Daily Clips August 26, 2016

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1 Daily Clips August 26, 2016

2 LOS ANGELES DODGERS CLIPS FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 OC REGISTER: Giants' Matt Moore misses no-hitter when Dodgers' Corey Seager singles with two outs in ninth-jp Hoornstra Dodgers trade A.J. Ellis to Phillies for Carlos Ruiz in exchange of catchers that stirs emotions in clubhouse-jp Hoornstra Dodgers Notes: Andre Ethier begins rehab assignment-jp Hoornstra New Dodger Carlos Ruiz at a glance-jp Hoornstra On deck: Cubs at Dodgers, Friday, 7 p.m. -JP Hoornstra DODGERS.COM: Dodgers stifled by Moore's near no-hitter-ken Gurnick and Chris Haft On his bobblehead night, Corey Seager broke up Matt Moore's no-hit bid with two outs in the 9th-Matt Monagan Dodgers land Ruiz from Phils for 'shocked' Ellis-Ken Gurnick Dodgers aim to move past quiet night at plate-ken Gurnick The Dodgers' Shawn Zarraga was all smiles when he entered an MLB dugout for the first time-michael Clair LA TIMES: A.J. Ellis and Clayton Kershaw get emotional after catcher is dealt to Phillies-Dylan Hernandez Giants' Matt Moore nearly no-hits the Dodgers in 4-0 victory-andy McCullough Why did the Dodgers pursue Carlos Ruiz?-Andy McCullough Ellis 'devastated' by trade to Phillies; shares a cry with 'shocked' Kershaw-Bill Shaikin DODGER INSIDER: Arrive early for Beatles Night tonight-jon Weisman Perhaps for the last time, Vin Scully takes us into the ninth inning of a no-hit attempt-jon Weisman #VinTop20: No. 16, Don Drysdale s streak stays alive-jon Weisman Why the Dodgers pursued Carlos Ruiz-Jon Weisman Shawn Zarraga to back up at catcher tonight, while Scott Van Slyke is moved to 60-day DL-Jon Weisman A.J. Ellis talks about his farewell from Dodgers (Video)-Jon Weisman A.J. Ellis heads to Phillies in Carlos Ruiz trade-jon Weisman Farm Fresh: August 24 minors highlights-miranda Perez Dodger Stadium to host 2017 World Baseball Classic semifinals and final-cary Osborne TRUEBLUELA.COM: Dodgers improved, but A.J. Ellis will be missed-eric Stephen Johan Mieses hits his 28th home run as Quakes defeat Storm-Craig Minami Dodgers left wanting Moore in finale with Giants-Eric Stephen Dodgers call up Shawn Zarraga-Eric Stephen Dodgers activate Rob Segedin from paternity list-eric Stephen ESPN LA: Are Corey and Kyle Seager having the best brother season ever?-david Schoenfield Trading A.J. Ellis for Carlos Ruiz actually makes perfect sense-david Schoenfield Dazed and confused: Dodgers carved up by Giants' Matt Moore-Doug Padilla Matt Moore falls one out short of no-hitter, gets 1st win for Giants-AP A.J. Ellis trade sets off a series of Dodgers moves-doug Padilla A.J. Ellis 'devastated' by trade to Phillies, shares teary farewell with ex-battery mate Clayton Kershaw-Doug Padilla MLB Rumor Central: Dodgers not desperate to move Yasiel Puig?-John Silver NBC LA: Emotional Dodgers Nearly No-Hit by Matt Moore, Lose to Giants 4-0-Michael Duarte Dodger Players and Coaches React to the A.J. Ellis Trade-Michael Duarte Dodgers Trade Catcher A.J. Ellis to Phillies in swap for Carlos Ruiz-Michael Duarte USA TODAY SPORTS: The Dodgers made Clayton Kershaw cry-ted Berg FOX SPORTS: Why the Los Angeles Dodgers made the stunning A.J. Ellis trade-ken Rosenthal Why Clayton Kershaw wept over the trade of a backup catcher-chris Bahr YAHOO! SPORTS: Just what the doctor ordered: Matt Moore delivers near no-hitter for Giants-Tim Brown Why trading a backup hitting.194 saddened the Dodgers clubhouse-tim Brown FANGRAPHS: Why Did the Dodgers Trade A.J. Ellis?-Dave Cameron Another Year with Joe Blanton, Great Reliever-Neil Weinberg TODAY S KNUCKLEBALL: Giants Moore loses no-hitter with two outs in ninth-eric Chesterton Heyman: Dodgers on amazing Kershaw-less run-jon Heyman LA TIMES: Dodgers Dugout: Was the A.J. Ellis trade a good deal?-houston Mitchell

3 LOS ANGELES DODGERS DAILY CLIPS FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 OC REGISTER Giants' Matt Moore misses no-hitter when Dodgers' Corey Seager singles with two outs in ninth By JP Hoornstra LOS ANGELES Baseball superstition holds that you don t mention a no-hitter in progress, at least if you want it to continue. The home dugout at Dodger Stadium might well have been a very loud place Thursday night. The Dodgers could not produce a hit against the Giants Matt Moore until Corey Seager singled with two outs in the ninth inning in a game the Giants won, 4-0. Only then did the sellout crowd at Dodger Stadium join the rancor, its decibel level rising to the occasion of history being avoided. Santiago Casilla relieved Moore and got Justin Turner to pop out on the next pitch, ending the game. All of it served to contrast with an eerie quiet in the Dodgers clubhouse Thursday afternoon. Catcher A.J. Ellis, the longest-tenured player in franchise history and a well-regarded leader in the clubhouse, was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies early in the day. For some players, the first thing they saw upon walking in was a teary-eyed 35-year-old teammate saying his goodbyes. As well as Moore pitched he walked three, struck out seven and threw a career-high 133 pitches it s hard to believe the emotional fallout from the trade didn t factor into the Dodgers sullen offense. They re human. They have relationships. It affects you, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the game. There s a point where you have to be a professional and go out there and win a game. There s no excuse to affect your performance. For their part, the Dodger players were slow to offer excuses. They tipped their caps to Moore and moved on, as the old saying goes. He got me out twice on cutters that he didn t throw before, Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez said. He actually hadn t thrown a cutter to a lefty all year, and we knew that he was working on it. For us, it s the way we like it. We won the series. We just lost today. Whether we got a hit in the first or the ninth it doesn t matter; we got a hit. At least Seager acknowledged the residual emotions could have been a factor.

