WEBVTT - Dodger Talk (9-3-26) 0:00:00.510 --> 0:00:03.050 The quest for the three-peat has begun. 0:00:03.270 --> 0:00:07.260 Only four teams in Major League Baseball history have won 0:00:07.360 --> 0:00:09.000 three consecutive titles. 0:00:09.440 --> 0:00:13.080 The Dodgers are the favorites to become the fifth. 0:00:13.119 --> 0:00:15.740 This is World Champion Dodger Talk. 0:00:15.820 --> 0:00:17.720 Here we go again. We're getting ready to run it back. 0:00:17.739 --> 0:00:22.710 To get in on the show, call 866-987-2570. And be 0:00:22.770 --> 0:00:26.110 sure to follow Dodger Talk wherever you get your podcasts. 0:00:26.950 --> 0:00:29.570 Here's your host, David Vasang. 0:00:31.300 --> 0:00:35.590 Welcome to Dodger Talk, David Vasse, live at Uniqlo Field 0:00:35.650 --> 0:00:39.949 at Dodger Stadium after Teoscar Hernandez and the Dodgers get 0:00:39.990 --> 0:00:45.120 the walk-off win, 3-2, over the St. Louis Cardinals, a 0:00:45.200 --> 0:00:48.919 much-needed win for the Dodgers because that would have been 0:00:48.940 --> 0:00:51.540 an ugly clubhouse, and this would have been an ugly 0:00:51.640 --> 0:00:55.060 show if the Dodgers did not win tonight because the 0:00:55.720 --> 0:00:59.000 First two games of this series did not go as planned. 0:00:59.040 --> 0:01:02.880 The Dodgers did not execute, did not drive in the runs, 0:01:02.960 --> 0:01:05.140 did not pitch as well as they should have in 0:01:05.180 --> 0:01:08.000 the first two games. And tonight, on a night that 0:01:08.060 --> 0:01:11.619 Tarek Skubal gave up a career-high 10 hits in five 0:01:11.660 --> 0:01:15.059 and two-thirds innings, the bullpen was able to keep the 0:01:15.100 --> 0:01:17.959 game right where it was, did not give up a run, 0:01:18.600 --> 0:01:21.220 and the Dodger offense in the bottom of the ninth 0:01:21.280 --> 0:01:26.149 inning created something, created more traffic. And this time, Teoscar 0:01:26.190 --> 0:01:30.209 Hernandez was able to deliver the win after Tommy Edmond 0:01:30.250 --> 0:01:34.800 had a one-out single, stole second. Mookie Betts, a big walk. 0:01:34.860 --> 0:01:38.100 And Mookie, we had a great conversation with him before 0:01:38.160 --> 0:01:40.720 the game. We're going to share that with you before 0:01:40.800 --> 0:01:43.700 we say goodnight. But Mookie had a big walk to 0:01:43.760 --> 0:01:48.090 set up Teoscar Hernandez, who drove in those two runners. 0:01:48.330 --> 0:01:51.710 And Mookie scoring all the way from first base. That 0:01:51.750 --> 0:01:54.530 was a big win for the Dodgers because, again, tonight, 0:01:55.090 --> 0:01:58.580 so many opportunities to be able to put this game 0:01:58.640 --> 0:02:02.980 away early, and they were not able to do it 0:02:03.120 --> 0:02:05.420 like last night. They should have been up six or 0:02:05.470 --> 0:02:09.089 seven runs last night by the sixth inning. Instead, they 0:02:09.130 --> 0:02:12.710 were clinging to a two-run lead. in the seventh inning 0:02:12.730 --> 0:02:16.519 that evaporated. So tonight, right away, bottom of the first 0:02:16.620 --> 0:02:20.000 inning against a guy named Quinn Matthews. He's a big leaguer, 0:02:20.500 --> 0:02:24.200 but with an ERA closer to six than to three. 0:02:25.040 --> 0:02:28.040 And the Dodgers had him on the ropes in the 0:02:28.100 --> 0:02:31.450 first inning. Two on, and they didn't get any runs. 0:02:31.650 --> 0:02:34.700 Then in the third inning, bases loaded. did not get 0:02:34.780 --> 0:02:37.660 any runs. They had two on, one out in that 0:02:37.740 --> 0:02:40.950 third inning, and Freddie Freeman flew. 0:02:40.820 --> 0:02:41.770 Out to left field. 0:02:41.990 --> 0:02:44.350 Bottom of the fourth inning, or excuse me, bottom of 0:02:44.389 --> 0:02:49.430 the eighth inning, bases loaded, two outs. Dalton rushing, trying 0:02:49.470 --> 0:02:51.950 to do too much, trying to hit a grand slam 0:02:52.010 --> 0:02:55.460 instead of just getting a base hit, strikes out to. 0:02:55.460 --> 0:02:56.120 End the inning. 