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For therefore-called superteams just like the Dodgers included, there’s a common kryptonite from which even a $300-million payroll isn’t immune.
Walks.
In a 6-3 loss to the San Diego Padres on Sunday, the Dodgers issued 14 of them, taking pictures themselves within the foot repeatedly and once more to drop a three-game weekend collection at Chavez Ravine.
Free passes hadn’t precisely been a difficulty for the Dodgers this season. Getting into Sunday, that they had the Eleventh-lowest stroll fee within the majors.
However between James Paxton’s wild command (he walked eight in five-plus innings) and extra shaky performances from the underbelly of a worn-out bullpen (culminating with a tiebreaking three-spot towards J.P. Feyereisen within the seventh inning), the workforce’s fifth loss in its final 9 video games felt fully of its personal making.
Not since 1962 had a Dodgers pitching employees walked so many batters in a single recreation.
And earlier than he started his postgame information convention, supervisor Dave Roberts couldn’t assist however huff a deep sigh of obvious frustration.
“It’s onerous to win a baseball recreation while you quit 14 bases by means of stroll,” Roberts stated. “In the end, it’s going to indicate itself. And it did at this time.”
For some time, the Dodgers (11-7) had been hoping it won’t — having fun with a quick lead within the center innings courtesy of their star-studded core.
After Paxton largely restricted the injury by means of 4 innings — a solo residence run by Manny Machado was his solely early blemish on the scoreboard, thanks in no small half to a few key double performs behind him — the Dodgers surged to a 3-1 lead within the backside of the fourth, when Will Smith lined an RBI single and Max Muncy clobbered a two-run residence run to proper.
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1. Dodgers beginning pitcher James Paxton delivers towards the Padres on Sunday. 2. San Diego’s Jurickson Profar hits a three-run double within the seventh innning. 3. Max Muncy runs the bases after hitting a two-run residence run for the Dodgers within the fourth inning. 4. Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux tags out San Diego’s Ha-Seong Kim on a stolen-base try. 5. Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani stands within the dugout throughout a rain delay earlier than Sunday’s recreation. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Instances)
Up to now this season, these have been the rallies that sometimes cancel out the Dodgers’ errors. The workforce will falter on the mound, or within the area, or in a key situational at-bat from the underside of the lineup — in Roberts’ estimation, the membership has performed solely three or 4 “full” video games on this opening month — however then their star gamers will bail them out with a swift, momentum-shifting response.
“We’re nonetheless profitable,” Roberts stated, “greater than we’re shedding.”
Solely, towards the Padres (9-9) on Sunday, the workforce’s pitching employees couldn’t get out of its personal manner.
Within the prime of the sixth, Paxton was pulled after strolling his last two batters of the sport. His eight walks had been probably the most of his 11-year profession, and left him with 14 free passes by means of solely three begins this season.
“I made some pitches once I wanted to, acquired out of some huge spots [early in the game],” Paxton stated. “However you’re not going to get away with strolling eight guys fairly often. … You’re not getting right into a movement. You’re simply battling.”
Reliever Ryan Brasier didn’t assist both. He walked his first batter after getting into within the sixth, loading the bases with no outs within the inning.
The Padres then tied the rating at 3-3, scoring on a routine double play and two-out infield single from Jackson Merrill, who reached safely after Mookie Betts made a diving cease of his floor ball up the center however fired an errant throw to first base.
“You’re kind of making an attempt to string a needle each inning, and making an attempt to play excellent baseball or make an ideal pitch or have the ball hit on the proper particular person in the best spot,” Roberts stated of the added difficulties of strolling so many batters. “You’re taking part in with fireplace. You simply can’t play that recreation.”
San Diego’s Xander Bogaerts, proper, and Fernando Tatis Jr., heart, congratulate Jake Cronenworth as he crosses the plate on a three-run double hit by Jurickson Profar within the seventh inning Sunday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Instances)
With out prime leverage relievers Evan Phillips and Daniel Hudson, who had been each off Sunday after pitching consecutive days, the Dodgers’ lack of late-game choices solely compounded their issues discovering the plate.
Within the seventh inning, the not too long ago recalled Feyereisen loaded the bases on two walks and a single — then gave up a bases-clearing, go-ahead three-run double to Jurickson Profar, who was greeted with a smattering of boos after his heated change with catcher Will Smith the evening earlier than.
Within the eighth and ninth, left-handers Alex Vesia and Nick Ramirez mixed for 3 extra bases on balls, giving the Dodgers their fourth-most walks in a recreation in franchise historical past.
“It was an entire collective effort tonight, so far as the walks,” Roberts stated flatly. “We simply don’t do this as a employees. So it’s very alarming tonight to observe what we watched.”