4 That s one of the things you don t really know, he said. It s one of those things that you have to move on and keep playing. The last time the Dodgers were no-hit was Aug. 30 of last season, when Cubs ace Jake Arrieta threw the first no-hitter of his career en route to a National League Cy Young Award. The Astros Mike Fiers had no-hit the Dodgers in Houston a mere nine days before. At the time, the Dodgers were in a deep offensive funk. This time was different. The Dodgers were averaging an MLB-best 5.57 runs per game since the All-Star break. Moore was hardly pitching his best of late, with a 4.18 ERA in 25 starts 4.70 in four starts since he was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays on Aug. 1. The main difference Thursday, it seemed, was that A.J. Ellis wasn t a Dodger for the first time this decade. Dodgers starter Ross Stripling (3-5) pitched around a leadoff double in the second inning before the Giants broke through in the fourth. Brandon Crawford led off with a single and scored on a single by Brandon Belt. The next batter, Joe Panik, crushed a hanging breaking ball over the right field fence for a two-run home run. San Francisco still led, 3-0, when Grant Dayton relieved Stripling in the sixth inning. After a walk and an error Turner unwisely tried to barehand a ground ball at third base Denard Span drove in the Giants fourth run with an RBI single. That was more than enough for San Francisco to avoid a three-game sweep. Giants manager Bruce Bochy, having seen his team lose its grip on the National League West, then lose the first two games of the series, said we had to win today. Maybe a no-hitter would have been a mere bonus. Likewise, for the Dodgers, the stain of being no-hit could only be the second-most demoralizing thing to emerge from Chavez Ravine on Thursday. The Dodgers lead the National League West by two games after taking two of three from the secondplace Giants. The NL Central-leading Cubs visit for three games beginning Friday. Dodgers trade A.J. Ellis to Phillies for Carlos Ruiz in exchange of catchers that stirs emotions in clubhouse By JP Hoornstra LOS ANGELES There was no team meeting to announce the trade Thursday, just a group of forlorn men learning one by one that the longest tenured player in the Dodgers clubhouse had been traded. After A.J. Ellis learned he was going to the Philadelphia Phillies in a swap of backup catchers for Carlos Ruiz, he called his wife, then his agent, then texted his best friend, Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw.

5 I had him come out and meet me here in the dugout, Ellis said. Not much was said. We just kind of sat here together. Baseball s funny. Anything can happen in the future, but to know that in almost all likelihood I ll never get to catch (Kershaw) again is without a doubt the most devastating thing that I m feeling right now. By the time he sat in the dugout to meet with reporters, Ellis said he was almost out of tears. While Ellis and Kershaw spent a little more time in Los Angeles together away from the ballpark, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman laid bare the cold facts behind the trade. Ellis is 35 years old and had a.194 batting average in limited playing time. While he was a serviceable hitter against left-handed pitchers a year ago, batting.260, Ellis was hitting.241 against lefties this year with a.616 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS). Ruiz is 37, but his.830 OPS against lefties ought to help a Dodgers squad that had struggled to hit southpaws all season. Their.663 OPS against left-handers ranks 13th in the National League. A great field general behind the plate, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said of Ruiz. Works extremely well with pitchers. Very gifted defensively. What he brings on the offensive side of the game is something we felt fit our group really well in terms of his ability to hit lefthanded pitching. The quality of the at-bat. Just the grinder type approach in the batter s box that we felt like really helped lengthen our lineup. Ruiz, the second-longest tenured player on the Phillies roster, was placed on waivers a few days ago and eventually cleared. Friedman said the move had been discussed internally before Thursday, but only within the front office. He didn t want to mention anything to Kershaw, or anyone in the clubhouse, because he wanted for (Ellis) to hear it from us and not a teammate. The Dodgers also sent the Phillies minor league pitcher Tommy Bergjans and either cash or a player to be named later along with Ellis. Ruiz s contract includes a club option for $4.5 million next season. The Dodgers can also buy out his contract for $500,000. He s expected to join the team Friday. Ellis became a Dodger in the 18th round of the 2003 amateur draft, a summer crop that yielded Matt Kemp and Chad Billingsley as well. He had never been traded before Thursday. He is due to become a free agent for the first time after the season. This is really, really hard, Ellis said, his eyes taking one last scan of Dodger Stadium in the afternoon. It s the greatest office in America. To not be able to call it home anymore, it s really tough. It s amazing how fast things can change. I was just at the park shooting basketball with my kid. Text message an hour later can move your life. Gotta pick things up. It s hard for me; I can t even imagine it s even doubly hard for my wife and kids. The deafening silence of a first-place clubhouse spoke more than any teammate could. That Ellis had only played 53 of the Dodgers first 127 games this season seemed to matter little.