0:02:56.620 --> 0:02:58.800 And in the bottom of the fourth inning, I mean, 0:02:59.580 --> 0:03:01.960 I would have gone in on this if the Dodgers lost, 0:03:02.040 --> 0:03:04.940 but That was not a good look by Kyle Tucker, 0:03:05.040 --> 0:03:08.300 not running on a drop strike three. I mean, that 0:03:08.400 --> 0:03:11.970 was certainly not a good look, but luckily for him 0:03:12.310 --> 0:03:15.089 and the Dodgers, they win, and that's all that matters 0:03:15.169 --> 0:03:18.269 because at this point in time in the season, I 0:03:18.310 --> 0:03:20.750 know the Dodgers are going to win the NL West. 0:03:21.070 --> 0:03:25.570 That's a foregone conclusion, but we keep talking about getting 0:03:25.610 --> 0:03:29.190 the highest seed possible so you don't have to play 0:03:29.250 --> 0:03:31.730 a wild card game, and I got news for you. 0:03:32.889 --> 0:03:37.670 This year, there is no Cincinnati Reds under 500 wildcard team. 0:03:37.710 --> 0:03:42.390 The Dodgers would have basically a playoff scrimmage against. You're 0:03:42.430 --> 0:03:46.310 going to play either the Padres or the Diamondbacks in 0:03:46.330 --> 0:03:49.560 a wildcard series. And that's not the Reds from a 0:03:49.590 --> 0:03:52.630 year ago. So that's the biggest difference. But, you know, 0:03:52.740 --> 0:03:55.340 last night there were a couple of people. I remember 0:03:55.520 --> 0:03:58.700 one in particular that tried to pile on to Oscar 0:03:58.740 --> 0:04:02.190 Hernandez and And I told him to pump the brakes 0:04:02.250 --> 0:04:06.490 right there. You cannot go after Teoscar Hernandez. That guy, 0:04:06.990 --> 0:04:09.950 even though he may not have the results for a 0:04:10.190 --> 0:04:13.860 lot of this year, you can tell he cares. You 0:04:13.900 --> 0:04:17.070 could tell that he's upset and there is some sort of, 0:04:17.540 --> 0:04:22.320 you know, demand of himself and professional pride of himself. 0:04:22.810 --> 0:04:24.840 to go out there and perform. And before he hurt 0:04:24.880 --> 0:04:29.200 his hamstring, he was hitting 320. But right now, it 0:04:29.279 --> 0:04:32.460 seems like he has just decided to go back out there, 0:04:32.540 --> 0:04:38.380 compete and beat Teoscar Hernandez. And whatever happened, he cannot change. 0:04:38.600 --> 0:04:41.460 All he can do is try to help this team 0:04:41.520 --> 0:04:43.720 win three in a row. And he's been a big 0:04:43.800 --> 0:04:46.839 part of the first two. 866-987-2570 is the phone number. 0:04:49.760 --> 0:04:52.320 Also coming up on the show, we will hear from 0:04:52.380 --> 0:04:57.070 Dodger GM Brandon Gomes about the status of Shohei Otani, 0:04:57.589 --> 0:05:00.330 and Jose Mota will join us in about 10 minutes. 0:05:00.410 --> 0:05:02.549 But I want to go back out to the phones, 0:05:02.589 --> 0:05:05.160 and I don't have the audio, but I told Matt 0:05:05.180 --> 0:05:08.380 Money Smith and Steve Hartman, give me a double, double 0:05:08.420 --> 0:05:12.300 or nothing, walking home. If the Dodgers lost tonight, I 0:05:12.339 --> 0:05:15.110 would walk home and then walk back to Dodger Stadium. 0:05:15.140 --> 0:05:17.479 So I feel like the books are even. But I 0:05:17.560 --> 0:05:20.479 may still, you know, try to walk maybe the last 0:05:20.580 --> 0:05:23.840 mile to Monty's in Woodland Hills. How about that? Let's 0:05:23.880 --> 0:05:26.550 go out to Long Beach. Greg, you're on Dodger Talk. 0:05:26.560 --> 0:05:27.289 How you doing, Greg? 0:05:27.310 --> 0:05:31.590 D.V., feeling you, baby, as our boy Vic would say. 0:05:31.610 --> 0:05:34.390 The Dodgers will bend, but they will not break. How 0:05:34.430 --> 0:05:36.130 you doing, D.V.? I. 0:05:36.050 --> 0:05:38.010 Want to know if your call would feel this way. 0:05:38.350 --> 0:05:42.089 Would you have this type of enthusiasm and optimistic Victor 0:05:42.130 --> 0:05:45.060 Brick outlook if the Dodgers lost that game 2-1? 