Daily Clips June 7, 2017

Transcription

1 Daily Clips June 7, 2017

2 LOS ANGELES DODGERS DAILY CLIPS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 2017 DODGERS.COM McCarthy strong, but LA can't solve Scherzer Ken Gurnick and Joshua Thornton En garde: Stras, Kershaw to duel for 1st time Joshua Thornton Dodgers trying to fight through offensive slump Ken Gurnick Wood to bump Maeda or Ryu from rotation Ken Gurnick LA TIMES Scherzer sizzles in Nationals' 2-1 win over Dodgers Andy McCullough Alex Wood to rejoin Dodgers' rotation this weekend against Cincinnati Andy McCullough OC REGISTER Max Scherzer strikes out 14 as Dodgers lose to Nationals, 2-1 Bill Plunkett Dodgers Notes: Utilityman Kiké Hernandez passes his first base audition- J.P. Hoornstra On deck: Nationals at Dodgers, Wednesday, 12:10 p.m.- Bill Plunkett ESPN Is this the year Clayton Kershaw finally ends the Kershaw/Koufax debate? Bradford Doolittle Exchange between Koda Glover, Yasiel Puig gets testy ESPN.com News Services Scherzer strikes out 14 in Nationals' 2-1 win over Dodgers The Associated Press TRUE BLUE LA Max Scherzer proves too much for Dodgers to overcome Eric Stephen Justin Turner begins rehab assignment Eric Stephen Dodgers face tough test in Max Scherzer Eric Stephen DODGER INSIDER It s time to start noticing McCarthy Cary Osborne Eibner could take Dodger versatility to greater heights Rowan Kavner NBC LA Max Scherzer Mows Down Dodgers as Nationals Win 2-1- Michael Duarte YAHOO SPORTS Yasiel Puig and Koda Glover almost fought after game-ending strikeout- Mike Oz CBS SPORTS MLB Trade Deadline Rumors: Dodgers reportedly targeting pitching upgrades Dayn Perry MLB TRADE RUMORS Inside The Draft Room: The Dodgers Chuck Wasserstrom

3 LOS ANGELES DODGERS DAILY CLIPS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 2017 Scherzer K's 14 before 'pen closes out LA By Ken Gurnick and Joshua Thornton DODGERS.COM LOS ANGELES -- Max Scherzer did to the Dodgers on Tuesday night what the Dodgers usually watch Clayton Kershaw do to opponents, striking out 14 in seven innings while outdueling Brandon McCarthy as the Nationals edged Los Angeles, 2-1, at Dodger Stadium. "We saw Max doing Max things," said McCarthy. Washington's bullpen, which had blown nine of its 27 previous save opportunities, locked this one down, with Oliver Perez striking out two in a perfect eighth inning and Koda Glover pitching the ninth for his eighth save, which leads MLB rookies. The final pitch was a strikeout of Yasiel Puig, who exchanged words with Glover and catcher Matt Wieters as the benches briefly cleared, but only words were exchanged. "Tempers flare a little bit," Glover said. "It is what it is. I don't have any hard feelings towards him. He was staring at me and I didn't like it." Scherzer (7-3) has fanned 13, 11 and 14 in his last three starts, giving him double digits in strikeouts six times this year and 55 times in his career, one more than Kershaw for the most among active pitchers. "Obviously, he's on a nice run right now," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "And when he's against us, he's going to bring his best and he did tonight. This guy can [get a strike on] any pitch that he throws, getting ahead of guys, and when he gets ahead, he can wipe you out. It was tough sledding tonight." McCarthy (5-3), coming off a start cut short at four innings because of a finger blister, lasted seven innings and matched Scherzer by allowing only three hits. Nationals speedy leadoff hitter Trea Turner manufactured a first-inning run off McCarthy with a chopped infield single and two stolen bases before scoring on Bryce Harper's sacrifice fly. McCarthy blamed his mental errors for the first run. "Forgetting Trea Turner was on first and second, and he's going to steal at will, and not doing all I should do to hold him," McCarthy said. "Good chance he's going to go anyway, but I've got to do all I can to increase the odds in our favor and I didn't do any of those. You have to vary the looks. The one at second I didn't vary the look, just handed it to him, should have told him to just go to third." In the bottom of the inning, the Dodgers converted an error by second baseman Daniel Murphy into a run off Scherzer when Adrian Gonzalez singled home Chase Utley. But Washington scored the decisive run in the fourth. Harper led off with a double down the right-field line that landed just fair and he scored on another sacrifice fly, this one by Murphy.

4 MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Biggest escape act: Two walks by Scherzer, his errant pickoff attempt and a passed ball by Wieters on a called strikeout of Cody Bellinger created a bases-loaded jam with two outs in the bottom of the third inning, but Scherzer wiggled free by striking out Chris Taylor for the second time with a nasty slider. Next biggest escape act: Nearly as impressive as the third inning for Scherzer was the first. After Gonzalez's one-out RBI single, Scherzer struck out Bellinger and Taylor to leave two of the seven runners the Dodgers stranded in the game. Scherzer fanned Bellinger and Yasmani Grandal three times each, as Los Angeles struck out a season-high 17 times. QUOTABLE "Disgusting." -- Bellinger, describing Scherzer "With the mighty Kershaw going tomorrow, it's going to be a great game tomorrow. I might be wrong, but I don't anticipate too many runs -- it's going to be a low-scoring game. It's going to be a great series finale tomorrow." -- Nationals manager Dusty Baker on the series finale that will feature a matchup of Stephen Strasburg vs. Kershaw WHAT'S NEXT Nationals: Washington concludes its West Coast road trip with Strasburg taking the ball at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday. Strasburg is 7-1 this season and the Nationals are 9-2 when he starts. First pitch is slated for 3:10 p.m. ET. Dodgers: The last time Kershaw faced the Nationals he was a reliever, nailing down his first career save in the 2016 National League Division Series clincher. On Wednesday at 12:10 p.m. PT, he duels Strasburg for the first time. As a starter, Kershaw is 10-2 with a 2.02 ERA against Washington in the regular season. En garde: Stras, Kershaw to duel for 1st time By Joshua Thornton Two franchise cornerstones will clash for the first time on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium. The long-awaited blockbuster matchup between the Dodgers' three-time National League Cy Young Award winner, Clayton Kershaw, and Nationals hard-throwing righty Stephen Strasburg is here. Washington will be looking to complete the sweep and an 8-1 West Coast road trip after taking the first two games of this series. The pitchers' duel was scheduled to happen last season, but an upper back strain kept Strasburg from squaring off against Kershaw. The matchup would have been the second time pitchers with double-digit victories and fewer than two losses faced each other.