6 I almost cried in front of him, I just didn t want to show my emotion, Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen said. This is my 12th year, this is his 14th year in the organization. We grew up together. We experienced a lot of fun stuff together. Plus he helped me a lot too. Ellis was among the first players Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called when he took the job last winter. Ever since, he said, Ellis helped him grow as a first-year manager. There were different parts of the game that he challenged me on and asked me, as far as running a clubhouse, running a team, game management. There s a lot of conversations we had that helped me. We had a lot of great conversations. I know that being around him, I was better for it. Dodgers Notes: Andre Ethier begins rehab assignment By JP Hoornstra LOS ANGELES Dodgers veteran Andre Ethier served as the designated hitter for Class A Rancho Cucamonga in his first rehab game of the season. In the first inning, Ethier collected an infield single against rehabbing San Diego Padres starter Tyson Ross. He eventually scored from third base on a wild pitch. Facing left-hander Jose Castillo in the second inning, Ethier doubled off the wall in center field. He struck out swinging twice against right-hander Luis Diaz in his next two at-bats. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said the length of Ethier s rehab stint wasn t predetermined. The purpose for a guy who s missed so much time is to really get his legs under him, get his timing at the plate, Friedman said. We ll kind of assess on a day-by-day basis and take this time to build him up. Ethier hasn t played this season while recovering from a broken right tibia. ROSTER SHUFFLE The Dodgers selected Shawn Zarraga s contract from Triple-A, giving them a backup catcher for the series finale against the Giants. They also reinstated Rob Segedin from the paternity list and optioned pitcher Luis Avilan to Triple-A Oklahoma City. In a corresponding move, Scott Van Slyke was transferred to the 60-day DL. Van Slyke had been on the 15-day disabled list, hoping to avoid season-ending surgery on his right wrist. Regardless of whether or not he has surgery, Van Slyke s season is over. He is not eligible to be activated until Oct. 7, five days after the Dodgers final regular-season game.

7 This is the first major league call-up for Zarraga, a 27-year-old career minor leaguer who split the season between Double-A and Triple-A. The native of Aruba was slashing.194/.268/.222 at Oklahoma City. WBC RETURNS Dodger Stadium will host the semifinals and the final of the 2017 World Baseball Classic, March The last WBC games played here were in The Los Angeles Dodgers and the City of Los Angeles are excited to be selected as the host of the World Baseball Classic semi-finals and final, said Dodgers President Stan Kasten, who also serves as chairman of the MLB International Committee. Dodger Stadium and our great fans look forward to the finest players in the world competing for the WBC championship. ALSO Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the starting pitcher for Saturday s and Sunday s games against the Chicago Cubs were still to be determined. Kenta Maeda would be able to start on normal rest Saturday, and Julio Urias on extra rest Sunday. Louis Coleman (shoulder) pitched a scoreless inning at Triple-A Oklahoma City, allowing a double and striking out three batters. Clayton Kershaw is expected to throw a bullpen session Friday. New Dodger Carlos Ruiz at a glance By JP Hoornstra CARLOS RUIZ Age: 37 Born: Jan. 22, 1979 in David, Panama Height/weight: 5-10, 215 pounds Career statistics:.266 batting average,.352 on-base percentage,.393 slugging percentage, 68 home runs, 401 RBIs in 11 seasons ( ) 2016 statistics:.261/.368/.352, three home runs, 12 RBIs in 48 games Notable trivia: Was the second-longest tenured player on the Phillies roster, behind only first baseman Ryan Howard. Backstopped the Phillies to World Series appearances in 2008 and 2009, winning the first. Caught the 20th perfect game in MLB history, thrown by Roy Halladay on May 29, He and Jason Varitek are the only catchers in MLB history to catch four no-hitters. Batted.385 with one home run in a 5-game 2009 National League Championship Series against the Dodgers.... Batted.313 in a 5-game 2008 NLCS against the Dodgers. Owns a.304 career batting average,.461 on-base

8 percentage and.506 slugging percentage at Dodger Stadium. Owns the fifth-best strikeout rate (8.52 PA/SO) among all active major league players since his debut in On deck: Cubs at Dodgers, Friday, 7 p.m. By JP Hoornstra Where: Dodger Stadium TV: SNLA (where available) Did you know? Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks is one of three Dartmouth products to appear in a game this decade, along with Ed Lucas and Brad Ausmus. THE PITCHERS DODGERS RHP BUD NORRIS (6-10, 4.69 ERA) Vs. Cubs: 5-5, 3.39 ERA At Dodger Stadium: 2-2, 2.51 ERA Hates to face: Dexter Fowler, 5 for 9 (.556), six walks Loves to face: Ben Zobrist, 3 for 19 (.158), five strikeouts CUBS LHP MIKE MONTGOMERY (1-1, 2.77 ERA) Vs. Dodgers: He has never faced them before. UPCOMING MATCHUPS Saturday: Cubs RHP Jason Hammel (13-6, 3.07) at Dodgers (TBA), 1 p.m., SNLA/Fox Sports 1 Sunday: Cubs LHP Jon Lester (14-4, 2.81) at Dodgers (TBA), 1 p.m., SNLA, TBS (not blacked out in Southern California) DODGERS.COM Dodgers stifled by Moore's near no-hitter By Ken Gurnick and Chris Haft