0:05:46.440 --> 0:05:48.580 Speaker 4, of course, a little adversity does as well, 0:05:48.600 --> 0:05:51.989 but we're just gearing up. The boys are getting in motion, 0:05:52.570 --> 0:05:55.190 getting our sites in order for playoffs. 0:05:55.390 --> 0:05:55.890 It's okay. 0:05:55.990 --> 0:05:58.930 We're we got everything handled. The boys are in tax. 0:05:59.170 --> 0:06:00.750 We're feeling it, but we got the, we got the 0:06:00.810 --> 0:06:03.570 wind tonight. Only six hits. Only two guys getting our 0:06:03.600 --> 0:06:06.279 hits tonight. Tommy tanks four for five tail, two for three, 0:06:06.880 --> 0:06:09.030 the rest of the boys over 23 tonight, but that's a, 0:06:09.020 --> 0:06:09.660 it doesn't matter. 0:06:10.200 --> 0:06:10.600 We got it. 0:06:10.600 --> 0:06:12.479 We got it done when we needed to do it. 0:06:12.920 --> 0:06:15.969 The boys are handling it. Teo bringing the energy, bringing 0:06:15.990 --> 0:06:20.610 the joy, bringing the sunflower seeds. Huge, huge catalyst for 0:06:20.630 --> 0:06:21.230 the boys tonight. 0:06:21.870 --> 0:06:24.330 Yeah, great point. I mean, those were the two guys 0:06:24.360 --> 0:06:26.560 that only had the six hits. You know, you look 0:06:26.570 --> 0:06:28.839 at that box score, it kind of hits you in 0:06:28.880 --> 0:06:31.440 the face. That was sobering right there, Greg, no doubt. 0:06:31.540 --> 0:06:34.830 Thank you for the phone call. Tommy Edmund. I am 0:06:34.930 --> 0:06:36.940 such a big fan. I think I've said this a 0:06:37.000 --> 0:06:39.780 few times. In fact, I know I've said this a 0:06:39.820 --> 0:06:43.540 few times this year. Obviously, Shohei Otani is the greatest 0:06:43.600 --> 0:06:47.230 player on the planet. But my two favorite players to 0:06:47.260 --> 0:06:51.310 watch are Freddie Freeman and Tommy Edmund. Tommy Edmund, when 0:06:51.350 --> 0:06:54.550 he's healthy like this, is one of the funnest baseball 0:06:54.630 --> 0:06:58.410 players to watch play because he's He plays the game 0:06:58.630 --> 0:07:00.950 in a way that there's a lot of action. He 0:07:00.970 --> 0:07:04.140 puts the ball in play. He makes great defensive plays 0:07:04.220 --> 0:07:07.300 at second base and center field. And tonight, you know, 0:07:07.460 --> 0:07:10.450 I think the best compliment you could give a guy 0:07:10.490 --> 0:07:12.850 like Tommy Edmond is that he's a winning player. 0:07:13.670 --> 0:07:15.630 And tonight he showed it again tonight. 0:07:15.730 --> 0:07:19.090 Four hits in the leadoff spot, started in center field, 0:07:19.530 --> 0:07:21.940 stole a big base in the ninth inning, doing what 0:07:21.980 --> 0:07:25.360 was needed to win that game. And I think that's 0:07:25.420 --> 0:07:28.750 the best thing you could say to describe Tommy Edmund. 0:07:28.790 --> 0:07:29.990 He's a winning player. 0:07:30.050 --> 0:07:33.160 He may not get the shine that Otani does or 0:07:33.220 --> 0:07:36.700 Mookie or Freddie, but he's a winning player and a 0:07:36.760 --> 0:07:39.700 vital part of this team. And I know we've talked 0:07:39.740 --> 0:07:43.700 about this a few times. To me, he's a top 0:07:43.740 --> 0:07:47.680 of the lineup type of hitter, leadoff hitting second, even 0:07:47.780 --> 0:07:52.430 possibly hitting ninth as a second leadoff hitter. But the 0:07:52.460 --> 0:07:55.850 versatility of Tommy Edmund is It's not about where he 0:07:55.950 --> 0:07:59.910 plays in the field. It's the versatility that he hits 0:07:59.970 --> 0:08:02.630 in the lineup wherever Dave Roberts wants him to hit. 0:08:02.750 --> 0:08:05.320 And he told us earlier this year, part of the 0:08:05.360 --> 0:08:07.860 reason why he's able to do all that is because 0:08:07.880 --> 0:08:11.280 he doesn't change who he is, where he's sitting in 0:08:11.320 --> 0:08:14.540 the order. And that came to light again tonight. Four hits. 0:08:14.580 --> 0:08:18.300 He scored two runs and certainly was a spark plug tonight. 