5 "That's the matchup everybody wanted to see last year," said Nationals manager Dusty Baker. "We knew what we were in for when we got here.... We have our work cut out for us and we have to finish strong on this road trip." For the Dodgers and the Nationals this season, it's hard for them not to expect a win any time Kershaw or Strasburg take the mound. The last six games both Kershaw and Strasburg have started resulted in a victory for their respective teams, but that streak will come to an end for one club Wednesday. Not every team is able to figure out Kershaw's devastating curveball or find a way to catch up to Strasburg's fastball, but it can be done. "Everybody has a Kryptonite," Baker said. "It's just that [Kershaw] doesn't have a bunch and Stras doesn't either." The numbers for both hurlers this season aren't too far apart either. Kershaw is 7-2. Strasburg is 7-1. Kershaw owns a 2.28 ERA, while Strasburg has posted a 2.91 ERA. "You get up for those games and you increase concentration and desire for those games," Baker said. Things to know about this game Kershaw gave up just two hits in his last start, but one was a mph, 443-foot home run by the Brewers' Domingo Santana. That made it the hardest and longest home run Kershaw has given up in the Statcast Era (since 2015). Kershaw hasn't had much trouble in his career against the Nationals. He's 10-2 with a 2.02 ERA, striking out 104 batters against 17 walks in 14 games. Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman is 7-for-22 against Kershaw. The last time Kershaw faced the Nationals it was in an unfamiliar and unforgettable situation. Kershaw shut the door on the Nationals coming into Game 5 of the 2016 NL Division Series as a closer and earned a save. Dodgers trying to fight through offensive slump By Ken Gurnick LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers have lost their last three, five of their last seven and in those five losses have scored a total of four runs, including Tuesday night's 2-1 loss to the Nationals. But they didn't panic last year when they were eight games out of first, and they're not panicking now as they ride out a rocky stretch of the schedule against pitching-rich staffs of the Cardinals, Brewers and Nationals. "I wouldn't say we're in a lull," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. "Look back at [St. Louis' Adam] Wainwright and what he did to us [six scoreless innings] and we run into [Carlos] Martinez [one run in

6 eight innings]. I look at the video, Zach Davies [six scoreless innings], the last two nights with these two guys [Max Scherzer and Gio Gonzalez]. Against guys that throw the ball well, you've still got to find a way to get baserunners and score runs. But, I wouldn't consider our offense in a lull." Roberts' offense, though, definitely is missing its most significant right-handed hitter, Justin Turner, who could return from the disabled list by Friday. But with Scherzer ringing up a season-high 14 strikeouts in seven innings, and the Dodgers finishing with a season-high 17 whiffs, some of their hitters aren't just in a lull, but a full-on slump. Logan Forsythe is in an 0-for-20 slump and, in 13 games since coming off the disabled list, is 4-for-42 with 16 strikeouts, including two by Scherzer. Cody Bellinger, in the last 13 games, is 8-for-46 with 22 strikeouts, three by Scherzer. Yasmani Grandal, in the last 10 games, is 6-for-38 with 17 strikeouts, three by Scherzer. Corey Seager, who snapped out of a 3-for-23 slide with three hits Monday night, was 0-for- 4 on Tuesday night. Franklin Gutierrez, who did not play Tuesday night, is in an 0-for-12 funk. Most of the Dodgers were willing to credit Scherzer for Tuesday night's struggles. "Disgusting," was Bellinger's summation of the opposing starter. "Pitches I've never seen before. The slider is one of the best in the game. He's got electric stuff. The slider is the hardest to pick up. It's so deceiving. Crazy. Sometimes you've just got to tip your cap." "We weren't able to do much after the first inning," said Adrian Gonzalez, whose RBI single scored the lone unearned run off Scherzer. "He's a great pitcher and you have to be ready for fastballs and I was lucky and found a hole. Sometimes you score six or seven and sometimes you don't. I wouldn't look much into it. We're doing what we can. We're going to have our good games and our bad ones." Roberts was disappointed that his club wasted seven strong innings from starter Brandon McCarthy, who said the blistered finger that cut short his last start after four innings held up fine. "Scherzer is one of the best in the game, and when you get a performance like that from Mac to pretty much match him all night and to not come away with a win, it's a tough one," said Roberts. McCarthy echoed those thoughts. "When Max is pitching like that, the odds are long, it's a tough fight," McCarthy said. "It's not something to bemoan, you understand it, but you'd like to be able to pull out a game like that." Wood to bump Maeda or Ryu from rotation By Ken Gurnick LOS ANGELES -- Alex Wood's return from the disabled list this weekend will cost Kenta Maeda or Hyun- Jin Ryu a spot in the Dodgers' starting rotation. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts on Tuesday said Wood will start either Saturday or Sunday against the Reds, but he was non-committal on which day or whose spot he would take pending internal conversations scheduled for later in the day.

