bad stretch together and it’s let’s get that Fire Dave Roberts site going up. I’m guessing there’s no takers tonight, but stay tuned. Next loss they’ll come crawling back out.
Ahhhh.
Nice way to reverse course.
Best thing about today’s sweep: First, the gritty, clutch team effort to come from behind in the opener. Big moments for Taylor, Mookie, Freddie–and Hudson and Treinin in relief. G
Second best: Gavin Stone pitching like an ace. Seven shutout innings, with 7 Ks while allowing zero walks and only three hits, all singles.
Third best: Bronze for Freddie breaking out by going 5 for 8 on the day, with a big HR, a double and three singles.
Honorable mentions to Vesia with the two-inning save, and Vargas and Smith for the HRs.
Kaboom! Two game winning streak! If the playoffs began tomorrow, Stone would be one of my starters.
Why would any pitcher throw anything other than a down and away slider to T. Hernandez?
Oh man, it’s soooooo good to see Vargas swing like that!
why bader anyway? we have enough of those!! if you’re going to make a trade, make it count!! go big or stay the same! Go Barnes!! Hey Austin, Taylor got a hit in the first game! your turn!
bader plays for the mets bradley
#Dodgers Lineup vs #Mets LHP, Jose Quintana #Game2
1.Betts SS
2.Smith DH
3.Freeman 1B
4.T. Hernandez RF
5.E. Hernandez 3B
6.Pages CF
7.Vargas LF
8.Rojas 2B
9.Barnes C
SP Gavin Stone
Dodgers could improve with trades fur these players both hitting wise and d fielding wise rather tgen stick with what they have these players would help in trades.
Lane Thomas National RF
Sterling Marte CF RF mets
Turner Ward CF RF angels
Bo Bichette SS Bluejays
CHRISTIAN Yelich LF RF Brewers
J.J Arramas Ss Brewers
Connor Joe oF Pirates
Rooker OF A’s
Diaz SS A’s
Arenaldo 3b Cardnisls
Harrison Bader Cardinals CF
George Springer rf cf Bluejays
All these players the Dodgers could get and trade some prospects to get these guys which would be better consistent hitters then what they have or have in the minors. And make this team better who is sick of the 7,8,9, hitters all striking out. Well I am.
Is this the day the ship was righted?
Will Daniel Hudson pitch the 10th?
Whew. Hudson does a high-wire act to push the game into extras.
Mookie, Shohei, Freddie coming up, with Pages placed at 2B.
Mets will start with the 8th and 9th hitters in their half.
Advantage Dodgers. Right?
Right?
Finally we play some small ball with CT3 laying down a good bunt, we score the tying run and instead of bunting again with Heyward moving the runners to 2nd and 3rd he strikes out and Pages hits into a twin killing.
That is just so stupid from a managerial standpoint it is beyond believe. Dodgers and Roberts never seem to learn their lessons.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And now Taylor comes up in the 9th, with Teoscar and Lux on base, and a chance to be a hero…..
And he delivers!
Not exactly a screaming line drive, but Taylor puts it in play and ties the score!
Then Heyward strikes out and now Pages has his chance to be a hero….
…and grounds into a double play.
So I’m up at 5:30 a.m. h(re in Hong Kong and see the Dodgers are trailing 2-0 in the middle of the 7th.
Ugh.
Chris Taylor just struck out for the third time in three ABs, lowering his BA to .097. This after it had been reported that Vargas would be in the lineup, not Taylor. So what’s up with that? Beats me.
At least there’s some good news: MLB has apparently relented on the copyright control it was starting to enforce on baseball YouTubers like Pitching Ninja and Fuzzy who repurpose baseball highlights. Fuzzy credits a backlash from fans for helping MLB see the light: the YouTubers help expand the appeal of MLB’s product. It’s certainly a benefit for fans like me who live overseas.
RVS will fix them!! lol. Making mets pitcher look like Greg Maddux.
Occasional Austin Barnes start in place of Will Smith is not an issue in a lineup that is functional in 7 or 8 spots. Plus, all indications are that Barnes is not going anywhere. As for rest of the list, no real arguments. I am sure that Dodgers did not think that the entire group of 7 would struggle this way. I thought Roberts’ comments were more pointed than they had been regarding this group. Basically, this is what we have and they need to be better.
Don’t get the clamoring for Mason Miller. Reminds me of the proposals for David Bednar last
year. Would not waste assets on relief help right now with glaring needs at bottom of the order. Plus the Dodgers have a lot of arms to choose from in constructing a pen. Let that play out over time.
0 – 2 down, and as we are used to, game over!
oh boy!!! nerd boy today!
Who stays and who goes. Hmmm. I have always liked Chris Taylor, but I have also felt when he and Kike are both on the roster that they cancel each other out. They are similar redundant pieces. The Dodgers value their versatility highly. But both are over 30 now, neither have ever been high contact hitters. Kike hasn’t had but one season over .230 since he hit .256 in 2018. He also hit 21 homers that year. He hit 20 for Boston in 2021. Taylor actually has a higher career BA than Kike, .250 to .238. Kike has 7 more career homers than Taylor. But Chris is 33, he has had several nagging injuries that have plagued him over the last few years, and his strikeout to walk ratio is pathetic. He has struck out 700 more times in his career than he has walked. Neither has shown much in the speed department the last few years. Kike has never been a base stealing threat. Taylor usually is in double-figures. But I believe the time has come for him to move on. I know they would have to eat a lot of money, but he is bringing nothing to the offense, and is not playing enough to contribute on defense. He is just wasting a roster spot that could go to a more productive player. I also believe that unlike a lot of teams, the Dodgers seem to hold their prospects back more. It has been a while since a rookie has cracked the roster and made an impact. I also believe MLB worked hard to get rid of Hernandez.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday that Phillips (hamstring) is on track for activation from the 15-day injured list Friday, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
Phillips struck out two batters in a perfect inning in his first rehab appearance with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga on Sunday. He’s slated for one rehab outing before rejoining the Dodgers for their weekend series at home against the Rockies, assuming all goes well. Upon activation, Phillips should immediately step back in as the Dodgers’ closer.