0:08:18.700 --> 0:08:21.700 Let's go out to Utah. Heather, you're on Dodger Talk 0:08:21.740 --> 0:08:23.230 with David Vasse. Hi, Heather. 0:08:24.530 --> 0:08:26.260 Hi, Dave. Great to hear your voice. How are you? 0:08:27.320 --> 0:08:31.220 I'm doing much better after that ninth inning. This game 0:08:31.260 --> 0:08:33.939 was ugly for the first eight innings. There's no way 0:08:34.300 --> 0:08:36.929 to get around that. But the ninth inning, you kind 0:08:36.970 --> 0:08:40.970 of felt like the Dodgers had had enough. And Riley 0:08:41.010 --> 0:08:43.550 O'Brien's a very human closer. 0:08:44.840 --> 0:08:45.300 I agree. 0:08:45.440 --> 0:08:47.420 And I got to say, I've been wanting to call 0:08:47.460 --> 0:08:50.000 in for a little bit with just the way things 0:08:50.020 --> 0:08:52.930 have been going. But tonight, my 12 year old that 0:08:52.970 --> 0:08:55.449 we actually just got back from Cooperstown last week with 0:08:55.510 --> 0:08:58.810 him and he loves baseball. And he said, mom, we've 0:08:58.830 --> 0:09:01.070 got to get out. It smells like a Dodger wind candle. 0:09:01.090 --> 0:09:03.100 We have this little candle that we got out every 0:09:03.640 --> 0:09:06.900 really big game last year and the year before. So 0:09:06.960 --> 0:09:08.860 it's been a two year tradition. We've won back to 0:09:08.900 --> 0:09:11.200 back and he got it out. And this year, Game 0:09:11.280 --> 0:09:13.520 felt like a must win. And we got the candle out. 0:09:13.559 --> 0:09:15.830 We put it up and I'm sorry, it might be 0:09:15.850 --> 0:09:17.970 a little cheesy, but it was the cutest thing. And 0:09:18.210 --> 0:09:20.689 I just could feel once Mookie took that walk, I 0:09:20.730 --> 0:09:23.290 thought this is Tao's moment. He is Mr. 0:09:23.330 --> 0:09:23.630 Clutch. 0:09:23.670 --> 0:09:26.630 He's going to come through for us. And he sure did. 0:09:26.850 --> 0:09:29.250 And got to give so much love to Tommy Edmond, 0:09:29.290 --> 0:09:32.500 these players. are incredible. And like I said, we just 0:09:32.510 --> 0:09:34.540 got back from Cooperstown and it was amazing to go 0:09:34.580 --> 0:09:37.040 see the hall of fame and see so many Dodgers 0:09:37.120 --> 0:09:40.060 players there. And these, many of these players will be 0:09:40.100 --> 0:09:42.020 in the hall of fame and these kids look up 0:09:42.080 --> 0:09:44.920 to them. We look up to them. They are human, 0:09:44.980 --> 0:09:47.240 but they are incredible. And so we got to remember 0:09:47.280 --> 0:09:50.450 that the Dodgers are the Dodgers. Hopefully this repeat happens 0:09:50.530 --> 0:09:52.090 and we got to believe that we got to keep 0:09:52.090 --> 0:09:53.010 cheering for them. 0:09:53.010 --> 0:09:55.850 All right, Heather, thanks for the phone call. Sounds like 0:09:55.850 --> 0:09:58.370 great memories uh were made with baseball with you and 0:09:58.390 --> 0:10:00.709 your son the last couple of weeks and that's what 0:10:00.770 --> 0:10:04.240 makes baseball the best sport out there better than any 0:10:04.320 --> 0:10:07.360 other sport out there because it seems like the memories 0:10:07.400 --> 0:10:10.720 you make with your family that gets passed down at 0:10:10.760 --> 0:10:13.800 a baseball game or watching a game like tonight together 0:10:14.220 --> 0:10:17.360 or going to cooperstown with your kids uh that's uh 0:10:17.809 --> 0:10:20.970 That's stuff that no other sport has, and that's kind 0:10:20.990 --> 0:10:27.420 of the magic of baseball. 866-987-2570 is the phone number. 0:10:27.520 --> 0:10:31.400 Dodgers beat the Cardinals tonight 3-2, and going back to 0:10:31.440 --> 0:10:36.339 that ninth inning, everybody talks about the defense of Teoscar Hernandez. 