7 "As far as Saturday or Sunday, Alex will pitch one of those games," said Roberts. "Outside of that, we're trying to figure out how to kind of plug in the other potential options." Maeda's spot in the rotation comes up on Saturday (he threw a bullpen session on Tuesday) and Ryu's on Sunday. Both have had their struggles this season, with Maeda's ERA at 5.16 and Ryu's at But Ryu's recent form -- including seven innings of four-run ball Monday night -- has been improving, while Maeda has had back-to-back four-inning starts. Roberts suggested that whoever is removed could "piggyback" as coverage for a short Wood start, something Ryu did spectacularly with a four-inning save of a Maeda win on May 25. Both Maeda and Ryu have had recent stints on the disabled list, so there's always that possibility for resolving a roster spot. Wood, the National League Pitcher of the Month for May, went on the disabled list on May 27 with inflammation in the SC joint of his sternum. He is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Wednesday. Also on Wednesday, Justin Turner will face Minor League pitchers in a simulated game that could be his final hurdle before being activated, perhaps as soon as Friday with the club off on Thursday. Turner, on the disabled list since May 19 with a strained right hamstring, had a hit in a rehab game for Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga on Monday night. "Come Friday, we'll make an assessment on how he feels at the plate, if he's got to plan another one or two games," said Roberts. "There's a possibility Friday, but it could also be pushed back a couple of days." Worth noting Roberts said the club remains interested in using outfielder Brett Eibner as a pitcher in a lopsided game or just to eat an inning. Roberts said Eibner has thrown six bullpen sessions. Eibner was a reliever in college. Scherzer sizzles in Nationals' 2-1 win over Dodgers By Andy McCullough LA TIMES At any moment, inside any game, Washington ace Max Scherzer can pick between four pitches. When the arsenal blends properly, the mixture borders somewhere between unfair and unkind. His curveball disappears when opponents swing. His changeup disrupts timing. He can toggle the velocity on his slider to run away from right-handed hitters and jam up left-handed hitters. And his fastball often jumps beyond 95-mph as the game progresses. On Tuesday night, in a 2-1 loss to the Nationals, the Dodgers confronted an elite performer operating with full mastery of his gifts. Scherzer struck out 14 Dodgers in seven innings, yielding only one run as he

8 squashed his hosts. He defused almost every threat he faced and disarmed batters with his four-pitch blend. When he has an opportunity to face us, he s going to bring his best, manager Dave Roberts said. And he did tonight. After Scherzer departed, the Dodgers could not touch Washington s vulnerable bullpen, which added three strikeouts. The only fireworks occurred after the game. Yasiel Puig struck out with the tying run at second base in the ninth. As he walked toward his dugout, he glared at Nationals reliever Koda Glover. Glover said something to Puig. Puig approached Glover and catcher Matt Wieters. The benches emptied, and both sides soon dispersed. Puig did not make himself available after the game. Glover kept his explanation succinct. He was staring at me, Glover said. I didn t like it. It is what it is. Alex Wood to rejoin Dodgers' rotation this weekend against Cincinnati The dominance from Scherzer offset a strong effort from Dodgers starter Brandon McCarthy. After an outing shortened by a blister last week, McCarthy permitted two runs in seven innings. The Nationals got only three hits against him but exploited the openings presented to them. The Dodgers had only four hits all night. McCarthy reported no trouble caused by the blister on his right index finger. He thrived despite adversity at the outset. He logged seven innings for only the third time since signing with the Dodgers in During last October s playoffs, Nationals shortstop Trea Turner exasperated the Dodgers with his legs. He displayed his speed in Tuesday s first inning. He reached on an infield single when Logan Forsythe delayed a throw as McCarthy moved through his line of vision. Turner stole second, stole third without a throw and scored on a sacrifice fly by Bryce Harper. McCarthy blamed himself for not varying his tempo on the mound, which allowed Turner to time his delivery. I made some really bad mental errors in letting that run score, McCarthy said. From that point on, I felt like the quality was good. I made most of the pitches I needed to make. The Dodgers evened the score in the bottom of the inning. They benefited from an error by Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy. After a leadoff single by Chase Utley, Murphy fumbled a potential double-play grounder hit by Corey Seager. Two batters later, Adrian Gonzalez volleyed a 97-mph fastball into right field for a tying single. Like Clayton Kershaw did last week, Scherzer will record his 2,000th strikeout this month. Scherzer entered the evening ranked third in the majors among starting pitchers with strikeouts per nine innings. And that was before he struck out nine in the first three innings Tuesday. Dodgers minor league team cancels promotion that called women 'hourglass-shaped color commentators' We weren t able to get much more after the first inning, Gonzalez said. Scherzer did a good job.