9 LOS ANGELES -- In the biggest game of the year for the Giants, Matt Moore delivered the best game of his life. He fell one out shy of a no-hitter Thursday, broken up by Corey Seager's soft single to right with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but beat the Dodgers, 4-0, to snap his club's four-game losing streak. The decision prevented the Giants from being swept in this showdown series and trimmed their deficit behind the first-place Dodgers to two games in the National League West. Nearly pitching the Giants' first no-hitter over the Dodgers in 101 years (by Rube Marquard), Moore (8-10) walked three and struck out seven in 8 2/3 innings. He was removed immediately after Seager's hit, having thrown a career-high 133 pitches. Right-hander Santiago Casilla threw just one pitch to retire Justin Turner on a foul popup. The last Giant to lose a no-hitter with two outs in the ninth inning was Yusmeiro Petit, who stymied the Arizona Diamondbacks until pinch-hitter Eric Chavez singled on Sept. 6, The last Major Leaguer to endure the same fate was Cleveland's Carlos Carrasco, whose path to baseball immortality was blocked by Tampa Bay's Joey Butler on July 1, The defensive highlights were turned in by center fielder Denard Span, who robbed Adrian Gonzalez with a long run and shoestring catch in the second inning, then preserved the gem with a diving catch of Kiké Hernandez's sinking liner leading off the bottom of the ninth. Moore threw a no-hitter in Double-A in "There were balls that I conceded as hits," Moore said. "The defense has to make those plays that don't always get made." Joe Panik slugged a two-run homer off Ross Stripling (3-5) in a three-run fourth inning and nothing more was needed by Moore, a non-waiver Trade Deadline acquisition by the Giants four days after he beat the Dodgers while pitching for Tampa Bay. The Giants added an unearned run in the sixth inning on a Span RBI single after third baseman Turner's fielding error. Stripling was facing the Giants for the first time since no-hitting them for 7 1/3 innings in his Major League debut April 8. Manager Dave Roberts, insisting the Dodgers achieved their goal of winning the series by taking the first two games, added the hit by Seager on his bobblehead night took the sting out of the loss. "In some weird way, it does," said Roberts. "They really wanted to salvage the series. For us to potentially get no-hit, and for Corey to break it up, it salvages it for us in a strange way." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED High-powered battery: Moore and catcher Buster Posey worked in concert all night. Given the fact that Posey had caught three no-hitters (Matt Cain's perfect game, 2012; Tim Lincecum, 2013; and Chris Heston, 2015), Moore, making his fifth start as a Giant, knew he could trust his receiver. "Today I relied heavily on Buster and put that part of the game, of the thinking, in his hands," Moore said. Even when Moore shook off Posey's signs, the latter knew the right pitch call was being made.

10 Told of Moore's stated reliance on him, Posey said, "I think that's him being nice. From the get-go he was shaking to pitches and giving me a feel for how he wanted to attack the guys. I think we were able to get into a nice rhythm from the midpoint or so." Not turning two: Stripling had a chance to minimize damage in the fourth after Brandon Crawford's leadoff single when he leaped to glove Eduardo Nunez's high hopper, but he dropped the ball and instead of a double play settled for the out at first. Brandon Belt then defeated the Dodgers' defensive shift with an RBI single to score Crawford, and Panik followed with his homer. The backstory: Moore underwent Tommy John elbow surgery on April 22, 2014, and has been striving to regain his arm strength since then. The Dodgers found out that his recovery has been steady, as he consistently reached the mid-90s with his fastball. "I'm to the point now with the injury where I really focus on the things I learned from it, as opposed to the dark side of being out a year and a half," said Moore, who was limited to 12 starts last year. "Just understanding my body -- I have to listen to it a little better." Tough out: Hernandez thought for sure he had broken up the no-hitter leading off the ninth, only to be robbed by Span. "It's a tough league. Big leagues," he said. "He's a good center fielder and off the bat I was pretty happy, thought sure double, and he caught it. Broke my heart for a little bit." QUOTABLE "It stinks, there's no other way around it. Obviously, it's a great win, but at that point you're pulling for the guy to get it done." --Posey, on Moore's no-hit bid. SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Exemplifying the symmetry of baseball luck, it turned out that Panik's home run was his first since June 18 at Tampa Bay -- a game Moore started for the Rays more than a month before he was traded to San Francisco. In fact, Moore hit Panik with a pitch in that game. REALLY BIG LEAGUING IT The trade of A.J. Ellis before the game left the Dodgers scrambling for a backup catcher. They sent one of ownership's private jets to pick up Shawn Zarraga at Triple-A Oklahoma City, fly him to Burbank, then whisked him to the ballpark. He arrived in the top of the fourth inning for his first two-thirds of a game as a Major Leaguer. "It was a 12-seater and it was just me and the pilot, but I got to sit next to him and that was cool," said Zarraga. WHAT'S NEXT Giants: Right-hander Jeff Samardzija will christen Friday night's 7:15 PT opener of a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves. San Francisco owns a record when he starts.

11 Dodgers: Bud Norris opens the Cubs series Friday night, in a 7:10 p.m. PT game, looking to improve on his past two starts. He faced two batters July 31, went on the disabled list with a back injury, lasted only 3 2/3 innings in his first start back Aug. 19 and three days later in a relief appearance retired two of five batters he faced. He beat the Cubs on June 10 while with Atlanta, allowing one run in seven innings. Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV. On his bobblehead night, Corey Seager broke up Matt Moore's no-hit bid with two outs in the 9 th By Matt Monagan Matt Moore was absolutely brilliant during the Giants' 4-0 win over the Dodgers on Thursday night. With the help of seven strikeouts and Denard Span's defense (twice!), he had a no-hitter going through 8 2/3 innings. Here's what some of Moore's nastiness looked like in GIF form. And Span's great catch for the first out in the ninth: But for his last out and baseball immortality, Moore would need to retire Corey Seager... on Corey Seager Bobblehead Night: And on a 1-1 count, the power of the bobblehead would prove too much for the Giants. Santiago Casilla would come in to the game and get the final out on one pitch, but still, somewhere in the dark stadium confines, Seager's bobblehead was still grinning and maddeningly nodding its head (because that's just what bobbleheads do). Dodgers land Ruiz from Phils for 'shocked' Ellis By Ken Gurnick LOS ANGELES -- Just shipped from the first-place Dodgers to the fourth-place Phillies, A.J. Ellis broke that crushing news to close friend and batterymate Clayton Kershaw. "Shocked. Quiet," Ellis said, describing Kershaw's reaction. "The shock kind of hit us both simultaneously and we both cried." Kershaw wasn't available to speak about the trade of Ellis, 35, with Minor League pitcher Tommy Bergjans and a player to be named or cash considerations for catcher Carlos Ruiz and $1 million. Management views Ruiz as an offensive upgrade from the popular Ellis when facing left-handed pitching, with no dropoff in the chemistry department. "It was a tough decision on a personal level," said Andrew Friedman, president of baseball operations. "From a baseball standpoint, we felt Carlos fit our team extremely well. I can go on and on about A.J. and his attributes and what he brings to a team, and if Carlos didn't possess similar things, we wouldn't