0:10:36.520 --> 0:10:39.110 Well, I don't think it's horrible. 0:10:39.179 --> 0:10:42.470 I think At times, there are balls that he can't 0:10:42.510 --> 0:10:45.790 get to that maybe other left fielders might be able 0:10:45.830 --> 0:10:47.790 to get to. But in the ninth inning, he made 0:10:47.880 --> 0:10:51.020 a really good catch to end that inning. He was 0:10:51.080 --> 0:10:53.960 on the warning track going up against the wall. and 0:10:54.040 --> 0:10:58.270 then in the ninth inning in his at-bat, that count 0:10:58.650 --> 0:11:03.689 against Riley O'Brien very easily could have been 3-0, but 0:11:04.370 --> 0:11:07.429 this ABS system has been really good, and I think 0:11:07.500 --> 0:11:10.420 it's proven, you know, how good the umpires are, and 0:11:10.480 --> 0:11:13.680 Jim Wolfe, my guy from El Camino, was behind the 0:11:13.740 --> 0:11:16.380 plate tonight, one of the best umpires out there. Don't 0:11:16.440 --> 0:11:19.490 ask me, ask the players. They're the ones that told me, 0:11:19.590 --> 0:11:24.390 but Nonetheless, there was a pitch that Teoscar challenged, and 0:11:24.429 --> 0:11:27.520 the ball, I mean the thread, the red thread of 0:11:27.559 --> 0:11:32.860 the baseball in digital view barely, barely touched the top 0:11:33.160 --> 0:11:38.339 outside corner in the upper quadrant. To me, I think 0:11:38.400 --> 0:11:42.240 baseball really has to reexamine what is a strike in 0:11:42.280 --> 0:11:45.380 the ABS zone. It's got to be more than just 0:11:45.860 --> 0:11:50.579 a millimeter difference. of the digital baseball clipping the strike zone. 0:11:51.160 --> 0:11:53.640 I would love to see whatever it would be, but 0:11:54.179 --> 0:11:56.490 I'm not going to say half of the baseball, but 0:11:56.520 --> 0:12:00.290 come on, give me at least five inches, maybe two inches. 0:12:00.309 --> 0:12:03.370 How about two inches? Give me two inches of touching 0:12:03.410 --> 0:12:06.030 the strike zone. I don't know, but that was ridiculous. 0:12:06.070 --> 0:12:09.709 That was a ball that was up in a way. Anyway, 0:12:09.770 --> 0:12:13.880 you dice it. And luckily for Teoscar, he was able 0:12:13.920 --> 0:12:16.950 to keep his composure in that situation and And not 0:12:17.030 --> 0:12:20.449 let that, you know, what we all saw on Sportsnet 0:12:20.610 --> 0:12:23.870 LA and here at Dodger Stadium, don't let that, you know, 0:12:24.130 --> 0:12:27.510 obviously ruin the at-bat. Got to a full count, and 0:12:27.530 --> 0:12:29.700 he got the pitch that he wanted. Let's go out 0:12:29.740 --> 0:12:31.959 to Torrance. Kate, you're on Dodger Talk. 0:12:31.980 --> 0:12:32.680 How you doing, Kate? 0:12:35.260 --> 0:12:37.459 Great. I'm fabulous. 0:12:37.559 --> 0:12:41.600 It's great to see the Dodgers be Dodgers doing enough 0:12:41.860 --> 0:12:44.360 to win. It would have been just barely enough. 0:12:45.540 --> 0:12:45.660 And. 0:12:46.720 --> 0:12:49.620 I think Tommy Edmund is a good leadoff hitter. I 0:12:50.540 --> 0:12:57.220 don't want Shohei back until Shohei feels 100%. If we've 0:12:57.260 --> 0:13:00.200 got guys that can step up like Tommy Edmund. 0:13:01.120 --> 0:13:01.780 Yeah, no doubt. 0:13:01.900 --> 0:13:04.780 I mean, the Dodgers are a very talented roster, even 0:13:04.840 --> 0:13:08.740 without Shohei Otani, but with him, they have this air 0:13:08.960 --> 0:13:12.510 of confidence and I'm not going to say arrogance, but 0:13:12.530 --> 0:13:15.059 they have this air of confidence when he's at his 0:13:15.120 --> 0:13:20.260 best that you feel in that dugout. But tonight, it 0:13:20.300 --> 0:13:22.220 was great to see them win a game like that 0:13:22.280 --> 0:13:26.120 without Shohei Otani. And it just proves that, yes, he 0:13:26.240 --> 0:13:28.860 is the best player on the planet. Yes, they need 0:13:28.900 --> 0:13:32.459 him to be that guy at the top of the order. 