9 In the third, Scherzer created an opening for the Dodgers. He issued walks to Utley and Gonzalez. On an 0-2 pitch to rookie Cody Bellinger, Scherzer fired a 94-mph fastball down the middle. Bellinger never tried to swing. It was strike three only Wieters muffed the reception. It was literally the best pitch I ve seen in I don t know how long, Bellinger said. And I just took it. With the bases loaded after the passed ball, Scherzer struck out Chris Taylor with a succession of sliders that darted down and away. When he gets ahead, he s going to wipe you out, Roberts said. Washington took the lead in the fourth. Harper hit a ground-rule double to open the inning, went to third on a groundout and scored on Murphy s sacrifice fly. Scherzer disarmed a similar threat in the bottom of the inning. Puig lashed a one-out double on a fastball. Scherzer responded by striking out McCarthy, and Utley stranded Puig by flying out. The stress on Scherzer did not result in runs. But he did need 72 pitches to complete four innings. The bullpen looms as Washington s primary flaw, a seven-man tinderbox. Scherzer resolved to limit their exposure. In the fifth, sixth and seventh, he operated within the widening strike zone of umpire Angel Hernandez, who rewarded Scherzer with his 13th strikeout on a 3-2 fastball to Bellinger that appeared to be outside. An inning later, Scherzer fooled pinch-hitter Austin Barnes for strikeout No. 14. Sometimes you ve got to tip your cap, Bellinger said. And that s just what it was tonight. Alex Wood to rejoin Dodgers' rotation this weekend against Cincinnati By Andy McCullough The Dodgers intend to re-insert Alex Wood in the starting rotation this weekend against Cincinnati. The exact date of his return has not been determined, manager Dave Roberts said before Tuesday s game against the Washington Nationals. Wood, who has a record of 6-0 with a 1.69 earned-run average, has not pitched since May 26 as he recovers from inflammation in his sternum. He has not allowed a run in his last 25 1/3 innings. Rich Hill is scheduled to pitch Friday. Wood will start either Saturday or Sunday. To fill the other spot, the team probably will form a tandem between Hyun-Jin Ryu and Kenta Maeda. We re trying to figure out how to plug in the other potential options, Roberts said. We haven t made the decision how it s going to play out. But we do know that Alex will start a game over the weekend, and Rich will start a game on Friday. Maeda (4-3, 5.16 ERA) could lose his spot in the rotation, at least temporarily. He has not been able to pitch beyond the fourth inning in his last two outings. Ryu appears to have leap-frogged over him in the rotation s hierarchy.

10 Short hops Justin Turner (hamstring strain) told Roberts that he felt fine after playing for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga on Monday. Turner is slated to appear in a simulated game Wednesday, with the hope of being activated Friday. With the Dodgers holding their third annual Blue Diamond Gala Thursday, Roberts said he was more excited to see Maroon 5 perform than Earth, Wind and Fire. While he grew up listening to the latter, the former is currently closer to his heart. I m a huge Adam Levine guy, Roberts said. OC REGISTER Max Scherzer strikes out 14 as Dodgers lose to Nationals, 2-1 By Bill Plunkett LOS ANGELES The Dodgers are experiencing their own version of June gloom. Right-hander Max Scherzer struck out 14 Dodgers in seven innings Tuesday night as the Washington Nationals handed the Dodgers their third consecutive loss, 2-1. A week ago, the Dodgers were riding the wave of a six-game winning streak that carried them temporarily into first place in the National League West. They averaged 6½ runs per game during that winning streak. But they have lost five of the seven games since, batting.174 (a mere.102 with runners in scoring position) and striking out 80 times while scoring a total of 16 runs 10 of them in one game at Miller Park in Milwaukee on Friday, the only time in the past seven games they have scored more than two runs. You score six runs, seven runs a game for a little while, then you re going to have stretches where it s tough to score runs, Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez said. I wouldn t look much into it. It doesn t take a deep dive. The Dodgers have faced three of the top five starting rotations in the National League (the Cardinals, Brewers and Nationals) while playing without two regulars in their lineup third baseman Justin Turner (due back from his hamstring injury Friday) and center fielder Joc Pederson (albeit a slumping Joc Pederson). The opposing starters over the past seven games have allowed just six runs in their 45 innings against the Dodgers. I wouldn t say we re in a lull because if you look back and look at (Cardinals starter Adam) Wainwright and what he did to us and then running into (Carlos) Martinez, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. I look back at all the games on video and see the pitches these guys have been making Zach Davies (in Milwaukee) and then the last two nights (Scherzer and Gio Gonzalez) they ve thrown the ball really well, some of those guys.

11 But against guys that throw the ball well, you ve still got to find ways to get baserunners and manufacture and create runs. Scherzer did not offer many opportunities for that. The Dodgers scratched out a run in the first inning when Chase Utley led off with a single, Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy booted a grounder from Corey Seager and Gonzalez delivered an RBI single. But Scherzer promptly struck out the next five Dodgers batters and 11 of the first 18 he faced. Twentyfour of Scherzer s first 28 pitches registered as strikes, an early sign of the forgiving zone home plate umpire Angel Hernandez would use to keep things moving along. Scherzer is one of the best in the game, Roberts said of the two-time Cy Young Award winner who has 38 strikeouts and just 11 hits allowed in 24-2/3 innings over his past three starts. Obviously when you get a performance like that from Mac (Dodgers starter Brandon McCarthy), to pretty much match him, and not get a win, it s a tough one. Infield hit, steals a couple bases and they get the sac fly. Another ball that (Bryce) Harper hits that s just fair. Ultimately, another run was plated after that. He threw the ball really well. His entire mix was good. Unfortunately, we just couldn t put a whole lot together against Scherzer. McCarthy was more democratic in his approach than Scherzer, striking out only four but getting an assortment of soft contact instead and allowing the same number of hits as Scherzer three. Two of the Nats three wound up scoring, however. Trea Turner s speed produced a run in the first inning he beat out an infield single, stole second and third and scored on a sacrifice fly. Still really frustrated over the run in the first, McCarthy said. I felt like I made a couple mental mistakes not doing all I should do in holding him. He s probably going to go anyway, but I should do more to increase the odds we can get him. I was slide-stepping. But when he was on second, I didn t vary my rhythm at all. I knew as soon as the ball left my hand he had third. That s the one that s unacceptable. McCarthy s only other mistake was a changeup to Harper leading off the fourth. He lined it into the right-field corner for a double and the Nationals cashed it in for the winning run. Yasiel Puig had a double of his own with one out in the bottom of the fourth. But the Dodgers couldn t advance him and didn t have another baserunner until Chris Taylor s one-out single in the ninth inning. Puig stranded him at second, striking out against Nationals reliever Koda Glover to end the game. Both benches briefly emptied for a scrum on the grass in front of the pitcher s mound, Puig having objected to Glover s punctuating the strikeout with a gesture in his direction and Glover unhappy with Puig staring back at him.