12 have made the move. In terms of leadership ability, ability to call a game and run a pitching staff, Carlos rates extremely well in those things and has experience in what he brings to the lineup against lefthanded pitching, which [we] focused on as an area we wanted to improve." Ruiz has an.830 OPS in 24 games against lefties this year, while Ellis has a.616 OPS in 29 games against left-handers. The Dodgers made the trade even though Austin Barnes, the Dodgers' 10th-ranked prospect according to MLBPipeline.com, is day to day at Triple-A with a bruised hand. Ruiz, who has a 2017 option for $4.5 million or a $500,000 buyout, is expected to join the Dodgers on Friday. Ruiz waived a no-trade clause Wednesday after two days of contemplation. "It's sad to leave, but another part of me is happy because I've got an opportunity to go to the postseason and the playoffs and have a chance to go back to the World Series," said Ruiz. "I'll be playing with Chase [Utley] and [Joe] Blanton, Juan Castro. These guys used to play with me here in Philly. That's exciting. It was tough, but at the same time I'm happy. I cannot wait to go there and do my best to help the Dodgers go to the playoffs. But I'm definitely going to miss Philly." After learning his fate, Ellis said goodbye to teammates and staff, then shared his emotions with the media before joining his new team. "Baseball's funny -- anything can happen in the future, but to know that almost in all likelihood I'll never get to catch [Kershaw] again is, without a doubt, the most devastating thing I'm feeling right now," he said. "We hung out for a few moments and tried to process what's happening. It's very difficult. I'm almost out of tears now." Long a clubhouse leader, Ellis said Justin Turner is "the new heart and soul" of the team. Turner called Ellis his "sounding board. Definitely from that aspect and that leadership role, it's going to be an adjustment." Ellis said he wasn't angry, understands that trades are part of the business and considered himself lucky for not experiencing this sooner. None of that, though, made it easier to accept. "This team is playing great baseball right now, going in such a great direction. It's fun going to the park every day, even not playing; it's been so much fun being a Dodger the last few weeks and few months," he said. "To not be part of the Dodger-Giant rivalry anymore, it's tough to comprehend. I say words like sad, disappointed, devastated. There are also words like grateful, thankful, blessed, honored, privileged. There's nothing like wearing a Dodger jersey, nothing like it in sports. Nothing like coming into this stadium and playing baseball." Ruiz, 37, is hitting.261 with three homers and 12 RBIs in 48 games this year, his 11th in the big leagues. Ruiz was a 2012 All-Star. He is hitting.340 (16-for-47) since the All-Star break. Ellis said he took "extreme pride" in being the longest-tenured player on the roster, "but that's gone in a blink of the eye, without a chance to feel finality to it, and it rips your heart out," he said.

13 That said, Ellis actually lost his starting job in one of current management's first moves, the acquisition of Yasmani Grandal from San Diego in the Matt Kemp deal after the 2014 season. Since Grandal's bat has heated up in recent months, even Ellis' limited playing time has dried up. "His world is still upside down; I've been there," said manager Dave Roberts, traded by the Dodgers to Boston in "I just told him how much he helped me grow as a first-year manager. I hope I helped him grow as a player. I know that being around him, I was better for it." Dodgers aim to move past quiet night at plate By Ken Gurnick LOS ANGELES -- A.J. Ellis was traded, the clubhouse was somber and the Dodgers were nearly no-hit by Matt Moore in a 4-0 loss to the Giants on Thursday night. Exactly how those dots connect is open for debate, but there is no doubt that the Dodgers can't wait to turn the page after their lead in the National League West was trimmed back to two games. It was the third time they were one-hit this year. Manager Dave Roberts insisted the loss was mitigated by wins in the two previous games of the series, not to mention the soft single by bobblehead night honoree Corey Seager with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. He said Moore deserves a tip of the cap, not a tarnishing of his achievement. "No, no. That's discrediting Matt Moore's effort," Roberts said when asked if the emotions of Ellis' trade took a toll on his club's game performance. "Obviously, it was a tough day for all of us. The trade of A.J., once the game started, the guys were ready and competing. We had a chance to win three games." Kiké Hernandez, who thought he had broken up the no-hitter leading off the ninth inning until robbed by center fielder Denard Span, still seem rattled after the game when asked about the Ellis trade. "It's hard. It's A.J., you know?" Hernandez said. "We kind of felt it the whole day. Like a cemetery in the clubhouse. We really miss him, but it is what it is. "We were flat at the start of the game, [Moore] was on, we didn't make adjustments and before we knew it, it was the ninth inning and we didn't have a hit." Seager, whose lob shot landed behind second baseman Joe Panik and in front of right fielder Gorkys Hernandez, complimented the opposing pitcher. "He was good, really good," said Seager. "Tip your hat, but we won the series, and that's all we wanted to do. Our whole goal this series is to keep winning series." Roberts noted that Moore had come up with an effective cutter he didn't use while beating the Dodgers pitching for Tampa Bay July 27. Four days later, the Giants traded for the lefty, in part to pitch games like this against the Dodgers. Roberts said he expects to face Moore in the clubs' final two series next month.