0:13:32.679 --> 0:13:35.380 But they got other guys that can play this game. 0:13:35.460 --> 0:13:39.429 And one guy in baseball... I guess he could carry 0:13:39.470 --> 0:13:41.790 you for a period of time, but you need the 0:13:41.830 --> 0:13:44.949 rest of the team. This is the ultimate team sport. 0:13:45.150 --> 0:13:48.580 And I feel like, especially this year, there's been too 0:13:48.650 --> 0:13:53.900 much emphasis on Shohei Ohtani because I know him and 0:13:53.960 --> 0:13:56.679 Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy and Pa has have been 0:13:56.700 --> 0:14:00.060 the four best hitters, but the Dodgers now are getting 0:14:00.100 --> 0:14:03.620 Will Smith back. Tommy Edmonds come back. There's some other 0:14:03.679 --> 0:14:05.870 really good players on this team and it's going to 0:14:05.890 --> 0:14:08.480 take all of them. Ohtani is, Can't do it all. 0:14:08.540 --> 0:14:11.760 And if you look at the postseason last year, he 0:14:11.800 --> 0:14:15.750 had that big game four in the NLCS. But outside 0:14:15.790 --> 0:14:19.130 of that, you know, these other guys had huge impacts 0:14:19.490 --> 0:14:22.530 on them winning the World Series. Tonight's game brought to 0:14:22.570 --> 0:14:26.050 you by Modelo. Modelo, the mark of a fighter. Speaking 0:14:26.110 --> 0:14:29.660 of Shohei Otani, we said it last night. We said 0:14:29.700 --> 0:14:32.640 it five nights ago. He just didn't look right physically. 0:14:33.080 --> 0:14:35.620 You don't go into the type of slump that Otani's 0:14:35.780 --> 0:14:39.930 in in his last 40-something at-bat, striking out 19 times, 0:14:40.550 --> 0:14:44.350 having only five hits without any home runs, without there 0:14:44.430 --> 0:14:48.670 being something wrong physically. And I've learned this over the years, 0:14:48.710 --> 0:14:50.630 and I've shared this with you, and I've said this 0:14:50.740 --> 0:14:53.980 over the course of the last week. Great players don't 0:14:54.120 --> 0:14:56.880 all of a sudden stop being great unless there is 0:14:56.980 --> 0:15:03.380 something physically hampering them. Or there's some extenuating, huge personal circumstances, 0:15:03.460 --> 0:15:06.160 which is not the case with Shohei Otani. 0:15:06.320 --> 0:15:06.960 It's physical. 0:15:07.020 --> 0:15:09.960 We saw him shaking out his right arm. Dave Roberts 0:15:10.020 --> 0:15:12.600 saw it. Andrew Friedman saw it. We all saw it. 0:15:12.970 --> 0:15:15.390 So it was a good thing that Dave Roberts texted 0:15:15.410 --> 0:15:19.190 him last night, hey, you're sitting today. And all Otani 0:15:19.550 --> 0:15:24.109 replied with was the respect emoji. And it looked like Otani, 0:15:24.190 --> 0:15:26.930 you know, had a bigger smile on his face in 0:15:26.970 --> 0:15:30.050 that dugout than we've seen in quite some time. I 0:15:30.090 --> 0:15:32.990 wouldn't be opposed to him sitting tomorrow night as well 0:15:33.390 --> 0:15:37.350 until he gets that right neck, right elbow issue to 0:15:37.410 --> 0:15:40.590 a point where he feels good about it. And am 0:15:40.670 --> 0:15:43.510 I saying that the IL is out of the question? 0:15:43.590 --> 0:15:46.870 Dave Roberts said it's not off the table. And Brandon 0:15:46.910 --> 0:15:52.250 Gomes earlier today talked about, you know, Otani's personal wishes 0:15:52.390 --> 0:15:54.550 compared to what the team needs from him. 0:15:55.360 --> 0:15:57.660 I mean, I think it gets back to having the 0:15:57.740 --> 0:16:01.480 conversations of, hey, what makes sense here? Any Shohei innings 0:16:02.160 --> 0:16:05.980 are really valuable, but if it comes at a cost, 0:16:06.080 --> 0:16:09.380 then you make that decision. So we still have some time. 0:16:09.440 --> 0:16:10.340 We still. 