12 Dodgers Notes: Utilityman Kiké Hernandez passes his first base audition By J.P. Hoornstra LOS ANGELES Dodgers utilityman Kiké Hernandez did something on Monday that first basemen don t often do. With Matt Wieters bearing down the base line on a ground ball, and a throw arriving late from second baseman Chris Taylor, Hernandez managed to catch Taylor s throw, turn, attempt a swipe-tag and practically do the splits while tagging first base with his back leg in the bat of an eye. The play was aesthetically and athletically pleasing, an act of pure instinct. That Wieters was safe at first base scored as an error on Taylor seemed like an afterthought, if only because Wieters did not ultimately score. It s not something you try to do, Hernandez said. Instincts take over. I just do whatever the body does. It s not like I m thinking about doing the splits. In the second inning of his first game as a major league first baseman, Hernandez elegantly displayed the latest tool in his vast kit. Hernandez, 25, is a veteran of 240 games. He s now seen time at seven positions all but pitcher and catcher. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he liked what he saw from Hernandez enough to consider him an option for double-switches or spot start duty in the future. The black first baseman s mitt that Hernandez used for the game was broken in long before Monday s game. Roberts mentioned the possibility of first-base duty to Hernandez last winter. So he played one game at first base in the Puerto Rican Winter League, then continued to take ground balls and throws there once spring training began. Hernandez said his instincts were tailored to the position long ago. When playing second base or shortstop, Hernandez got in the habit of backing up every throw from the catcher to the pitcher. In a game that takes three or more hours, he believes that habit can help a fielder maintain his focus. As an outfielder, backing up every throw back to the mound is not as useful. To stay focused, Hernandez needed a different set of techniques. You talk to yourself, he said. You pretend you re a catcher and you try to think of what pitches you re going to throw. As an infielder, I like to read swings. If the guy is late I like to constantly be moving, just be focused on where the catcher s setting up, stuff like that. Little ways. As a first baseman, Hernandez is more engaged. He s involved in every ground ball. He has a specific task when cutting off throws from the outfield. Sometimes, he d even have a runner to talk to. I m an infielder that can play outfield, he said. I m not an outfielder that can play infield.

13 ROTATION DECISION LOOMS Roberts said Rich Hill will start Friday s series opener against the Cincinnati Reds, but the Saturday and Sunday assignments are still to be determined. Alex Wood, on the disabled list with shoulder joint inflammation, is expected to start one of the weekend games. The other start figures to go to either right-hander Kenta Maeda or left-hander Hyun- Jin Ryu. Ryu backed up Maeda with a four-inning relief appearance once already; it s possible the two starters could team up to throw nine innings again. Wood will throw off a mound Wednesday. The left-hander is 6-0 with a 1.69 earned-run average this season. ALSO Roberts said he would support rookie Cody Bellinger taking part in the Home Run Derby if invited. Bellinger, 21, leads the Dodgers with 12 home runs in 39 games through Tuesday. Roberts said outfielder Brett Eibner has thrown six bullpen sessions as he prepares for possible relief duty. A closer in college, Eibner could not only pitch in a lopsided game, but if he could pitch a game, eat up an inning if needed, could really help our ball club, Roberts said. Third baseman Justin Turner will face minor league pitching in a simulated game Wednesday at Dodger Stadium. On deck: Nationals at Dodgers, Wednesday, 12:10 p.m. By Bill Plunkett NATIONALS at DODGERS When: Wednesday, 12:10 p.m. Where: Dodger Stadium TV: SportsNet LA (where available); MLB Network (out of market only) THE PITCHERS DODGERS LHP CLAYTON KERSHAW (7-2, 2.28 ERA) Vs. Nationals: 10-2, 2.02 ERA At Dodger Stadium: ERA Hates to face: Trea Turner, 3 for 6 (.500) Loves to face: Jose Lobaton, 0 for 8, 1 strikeout NATIONALS RHP STEPHEN STRASBURG (7-1, 2.91 ERA)

14 Vs. Dodgers: 1-1, 3.06 ERA At Dodger Stadium: 0-0, 1.29 ERA Hates to face: Adrian Gonzalez, 6 for 12 (.500), 2 doubles Loves to face: Chris Taylor, 0 for 6, 2 strikeouts UPCOMING Friday Reds (LHP Amir Garrett, 3-4, 7.17 ERA) at Dodgers (LHP Rich Hill, 2-2, 4.15 ERA), 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA Saturday Reds (RHP Asher Wojciechowski, 1-0, 4.50 ERA) at Dodgers (TBD), 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, MLB Network (out of market only) ESPN Is this the year Clayton Kershaw finally ends the Kershaw/Koufax debate? By Bradford Doolittle The notion of eternal recurrence isn't invoked when it comes to sports, probably because we think of our games as being decided by some combination of luck and skill. To start citing, say, "Battlestar Galactica" and its mantra of "everything that's happened will happen again" is to be fatalistic about something that is anything but. Yet, when you think about the intrinsic link between the careers of Clayton Kershaw and Sandy Koufax, it s easy to think there might be something to this whole eternal recurrence business. Think about it. For a stretch of five years during the 1960s, Koufax was as dominant as any pitcher has ever been for a span of seasons that long. He was a big lefty with a wicked, rising fastball and a drop-offthe-table curveball. He wore Dodger blue and, during his prime, played his home games at Dodger Stadium. When his career was snuffed at its height because of debilitating elbow trouble, the blaze of Koufax s prime seemed like something we wouldn t see again. In many ways, watching Kershaw dominate the National League for the past seven years is to get a glimpse of Koufax at his height, only for a longer stretch that shows no sign of abating. That s a joy for those of us who have seen Koufax pitch only in highlight films. If you re at all interested in baseball history, it s hard not to think of Koufax when you ponder Kershaw s career. Even the great Vin Scully once famously referred to Kershaw as Koufax, and absolutely no one could blame him for the mix-up. "[Koufax] was a really hard thrower," said Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker (yeah, that Bob Uecker). "And everybody always talks about how hard Sandy threw, but he had an unbelievable curveball. Probably a major portion of his strikeouts came on that big breaking ball he had. When I look at Kershaw