14 "And if he throws like that we'll have work cut out for us," Roberts said. "They acquired him for a reason. We have to make adjustments." As a non-waiver Trade Deadline get, Moore is to the Giants what the Dodgers hope Rich Hill will be, as he showed in Wednesday night's debut win, finally healed from finger blisters. The Dodgers need Hill to remain healthy as they continue to try to win the division with a patchwork starting staff. On Thursday, that meant rookie Ross Stripling, who allowed three runs in five innings. The Dodgers' Shawn Zarraga was all smiles when he entered an MLB dugout for the first time By Michael Clair Shawn Zarraga is a 27-year-old catcher with nine Minor League seasons under his belt. His career has spanned over 1,800 plate appearances with eight different cities for two different affiliates. On Thursday night, he arrived to Dodger Stadium in the bottom of the fourth inning of the Giants' 4-0 victory over the Dodgers as a Major League player for the very first time. Rather than acting cool, calm and collected, as if wearing a Major League uniform and standing in a big league dugout was no big deal, the Aruba-born catcher reacted like any of us would have if faced with our baseball dreams coming true. While there's no guarantee how long Zarraga will get to live his big league dreams - he was called up to give the Dodgers a backup catcher before Carlos Ruiz is able to make it to L.A. after being traded for A.J. Ellis. Either way, Thursday is surely a night he'll never forget. Even his trip to to the stadium was memorable. A private jet was sent to pick Zarraga up in Oklahoma City and fly him to Burbank, where he was then whisked to Dodger Stadium. As the newest big leaguer told MLB.com's Ken Gurnick, "It was a 12-seater and it was just me and the pilot, but I got to sit next to him and that was cool." LA TIMES A.J. Ellis and Clayton Kershaw get emotional after catcher is dealt to Phillies By Dylan Hernandez Shortly after A.J. Ellis received clarification about his future, he asked Clayton Kershaw to meet him outside by the Dodgers bench. There, the backup catcher shared the news to his closest friend on the team. The Dodgers had traded Ellis to the Philadelphia Phillies for another veteran backstop, Carlos Ruiz. We both cried, Ellis said.

15 They weren t alone. The shock waves of the trade were felt in every corner of the clubhouse Thursday. The effects were immediately visible, as only a two-out single in the ninth inning by Corey Seager spared the Dodgers the indignity of being no-hit by Matt Moore in a 4-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. The reaction of the Dodgers players before and during the game raised obvious questions: Why did the Dodgers make this trade? Why now? Was it really worth upsetting the best pitcher on the planet over a couple of extra hits against left-handed pitchers in the 35 remaining regular-season games? In his two seasons as the Dodgers president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman has taken a number of significant risks. This trade marked his greatest gamble. The Dodgers had recently overtaken the Giants atop the National League West. Morale was high. Chemistry was often cited for the team s sudden surge. All of that came crashing down with the departure of a role player who was not only the best friend of the best player, but one of the most popular players on the roster. All I can say is it s a sad day today in the clubhouse, closer Kenley Jansen said. Jansen sighed as he recalled his farewell with Ellis. I almost cried in front of him, Jansen said. This one is tough, man. Several others were in disbelief. What the? one player asked. Part of the shock resulted from the front office s blatant disregard for Kershaw s wishes, which were to be caught by Ellis as much as possible. Kershaw s preference of Ellis was the subject of a longstanding tug-of-war between Kershaw and the front office, which wanted Yasmani Grandal behind the plate as much as possible. Ellis caught 11 of Kershaw s 17 starts this year and 21 of 33 last year. That was a right Kershaw had earned and something other players said he deserved. It didn t make sense to change that now, especially because Kershaw is taking on what could be the greatest challenge of his career, attempting to return from a herniated disk in his back that has sidelined him for the last two months. There are whispers he could be forced to undergo surgery this winter. This doesn t feel like the right time to remove his greatest source of comfort, does it?

16 Ellis was crushed by the breakup. Anything can happen in the future, he said, but to know that in all likelihood I ll never get to catch him again is without a doubt the most devastating thing I m feeling right now. Some players interpreted the trade as a message from the front office. This isn t Kershaw s team. It s not Corey Seager s team or Adrian Gonzalez s, either. It s Friedman s. We get it, one player said. Friedman maintained this was about offering the Dodgers the best chance to win the World Series. While Grandal offered the Dodgers power against right-handed pitching, Ellis wasn t doing the same when the team faced left-handers. Ellis was batting.194. Friedman reasoned that Ruiz and his.261 average would improve the odds. The grinder-type approach in the batter s box, we think can help really lengthen our lineup, he said. It was important that Ruiz shared many of Ellis positive attributes: in particular, his ability to call games and manage a pitching staff, Friedman said. He also was confident that the players shock would subside as they became acquainted with Ruiz. Friedman said that as the trade was coming together, he considered consulting the players. He refrained from doing so out of respect to Ellis, not wanting the catcher to hear about the deal first from his teammates. Friedman made it a point to speak to some of the players after the deal was completed. At the end of the day... it s human nature, we re not going to always all agree, he said. At least, if they disagreed... they understood that the whole goal in everything we re trying to do is to win. Ellis understood. Still I m looking out at Dodger Stadium right now, Ellis said. This is really, really hard. This is the greatest office in America. I m not going to be able to call it home any more. Ellis was noticeably despondent but said he would recover. The Dodgers should be concerned if their players can do the same.

17 Giants' Matt Moore nearly no-hits the Dodgers in 4-0 victory By Andy McCullough The baseball splashed at the feet of San Francisco Giants outfielder Gorkys Hernandez, and Dodger Stadium erupted. The Dodgers would not win this baseball game, a 4-0 defeat to the Giants, but at least they would not occupy a place in history. A two-out single in the ninth inning by Corey Seager scotched a no-hit bid by Matt Moore and allowed a moribund club a moment to rejoice. Before Seager flicked a single into right, a prophecy appeared ready to fulfill itself. Deflated by the pregame departure of catcher A.J. Ellis, overwhelmed by Moore, the Dodgers came close to replicating the woes of last August, when they were no-hit twice en route to a division title. For Corey to spoil that no-hitter was good for us, Manager Dave Roberts said. For us to win that series, it was something for us to build on. The outcome was not predetermined. It only felt that way, after the Dodgers spent the afternoon mourning the departure of one of their favorite teammates. The Dodgers could not treat Thursday like a normal day. A few hours before the game, the team sent Ellis to Philadelphia for catcher Carlos Ruiz. The move sideswiped Ellis, a member of the Dodgers organization since It was hard, really, really hard, he said before he left Dodger Stadium. I m almost out of tears now. Earlier in the day, Ellis received a text asking him to come to the ballpark, he said. He bumped into Roberts in the parking lot. Roberts indicated he did not know the reason for the meeting. Ellis learned about the transaction minutes later. He said he did not ask for an explanation. After speaking with team officials, Ellis texted his wife, his agent and Clayton Kershaw, his closest friend on the team. He asked Kershaw to meet him in the dugout they once both called home. Kershaw was shocked, Ellis said. The two men wept together. Baseball s funny, Ellis said. Anything can happen in the future. But to know that in almost all likelihood, I ll never get to catch him again is without a doubt the most devastating thing I m feeling right now. Ellis offered his goodbyes to his teammates. Kenley Jansen nearly broke down when he spoke with his former catcher. When pitcher Ross Stripling walked into the clubhouse, he saw a teary-eyed Ellis. As the team prepared for the game, Andrew Friedman, the president of baseball operations, spoke with members of the team, trying to explain his rationale. He felt it was important to communicate with the group, even those who disagreed with the decision. You have to trust what the organization is doing, Jansen said. But it s tough.