0:16:11.700 --> 0:16:14.900 Can continue to see how he bounces back and throws, 0:16:14.980 --> 0:16:18.140 and if that is something that doesn't make sense and 0:16:18.200 --> 0:16:19.660 we want to make a decision one way or the. 0:16:19.660 --> 0:16:20.320 Other, we will. 0:16:21.180 --> 0:16:24.840 Today is not a day or indicative of anything to 0:16:25.400 --> 0:16:29.520 to make a decision on that. Shohei's great. Any conversations, 0:16:29.600 --> 0:16:34.510 he understands this is a balance and always putting the 0:16:34.550 --> 0:16:37.490 team first. I think all of our interests are aligned 0:16:37.610 --> 0:16:41.150 of trying to set him up, which then sets the 0:16:41.190 --> 0:16:46.320 team up to be as successful as possible. I don't 0:16:46.340 --> 0:16:50.060 think there's anything to be said of what it'll look 0:16:50.100 --> 0:16:51.420 like moving forward as of today. 0:16:52.350 --> 0:16:54.890 That's the pitching side. And look, the Dodgers are not 0:16:54.930 --> 0:16:57.630 going to close the door on that because if Otani 0:16:58.130 --> 0:17:01.480 at some point in time can get his left knee 0:17:01.530 --> 0:17:04.220 feeling good and his right arm now and his right 0:17:04.300 --> 0:17:07.179 neck feeling good, which is a long shot, they're not 0:17:07.220 --> 0:17:09.840 going to close the door on it and being an absolute, 0:17:10.020 --> 0:17:13.840 absolutely not, Otani's not going to pitch in October because 0:17:13.940 --> 0:17:17.280 if he can give them six outs, nine outs, and 0:17:17.400 --> 0:17:19.639 maybe an 18-inning game in. 0:17:19.619 --> 0:17:20.480 The World Series. 0:17:21.180 --> 0:17:23.270 They're not going to close the door on that. So 0:17:24.010 --> 0:17:27.610 that's that part of the equation. But for me, everybody 0:17:27.670 --> 0:17:32.609 understands that now the physical issues are hampering him offensively, 0:17:32.910 --> 0:17:35.450 and that's why he got the day off today. And 0:17:35.760 --> 0:17:38.879 like I said, okay, they haven't made the decision on 0:17:38.920 --> 0:17:43.860 the IL, but I would say tomorrow, why not sit 0:17:43.900 --> 0:17:47.400 him back-to-back days and have him come back on Saturday? 0:17:47.780 --> 0:17:51.490 I don't think that is too... out of this world 0:17:51.550 --> 0:17:55.320 to consider. And for Otani, the greatest player on the planet, 0:17:55.640 --> 0:17:58.860 obviously has the weight of a country on his back. 0:17:59.060 --> 0:18:03.850 And since a young child has had high expectations for himself, 0:18:03.940 --> 0:18:07.950 his family, the country of Japan, look, it's got to 0:18:07.990 --> 0:18:11.330 be really hard for him to not have his body 0:18:11.470 --> 0:18:14.450 cooperating with him over the course of the last couple 0:18:14.490 --> 0:18:17.230 of months. So All of those things are in play, 0:18:17.250 --> 0:18:19.690 and that's why I felt like tonight it was great 0:18:19.710 --> 0:18:22.060 to see him smile at the far end of the dugout. 0:18:22.100 --> 0:18:24.439 It was great to see him hang around for the 0:18:24.500 --> 0:18:26.919 entire game and go out there and celebrate with the 0:18:26.980 --> 0:18:30.790 team after Teoscar Hernandez walks it off for the Dodgers 0:18:30.850 --> 0:18:34.350 tonight 3-2. All right, we're going to take a timeout. 0:18:34.430 --> 0:18:37.670 When we come back, we'll check in with Jose Mota. Also, 0:18:37.750 --> 0:18:40.930 we'll hear from Mookie Betts. Had a great conversation with 0:18:40.950 --> 0:18:43.149 Mookie before the game. We'll share that with you as 0:18:43.230 --> 0:18:47.260 well as Dodger Talk rolls on live from Dodger Stadium 0:18:47.680 --> 0:18:50.540 after the Dodgers defeat the Cardinals 3-2 on 570 LA Sports. 0:18:58.380 --> 0:19:02.760 Hey, it's Teosca Hernandez. This is Dodgers Talk. You hear 0:19:02.880 --> 0:19:07.520 every game on AM 570 or streaming on the iHeartRadio app. 0:19:08.359 --> 0:19:10.540 Here comes the payoff pitch to Hernandez. 