15 and the way he throws, he's got a more herky-jerky motion and windup. Sandy got on top of that breaking ball and came straight over the top." You might recognize Uecker from his appearances on Johnny Carson, as "Mr. Belvedere," as Harry Doyle in "Major League" and as the guy on the beer commercial saying, "I must be in the front row." But he also has a unique perspective on the two Dodgers greats, even if they did play a half-century apart. Not only has Uecker called most of the Brewers-Dodgers games since Kershaw came into the league, but, during his playing career -- the subject of his famous self-deprecating humor -- he faced Koufax more often than all but one other pitcher. He was 7-for-38 with three walks against Koufax. He sees a lot of shared traits in the two lefties. "[Kershaw] is not just a thrower. He can pitch, too," Uecker said. "He can paint the corners and do what he wants. Sandy was kind of the same way. When Sandy was on his game and really right, his fastball was great and his curveball was just so sharp-breaking." In 1965, arguably Koufax s best season, Uecker went 6-for-15 against him and hit a home run. For one season at least, Uecker kind of owned Koufax. "I don t know why I had success against him," Uecker said. "I played for the most [part] against lefthanded pitching. Every time I see Sandy, and I still do it, I always apologize, because I thought I was going to keep him out of the Hall of Fame. He is a great guy and a great pitcher." What does he remember about that homer off Koufax? "I remember it was at Dodger Stadium," Uecker said. "I think when I got back to the dugout, the guys were laying on the floor." The other night in Milwaukee, Kershaw blew past 2,000 career strikeouts, whiffing 14 Brewers and becoming the second-fastest pitcher ever to hit that mark by games pitched (277). Only Randy Johnson (262) got there faster. With Kershaw nearing age 30 (he ll get there during spring training next year), we re likely entering into a new phase of Kershaw-related milestones. "He's in very, very exclusive company," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "The thing that's remarkable about Clayton is that it's a notch in his belt, but I don't think he puts too much credence in that. That says a lot about his character, understanding not only the big picture but his ability to stay micro-focused on today. He's a great pitcher, and for me to be a part of his journey is great." It s pretty amazing, really. Not only has Kershaw more or less matched Koufax s unmatchable peak, but he has done it as a lefty in the same uniform in the same stadium. What are the odds? Don t ask Kershaw, who isn t big on talking up his achievements, not even on a night he reaches a concrete milestone like 2,000 strikeouts. "It'll be cool some day," Kershaw said after the Milwaukee game. "I guess when you retire, you look back on that stuff. I'm not taking it for granted but also not thinking about it, how to quantify it. It'll be cool some day." He did save the ball, pointing to it in his locker with a jerk of his head, adding, "Hopefully, I don t forget and leave it behind."

16 People have been doing analytical comparisons of Kershaw and Koufax for a few years now. It s prime time to do so, with Kershaw in the midst of a long peak stretch of his career, and Koufax forever frozen in his. Kershaw s ERA from 2012 through last season (1.92) was 92 percent better than league average. No one else during that span is even close. It was like that for Koufax, too. From 1962 to 1966, Koufax had a 1.95 ERA that was 65 percent above average, best of all pitchers during that span. Juan Marichal was second at 43 percent above average. That s only a jumping off point, though, to illustrate just how dominant each pitcher was in his respective era. Baseball in the 21st century might be more different than the era in which Koufax pitched than any other modern epoch except for the dead ball years. Starting pitchers were working from higher mounds. The leagues were smaller by number of teams, and the player pool had yet to be blessed with the large-scale influx of Latin talent we have in the game today. Rotations were smaller, and starters were expected to finish what they started. Lineups weren t as deep with power hitters. During both of his last two seasons, Koufax started 41 games, completed 27 and finished with well more than 300 innings pitched. Kershaw led the National League in innings in 2015 with 232⅔, and he has completed 24 games in his career. As illustrated in this excellent and layered comparison published a couple of years back at the Hardball Times, there are an incredible number of adjustments you have to make in order to view the numbers of Kershaw and Koufax with something like an apples-to-apples comparison. Sometimes you have to defer to the eyeballs of someone who has seen both. "They really are pretty similar," Uecker said. "This guy is a little bigger than Sandy. Both good power pitchers." The conclusion of the Hardball Times analysis seems about right: Once you adjust for everything you can adjust for, these pitchers were really, really close once they hit their prime. Kershaw realized his potential at an earlier age, hitting Cy Young-level production by 23. Koufax was a bonus baby who never played a day in the minor leagues. Instead, he languished for a few years with control problems that threatened to sink his career. At 22, Koufax walked six guys per nine innings and led the league in wild pitches even though he wasn t even yet a full-time member of Walter Alston's rotation. Still, he hit his stride by 25, not appreciably different than Kershaw, and more than made up for lost time. Two things will separate Koufax and Kershaw from here on out. First, Koufax was so overused that his elbow began to turn inward, shortening his arm to the point that he had to have the left sleeves of his suit-coats shortened. In his final year, he won 27 games, led the league with a 1.73 ERA and 317 strikeouts and was named the Cy Young winner for the third time in four years. But he was done, the pain in his arm too great and the advent of Tommy John surgery still years in the future. "At the end of Sandy s career, when you looked at his left arm, it started to bend," Uecker said. "He couldn t straighten it. I wonder what might have happened had he had surgery, what might have transpired down the road." Meanwhile, if the arguments about Koufax and Kershaw right now are too close to call, this is probably the last year we can have that debate, if it s not too late already. Because Kershaw shows no sign of slowing down, and with each passing season he sets a new standard for Dodgers pitchers. In fact, among pitchers with at least 1,500 innings, Kershaw s 160 ERA+ is the best of all time. Others have written this, and it s true: Because Kershaw has been healthy and benefits from modern-day pitcher usage, in many