18 The Dodgers view Ruiz as a significant upgrade over Ellis at the plate. Ruiz will start often against lefthanded pitchers. But he could not make it to Los Angeles in time for Thursday s game, when Moore toyed with his hosts. On July 27, while still a member of the Tampa Bay Rays, Moore stymied the Dodgers across 62/3 innings and held them to one run. San Francisco acquired Moore on Aug. 1, in part, because his left-handedness projected well against the Dodgers lineup. In the interim between then and now, Moore began experimenting with a cut fastball. The pitch handcuffed the Dodgers on Thursday, as the batters struggled to adjust. He was definitely pitching away from what he s been doing in the past, Adrian Gonzalez said. We were not ready for that. San Francisco claimed the lead with a three-run flurry in the fourth. After an RBI single by first baseman Brandon Belt, Stripling paid for a lifeless changeup to second baseman Joe Panik. The pitch floated around Panik s waist, and he responded with a two-run homer. A fourth run came an inning later, after an RBI single by Denard Span. Moore kept churning through the Dodgers lineup. He showed signs of fatigue in the eighth. He issued a leadoff walk to Yasmani Grandal. Called in to pinch hit, Chase Utley saw 10 pitches before striking out on a changeup. Moore ended the inning at 119 pitches. Inside his dugout, San Francisco Manager Bruce Bochy paced and grumbled. Moore had never thrown more than 120 pitches in a game. He had already undergone elbow reconstruction. But Bochy allowed him to bat in the top of the ninth. The first man up in the bottom of the inning was Enrique Hernandez. He scaled a line drive into center field. Sliding across the grass was Span, who nabbed the baseball and earned some applause from Moore. With two out, Seager came to the plate. The crowd rose to its feet, chanting for Seager, cheering for Moore, indulging in the drama. Moore threw his 133rd pitch, a fastball on the hands. Seager shipped it into right field. The ballpark roared with glee. Bochy removed Moore for reliever Santiago Casilla. The game would last only one more pitch Turner flied out but for the Dodgers, it could have been worse. You don t ever want that to happen, Roberts said. But we still won the series. So we re happy about that. Why did the Dodgers pursue Carlos Ruiz? By Andy McCullough

19 This week, Dodgers catching prospect Austin Barnes was hit in the hand. The severity of the injury turned out to be minimal, but the uncertainty around Barnes heightened the front office s concern about its catching depth. That worry, along with the team s continued interest in improving against left-handed pitching, led to Thursday s acquisition of Philadelphia catcher Carlos Ruiz and the exodus of longtime backup catcher A.J. Ellis. I could go on and on about A.J. and his attributes, and what he brings to a team, Andrew Friedman, Dodgers president of baseball operations, said. And if Carlos didn t possess similar things, we wouldn t have made the move. The Dodgers sent Ellis and minor league pitcher Tommy Bergjans, along with a player to be named to the Phillies. Ruiz is expected to join the Dodgers on Friday. Ellis is a beloved figure in the Dodgers clubhouse, a crucial liaison with Manager Dave Roberts and a close friend of pitcher Clayton Kershaw. But at 35, his value on offense is limited. He is batting.194 this season, with five hits since the All-Star break. The Dodgers view Ruiz, 37, as a significant upgrade at the plate, and a competent replacement behind the plate and inside the clubhouse. Ruiz has an.830 on-base-plus-slugging percentage this season against left-handed pitchers. The team thinks he can help provide Yasmani Grandal with extra days off against left-handers. We felt like he fit our group really well, in terms of the ability to handle left-handed pitching, the quality of at-bat, Friedman said. The grinder-type approach in the batter s box. We think he will help really lengthen our lineup. The Dodgers hold a $4.5-million option on Ruiz for next season. The team hopes his relationship with fellow former Phillie, Chase Utley, can help integrate him into the mix as he gets to know the pitching staff. As you acquire someone with the baseball IQ and the feel that Carlos has, who hasn t been around, sometimes they might have helpful suggestions that we re not seeing from being so mired in it, Friedman said. So it works both ways. Ethier heads to rehab assignment Andre Ethier began a rehabilitation assignment with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga on Thursday night as he attempts a comeback from the broken leg he suffered in March. The Dodgers hope to activate him in September, when he will be a very welcome addition here, Friedman said. Ellis 'devastated' by trade to Phillies; shares a cry with 'shocked' Kershaw By Bill Shaikin