0:19:11.680 --> 0:19:15.050 Swings, line, drive, left center field. That's going to split 0:19:15.070 --> 0:19:18.310 the outfielders, go to the wall. Edmond comes around to score. 0:19:18.490 --> 0:19:21.190 Here comes Betts around third. He'll get to the plate. 0:19:21.510 --> 0:19:27.739 Dodgers win! Dodgers win! Dodgers win! on a two-run hit 0:19:27.900 --> 0:19:31.870 from Teoscar Hernandez in the bottom of the ninth. 0:19:31.880 --> 0:19:34.910 Dodgers did not need a home run. All they needed 0:19:34.970 --> 0:19:37.869 was a hit to the gap, and that's where Teoscar 0:19:37.910 --> 0:19:41.609 Hernandez hit it as the Dodgers walk it off against 0:19:41.650 --> 0:19:46.470 the Cardinals, 3-2 tonight, and avoid being swept by St. 0:19:46.530 --> 0:19:46.990 Louis. 0:19:47.150 --> 0:19:50.580 Daniels Jewelers presents the home run forecast. For your chance 0:19:50.619 --> 0:19:58.940 to win a $ 50 Daniels Jewelers gift card, visit AM570LASports. com. 0:19:56.960 --> 0:19:59.520 Use the keyword home run and to your name you 0:19:59.560 --> 0:20:02.520 could win. Daniels Jewelers, own the dream. 0:20:03.400 --> 0:20:06.730 It's time to go around the horn with Jose Mota. 0:20:08.100 --> 0:20:10.430 All right, Jose Mota, the tone of this show would 0:20:10.470 --> 0:20:14.090 have been a lot different if that ninth inning doesn't happen. 0:20:14.730 --> 0:20:16.490 What did you see from the game tonight? 0:20:16.530 --> 0:20:20.139 The first eight innings, that was not the same game 0:20:20.180 --> 0:20:21.260 that we saw on the ninth. 0:20:22.470 --> 0:20:25.050 It was not for sure. And what I liked the 0:20:25.070 --> 0:20:28.550 most is the fact that Tarek Skubal, having been hit hard, 0:20:28.570 --> 0:20:30.889 I mean, he got hit really hard. A lot of 0:20:30.910 --> 0:20:33.230 balls hit hard by the Cardinals and singles and battled 0:20:33.250 --> 0:20:35.770 with two strikes. The bullpen, you've got to give it 0:20:35.790 --> 0:20:37.389 to them, too. I mean, Skubal was out there, just 0:20:37.430 --> 0:20:40.169 hold them to two runs. But give the guys out 0:20:40.190 --> 0:20:42.609 of the bullpen a lot of credit for what happened 0:20:42.630 --> 0:20:45.690 today because as an offense, Dave, all you ask for 0:20:45.810 --> 0:20:49.790 is if you're scuffling so much, just allow– that deficit 0:20:49.830 --> 0:20:52.639 to not get longer because two runs feels like five. 0:20:52.700 --> 0:20:54.820 And then, you know, four runs feels like 10. It 0:20:54.859 --> 0:20:56.880 just gets a little bit harder. We start trying more 0:20:57.380 --> 0:21:00.500 and more with the bats, but a lot of good things. 0:21:00.619 --> 0:21:03.679 We consider that Tommy Edmond without Shohei Otani does a 0:21:03.770 --> 0:21:06.570 fine job as he describing so perfectly, Dave, he just 0:21:06.609 --> 0:21:09.350 plays his game. That's why he's so valuable. And that's why, 0:21:09.390 --> 0:21:11.290 you know, they've wanted him for many years when he 0:21:11.330 --> 0:21:13.430 was a Cardinal, but it's good to see Tommy has 0:21:13.470 --> 0:21:16.210 made nice adjustments with a bat leading with a bottom 0:21:16.250 --> 0:21:19.780 hand again, when, He gets a little pull-happy or top-hand happy. 0:21:19.800 --> 0:21:22.040 He gets in a little bit of trouble. But I 0:21:22.060 --> 0:21:24.640 like the execution today, making the plays where they needed to, 0:21:25.180 --> 0:21:26.950 keeping the Cardinals at bay. It could have been worse, 0:21:26.970 --> 0:21:29.050 a little basis they got, but they're able to at 0:21:29.070 --> 0:21:31.869 least hold them down. One big hit, that's all they needed. So, Dave, 0:21:32.030 --> 0:21:34.369 one thing is that we're not talking about the 1-for-9 0:21:34.410 --> 0:21:37.679 today because the 1-for-9 was a big 1-for-9 win in 0:21:37.700 --> 0:21:38.300 the scoring position. 0:21:39.140 --> 0:21:41.919