17 respects he s going to show us what might have happened had Koufax not been forced into such an early retirement. Then again, there s something to be said for going out on top. "I don't care if [Koufax] told you what was coming," Uecker said. "When Sandy was on his game, he threw so hard and with that curveball, you couldn t hit him. He does remind me a lot of Clayton personality-wise. Kershaw is a great guy, too." Besides the question of longevity, the other thing separating Kershaw from Koufax works heavily in Koufax s favor: postseason performance. Koufax won three rings with the Dodgers, though the first (1959) came before he had reached stardom. In 1963 and 1965, however, Koufax was the winner in four of L.A. s eight World Series victories. He threw complete games while winning the clinchers in both series, the one in 1965 coming on just two days' rest. His career postseason ERA (0.95) is the lowest of any starting pitcher who logged at least 50 innings in the playoffs. Kershaw s postseason struggles have been well chronicled. He s 4-7 with a 4.55 ERA, and his Dodgers have never reached the Fall Classic during his career. The lack of postseason success has become an unfortunate and largely unfair co-narrative for Kershaw, much like it once was for Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez and others who seemingly faltered in the playoffs until they didn t. One dominant postseason run is likely all Kershaw needs to set things right, especially if it ends with the Dodgers first World Series win since So far this season, the Dodgers own the best run differential in the National League. That matches up with most preseason analytical forecasts, even though the Cubs were a more popular subjective choice. So Kershaw has plenty of help, and this might be his best chance yet to get a ring. But the Dodgers are far from a sure thing. They are mired in a three-team scrum in the NL West, and as strong as their differential looks, it s not appreciably better than that of Wednesday s opponent, the Washington Nationals, who have the NL s best win-loss record. On top of that, most everyone still expects the Cubs to mount a strong defense of their crown. And whoever survives the NL playoff derby might have to face a Houston Astros team that right now looks historically strong. But whatever happens, Kershaw s opponents don t think he really has anything left to prove. "[Kershaw] has got three really good pitches," said Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell, who as a player went 0-for-2 with a walk against him. "He's a great competitor, never beats himself with walks. He's certainly one of the best that we've seen in major league baseball. He's proven it over a long period of time." In the end, Kershaw might never be able to close the postseason gap with Koufax. He might have to settle for being the best regular-season pitcher ever and cede the playoff equivalent of that crown to Koufax. And that might not be such a bad outcome. It might be the exact outcome Koufax would have had were he pitching now. And if Kershaw were shipped back in time, maybe it would be he who polished off the Twins in 1965 but had to retire a year later because of overuse. This is a show the Dodgers have seen before, and it s not the kind of thing anyone can get tired of.

18 Exchange between Koda Glover, Yasiel Puig gets testy By ESPN.com News Services The Washington Nationals' 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night ended with a testy exchange. With a runner on second base, Nationals closer Koda Glover fanned Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig for the final out and then shouted in the direction of home plate. Not pleased, Puig walked toward the mound and twice appeared to ask Glover what he said. Glover took off his cap and tossed aside his glove as players from both teams quickly intervened to keep the two separated. Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman pulled Glover away, and nothing escalated before the squads headed off the field. "Tempers flared a little bit," Glover said. "It is what it is. I don't have any hard feelings toward him. He was staring at me, and I didn't like it." Puig did not speak to reporters after the game. The Dodgers took a tense divisional-round playoff series between the teams last year, winning in five games. The Nationals have won both games between the teams so far this season, with the finale of their current series set for Wednesday's matinee, featuring Washington star Stephen Strasburg and Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw. Scherzer strikes out 14 in Nationals' 2-1 win over Dodgers By The Associated Press LOS ANGELES -- Max Scherzer knows exactly what he is. At age 32 and in his 10th major league season, he has absolutely no doubt. "I'm a strikeout pitcher," Scherzer said. "That's just who I am." No one had to convince the Los Angeles Dodgers after Scherzer struck out a season-high 14, outpitching Brandon McCarthy to lead the Washington Nationals to a 2-1 victory that ended with a testy exchange Tuesday night. With a runner on second base, Koda Glover fanned Yasiel Puig for the final out and shouted in the direction of home plate. Not pleased, Puig walked toward the mound and twice appeared to ask Glover what he said. Glover took off his cap and tossed aside his glove as players from both teams quickly intervened to keep the two separated. Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman pulled Glover away, and nothing escalated before the squads headed off the field.

