Mookie Betts was the primary Dodgers place participant out on the sector Tuesday, strolling to a spot close to the third-base foul line and kneeling on a mat earlier than a coach, who started hitting mushy floor balls to his proper and left.
Its a drill Betts does often to enhance his protection. Betts protection, nonetheless, actually isnt an issue for the Dodgers.
A six-time Gold Glove winner in proper subject, Betts moved to shortstop full-time this season, turning his outdated place over to Teoscar Hernández. And his protection has been an issue. However Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts stated he isnt planning any modifications to his lineup in the interim.
Are we taking part in our greatest defensive lineup? No, Roberts stated. However I might say there’s only a few groups within the large leagues taking part in their greatest defensive lineup each night time. Even in a postseason race, youve nonetheless obtained to attain.
The Dodgers are in a postseason race and Hernández helps them rating, rating second on the staff in house runs (20) and RBIs (75) after going two for 5 with a run and an RBI in Tuesdays 11-4 rout of the Colorado Rockies. He additionally made two good working catches.
However Hernándezs protection typically helps the opposite staff rating too, so Roberts is preserving his fingers crossed that can change.
There’s been occasions that he’s performed a formidable proper subject, he stated. I feel he’s going to get again to that. I actually do.
Learn extra: Dave Roberts says Dodgers haven’t mentioned transferring Mookie Betts to proper subject
The Dodgers didnt want a lot protection Tuesday, pounding out 18 hits with each starter reaching base as least as soon as. Alex Name led the best way with a career-high 4 hits, together with a house run and a double, scoring three runs and driving in two others.
Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, Betts and Miguel Rojas joined Hernández and Name with a number of hits for the Dodgers, who scored eight of their 11 runs with two out.
As for Betts, coming into Tuesday his fielding proportion was tied for fourth amongst Nationwide League shortstops who’ve performed at the very least 25 video games on the place, however the psychological pressure of taking part in the place could also be hurting his offensive numbers, that are profession lows throughout the board. A .290 lifetime hitter, Betts went two for six Tuesday, elevating his common to .243.
So, Roberts was requested, wouldnt the Dodgers be higher offensively and defensively with Betts in proper subject, Hernández in left and Rojas at brief?
That’s a good query, he answered. However you recognize, I don’t suppose that we’re there fairly but.
Particularly not Tuesday, when the Dodgers took a 2-0 first-inning lead and by no means regarded again. Smith obtained the rally began, strolling with two out, then scoring on Freemans double to proper middle. Hernández adopted with a double of his personal, scoring Freeman.
Learn extra: Mookie Betts meets with Dave Roberts, Andrew Friedman after Dodgers’ loss to Rockies
The Dodgers doubled the lead within the second on solo homers from Name and Shohei Ohtani. For Name, his 453-foot blast was the longest by a Dodger this season whereas for Ohtani the homer, his forty fourth of the season, prolonged his streak of reaching base to 17 straight video games.
The lead grew to 7-0 within the third on two-out run-scoring singles by Name, Rojas and Buddy Kennedy. The RBI for Kennedy was his first since becoming a member of the Dodgers final week whereas the seven runs have been essentially the most the staff had scored in a recreation in 10 days and there have been nonetheless six innings to play.
Starter Emmet Sheehan didnt want practically that a lot help, breezing into the fourth earlier than Brenton Doyle obtained the Rockies on the scoreboard with a two-out, two-run homer to left-center. Kyle Karros, the son of former Dodger first baseman Eric Karros. added two extra with a two-out, two-run homer his first as a significant leaguer within the sixth.
The Dodgers answered with three runs within the high of the seventh. Sheehan (4-2) didnt come out for the underside of the inning, matching a profession excessive by going six innings, putting out a season-best seven batters to earn the win.
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This story initially appeared in Los Angeles Occasions.