First of all dodgerram, today’s double header will most likely see all 13 position players start so your sarcasm is not really warranted. I respect your wanting the Red Sox record as opposed to ours over the past 23 seasons. I just happen to disagree. I would rather be happy for six months and disappointed for a few weeks if that is the trade off. I would also rather always have a shot at being in the dance as opposed to not.
However, your level of criticism and suggestions is unbelievably high while the team is winning over 100 games. I can’t imagine what it would be like during the 19 seasons the Red Sox weren’t winning the WS when we would win 15-25 less games.
Mark are by positive Vargas is not at 41 percent instead of 40 at being gone? And I’m gonna have to disagree on Heyward, I think he’s 6 percent
4:10 PM ET 1st Game Today
Dodgers (33-22)
Mets (22-30)
SP Tyler Glasnow R
6-3 3.09 ERA
SP Tylor Megill R
0-2 3.00 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
SS Mookie Betts R
DH S. Ohtani L
1B F. Freeman L
C Will Smith R
RF T. Hernandez R
LF M. Vargas R
3B E. Hernandez R
CF Andy Pages R
2B Miguel Rojas R
84° Wind 22 mph Out
Was thinking this morning about baseball. Guess we take for granted being a Dodger fan! Could be a Rockies fan, or a White sox fan, or a Oakland fan. Those fans have absolutely nothing to look forward to! BUT, it’s hard not to be disappointed when the team you love is struggling, especially when expectations are so high! Now it won’t go on much longer so i need to calm down!! Patience is not a virtue among Dodger fans. We all want the best players available on the field. I do feel that the current team has a very weak bench. Agree Mark, Vargas needs a shot to prove he belongs on a major league roster! If he doesn’t produce he needs to relocate! Pages had his opportunity and it may end soon. I personally don’t believe Outman is back intil maybe September call ups. Tyler Oneil is a name to keep in mind. That outfield needs a facelift. And it may not be the Dodgers but Bo Bichette will be someone probably gets moved if Toronto falls out of the race!
Very strange! Lineups not posted yet. Will post as soon as available.
1. These sound like changes for change’s sake. Marte will soon be 36. He has been in decline for two years.
2. Thomas is much younger, but (1) He can’t play CF, and (2) it is going to cost a lot more.
3. Bichette is worth a shot, as is Jansen, but I think it will take more to get him.
Is there really much buzz about a possible Taylor-for-Marte swap? Or is this just speculation?
Interesting idea.
In a vacuum, it makes a lot of sense. Marte’s OPS is hovering at a ho-hum .700, but Taylor’s is–yikes–.338.. I wanted the Dodgers to go after Marte a few seasons back.
But if I was running the Dodgers, I’d rather get a younger veteran on the rise than an overpriced 35-year-old in decline.
On the website there is an article saying Ohtani is throwin from 60 feet already.
It would help the Dodgers immensely if Ohtani would be able to play LF later in the season, say September.
Would open up more trade options for the Dodgers . Be it a pure DH or maybe 3b with MM moving to DH.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!1
I am going to wag it:
Taylor and a prospect traded to the mutts for Marte
Lux , Barnes , knack, outman, Bruns traded to the jays for Bichette and Jansen
Kike and a prospect traded to the nationals for lane Thomas
Pages sent down
Vargas , Rojas, Jansen, Heyward bench
Thomas, marte, teo of
Bullpen gets healthy
Doc says Muncy back soon. Muncy returns in August.
Lineup:
Betts 2b
Ohtani dh
Smith c. No more lefty openers
Freeman 1b
Bichette ss
Muncy 3b vs righties
Teo lf
Marte rf
Thomas cf
Glasnow, Yamamoto, miller, kershaw
Dodgers edge Yankees 4-2 in World Series! Ok dreaming certainly improbable but not impossible.
From The Athletic:
“I think it’s a lack of consistency of approach,” Roberts said. “We’re trying to cover too many parts of the zone, in my opinion, and we’re missing the fastball. I think that’s the crux.”
The fastball numbers track, as the Dodgers aren’t crushing hittable fastballs the way they have in years past.
“I don’t think we’re hitting the fastball very well right now,” Gavin Lux said of a figure repeated in hitter’s meetings this week. “You look at all the advanced stats, it’s no secret.”
That, Roberts said, is more on execution than game plans: “The execution part of it is harder. But having a plan and being consistent, that’s easy. It is. It really is.”
“The jury is out on Yohan Ramirez?”
They’ve returned the verdict and he is guilty of being a JAG. His outing on Friday should have resulted in a DFA with someone from MiLB brought up. I’ve seen enough to know he sucks and should never pitch in Dodger Blue again. We’ll see his DFA soon enough.
Victor Robles… anyone?
Diego Cartaya was 2-4 with 3 RBI as he brought his average up to .196.
Two of the runs vs B.Miller scored when a popup in the infield was dropped by a RC defender. His velo was right up there where it should be and had good movement too.
Phillpps looks ready to come back already.
Joendry Vargas went 4-6 with 7rbi yesterday. He will be at RC sooner than later.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!