19 "Tempers flared a little bit," Glover said. "It is what it is. I don't have any hard feelings towards him. He was staring at me and I didn't like it." Both starting pitchers went seven innings and allowed only three hits. The first 11 outs for Scherzer (7-3) came on strikeouts. "He can get sharp when he needs to be," Washington manager Dusty Baker said. "He had quite a few pitches early. The strikeouts don't help your pitch total, but Max was outstanding." For the second consecutive night, a scuffling Nationals bullpen came through. Oliver Perez held the Dodgers scoreless in the eighth and Glover worked the ninth to earn his eighth save in nine tries. "He knows what he wants to do," Scherzer said. "He's a closer. He wants the ball. He's not afraid of anybody. He's going to attack the zone. He has unbelievable stuff. He has the attitude to go out there with a chip on his shoulder." Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy each had a sacrifice fly for Washington, which has won the first two games of this series between NL pennant contenders. Los Angeles took a tense playoff series between the teams last year, winning in five games. Trea Turner opened the game by beating out a little tapper to third. He stole second and third before scoring on Harper's sacrifice fly. The Dodgers answered with a run in the bottom half after Chase Utley singled. Corey Seager's grounder to second was bobbled by Murphy for an error, and Adrian Gonzalez lined a single to score Utley. The Nationals scored the go-ahead run in the fourth after Harper led off with a ground-rule double. Zimmerman's groundout moved him to third, and Murphy hit a deep sac fly to center field. McCarthy (5-3), who lasted only four innings in his previous start because of a blister, walked two and struck out four. "It seems like every single time he gets out there he has control of the game, and he's so well prepared," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "For us to have him healthy -- and we got through that blister thing tonight -- I think that's a victory in itself." Scherzer walked two and did not permit an earned run. He struck out Taylor and Yasmani Grandal three times each. The two-time Cy Young Award winner has 38 strikeouts in his last three starts. TRAINER'S ROOM Nationals: Glover was held out of Monday's game after complaining of arm soreness. He threw 22 pitches on Sunday. Dodgers: Roberts said left-hander Alex Wood (shoulder inflammation) will come off the 10-day disabled list to start Saturday or Sunday in Cincinnati.... 3B Justin Turner (hamstring) reported no problems after

20 his first rehab game Monday. He is scheduled to play in a simulated game Wednesday and could be activated Friday. TWO-WAY PLAYER Dodgers outfielder Brett Eibner could get an opportunity to pitch in relief. He pitched at Arkansas and has thrown six bullpen sessions for Los Angeles. "He closed in college and he's obviously got a big arm, and a slider to go with that," Roberts said. "Our organization identified him as a guy who potentially could not only pitch in a lopsided game, but if he could pitch a game and heat up an inning." UP NEXT Nationals: RHP Stephen Strasburg (7-1, 2.91 ERA) faces Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw (7-2, 2.28) in Wednesday's matinee series finale. Strasburg has gone at least seven innings in eight of his 11 starts. He is 1-1 with a 3.06 ERA in five career starts against Los Angeles. Dodgers: Kershaw leads the NL in ERA and innings (83). He is tied with Strasburg and two others for the lead in wins. Kershaw is 10-2 with a 2.02 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) against the Nationals. TRUE BLUE LA Max Scherzer proves too much for Dodgers to overcome By Eric Stephen Max Scherzer had his way with the Dodgers on Tuesday night, and some missed opportunities proved costly in the Nationals 2-1 victory at Dodger Stadium. Scherzer struck out 14 in seven innings for the win, but even though he left several batters muttering on the way back to the third base dugout, the Dodgers still had their chances against the Nationals righthander. The Dodgers cashed in on their first opportunity of the night, after a single and a fielding error to start the first inning. Adrian Gonzalez cashed in a run with an RBI single, but that proved to be the extent of the Dodgers offense, one that has scored two or fewer runs in six of their last seven games. Scherzer had 10 strikeouts through the first 10 outs of the game, thanks in part to a passed ball in the third inning by Matt Wieters. That, coupled with two walks and a throwing error by Scherzer on a pickoff attempt set up the Dodgers with a golden opportunity to score, but Chris Taylor struck out with the bases loaded to end the threat. Scherzer has 74 strikeouts over his last seven starts, including five games with double-digit strikeouts during that span. Game of inches

21 Both Nationals runs were of the manufactured variety. Trea Turner reached on an infield single, stole two bases, then scored on a sacrifice fly in the first inning. Then in the fourth, Bryce Harper led off with a drive down the right field line that appeared to touch the smallest speck of chalk, good enough for a ground rule double instead of a long strike. A ground ball to the right side then another sacrifice fly gave the Nationals the lead. With one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, Yasiel Puig turned on a pitch and lined a ball just off the short wall in left field for a double of his own. Had it been hit a few inches higher, the game would have been tied. But it wasn t, and after a strikeout and line out to center field that threat was neutralized. The lack of offense by the Dodgers masked a highly effective start from Brandon McCarthy, who pitched seven innings for the second time this season, giving the club back-to-back seven-inning outings from the rotation. McCarthy allowed just three hits and struck out four while walking two. He has a 1.96 ERA over his last four starts. Up next We get an excellent pitching matchup to close things out on Wednesday afternoon, with Clayton Kershaw starting for the Dodgers against Stephen Strasburg and the Nationals in a 12:10 p.m. PT contest. Tuesday particulars Home runs: none WP - Max Scherzer (7-3): 7 IP, 3 hits, 1 unearned run, 2 walks, 14 strikeouts LP - Brandon McCarthy (5-3): 7 IP, 3 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts Sv - Koda Glover (8): 1 IP, 1 hit, 1 strikeout Dodgers vs. Nationals Tuesday starting lineups By Eric Stephen The Dodgers have won their last four regular season series against the Nationals, and to keep that streak alive have their work cut out for them, facing Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg in a span of roughly 21 hours. First things first, the Dodgers are back to their more normal lineup if there is such a thing with the right-handed Scherzer on the mound. Despite the relative teeth-gnashing and wailing over Monday s lineup which seemed odd with Kiké Hernandez at first base the only real surprise left-hander who sat against Gio Gonzalez was Cody Bellinger, and that was more of a day off than anything since Bellinger started every game but one since his call up.