20 The Dodgers exchanged one backup catcher for another on Thursday, the kind of deal that normally attracts little attention. This one gets headlines because of the big names involved. The Dodgers sent A.J. Ellis, one of their most popular players and Clayton Kershaw s preferred catcher, to the Philadelphia Phillies for Carlos Ruiz. Ruiz, 37, has an.830 OPS against left-handers this season. Ellis, 35, has a.616 OPS against left-handers this season. The Dodgers could face left-handers in trying to win the National League West (Madison Bumgarner and Matt Moore of the San Francisco Giants) and in trying to advance through the NL playoffs (Gio Gonzalez of the Washington Nationals and Jon Lester of the Chicago Cubs, although Ruiz is hitless in 14 career atbats off Lester). Still, Ellis was well-liked in the clubhouse not just by Kershaw and disrupting an element of clubhouse chemistry so close to the playoffs can be risky. The trade makes zero sense, former Dodgers pitcher Dan Haren tweeted. Ruiz, like Chase Utley, starred for a Phillies team that won five consecutive NL East titles from , including the 2008 World Series. The Dodgers current roster now includes more players from the 08 Phillies (Ruiz, Utley, Joe Blanton) than from the 08 Dodgers (Kershaw, Andre Ethier). Ruiz and Ellis are free agents at the end of the season. Ellis would have been unlikely to stay with the Dodgers, as they had groomed Austin Barnes to replace Ellis as their catcher against left-handers next season. The Dodgers also sent Class A pitcher Tommy Bergjans (3-13 with a 4.98 ERA at Class A Rancho Cucamonga) to the Phillies. In turn, the Phillies sent cash to help cover the difference between the salaries of Ruiz ($8.5 million) and Ellis ($4.25 million). DODGER INSIDER Arrive early for Beatles Night tonight By Jon Weisman A quick reminder that Beatles Night at Dodger Stadium is tonight, preceding the Dodgers 7:10 p.m. game against the National League-leading Chicago Cubs. Fans are encouraged to arrive early You will be able to take their own picture in front of the above Dodger-ized Abbey Road photo in the Right Field Plaza. Select fans who arrive early will be invited onto the field to play Beatles Trivia the winner gets to throw the ceremonial first pitch.

21 Beatles tribute band The Fab Four will perform prior to the game, beginning at approximately 6 p.m. The Dodgers are offering a ticket package that includes a ticket to the game and a co-branded Beatles/Dodger 50th Anniversary Beach Towel. Ticket packages can be purchased exclusively at dodgers.com/beatles. Perhaps for the last time, Vin Scully takes us into the ninth inning of a no-hit attempt By Jon Weisman Vin Scully is the king of calling no-hitters, after all. So, nearing the climax of his farewell season, maybe the baseball gods felt it was time for one more for the road. At the end of a head-spinning day at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers were nealry no-hit for the third time in the past two seasons and the second time at Dodger Stadium in the past 362 days, with Matt Moore coming one out shy of completing the feat in a 4-0 San Francisco Giants victory. Below, you ll find some of the words Scully shared with us, in the twilight of his magical career. Moore, who had allowed only an unearned run in 6 2/3 innings against the Dodgers this year in his last game before Tampa Bay traded him to the Bay Area, walked three and struck out seven. After a 24-pitch eighth inning, he was at 119 pitches but batted for himself in the top of the ninth and came out to the mound minutes later to try to get the final three outs. Kiké Hernandez began the bottom of the ninth, and he smacked a 1-2 pitch to left center that absolutely looked like a hit off the bat. Curveball whacked to the gap, and here comes Span to make a circus catch! Scully exclaimed. Oh my gosh, that is the second tremendous catch by Denard Span to keep the no-hitter alive. And the Giants respond with applause. That looked like a sure extra-base hit wow! And what a time to do it. And wow says Matt Moore. Two outs to go. Beginning the next at-bat with his 124th pitch, Moore went to a full count on Howie Kendrick. There s a lot of drama going on in the Giant dugout, too, Scully said. Everybody on the railing rooting for Matt. (Bruce) Bochy counting pitches; they re not quite sure what to do about it. Kendrick swung at the seventh pitch of the at-bat. Ground ball to third. Nice pick by (Eduardo) Nunez. All right, one out to go, and the Greek chorus that is the Giant clubhouse (sees) Corey Seager, on Seager Bobblehead Night. Seager stepped in to the batters box. Many fans at Dodger Stadium were on their feet. Scully: I m sure there are a lot of Dodger fans now, who are saying, He s been so good for so long, I hope he gets it maybe.

22 Seager took a ball, swung and a strike. And then Fastball, a little flare into right field it s gonna drop! A bloop single to right field, after two great catches by Denard Span, and that will do it for Matt Moore. One hundred and thirty-three pitches, and a blooper to right. And so it goes in this great game. It seemed almost unfair and he s going to get a standing ovation as he walks back to the dugout so many pitches, so many close shaves, and finally, a blooper breaks it. And so went the childlike wonder of the 67-year veteran broadcaster. This would have been the 10th time the Dodgers have been no-hit since moving to Los Angeles in 1958 and 15th time in franchise history. Mike Fiers (at Houston) and Jake Arrieta (for the Cubs) each no-hit the Dodgers in August last year. Moore ended up throwing 133 pitches, the most in baseball since Fiers threw 134. Justin Turner popped out against Santiago Casilla to end the game. Bizarrely, Moore was pitching against Ross Stripling, who in his only previous game against the Giants, threw 7 1/3 no-hit innings. Stripling pitched three more shutout innings before San Francisco struck for three runs in the fourth inning, the last two on a Joe Panik home run. An unearned run off Grant Dayton in the sixth accounted for the Giants fourth run. Adrián González, who entered tonight with a 17-game hitting streak, had come the closest to a hit for the Dodgers in the second inning, lining one to left-center that a running Span caught near his shins. San Francisco moved back within two games of the Dodgers in the National League West. #VinTop20: No. 16, Don Drysdale s streak stays alive By Jon Weisman Between now and Vin Scully Appreciation Day on September 23, the Dodgers are revealing the results of the fan vote ranking Scully s top 20 Dodger calls of all time, one at each home game. Here s No. 16: Don Drysdale s consecutive scoreless inning streak seemed in jeopardy when a confusing and controversial call took place Why the Dodgers pursued Carlos Ruiz By Jon Weisman