WEBVTT - Dodger Talk (9-6-26) 0:00:00.550 --> 0:00:03.050 The quest for the three-peat has begun. 0:00:03.290 --> 0:00:07.270 Only four teams in Major League Baseball history have won 0:00:07.370 --> 0:00:08.950 three consecutive titles. 0:00:09.450 --> 0:00:13.490 The Dodgers are the favorites to become the fifth. This 0:00:13.830 --> 0:00:15.870 is World Champion Dodger Talk. 0:00:15.950 --> 0:00:16.790 Here we go again. 0:00:16.810 --> 0:00:17.810 We're getting ready to run it back. 0:00:17.829 --> 0:00:22.770 To get in on the show, call 866-987-2570. And be 0:00:22.860 --> 0:00:26.220 sure to follow Dodger Talk wherever you get your podcasts. 0:00:26.800 --> 0:00:32.309 And now your host... Here's Tim Cates. Don't look now. 0:00:33.320 --> 0:00:34.620 But the Dodgers are back. 0:00:35.159 --> 0:00:38.300 Winners of four in a row after finishing off a 0:00:38.380 --> 0:00:43.580 three-game sweep of the Washington Nationals. A 7-5 come-from-behind win 0:00:43.620 --> 0:00:44.620 for the Dodgers tonight. 0:00:44.640 --> 0:00:45.180 Hi, everybody. 0:00:45.479 --> 0:00:49.140 Tim Cates, and welcome to Dodger Talk on this Sunday night. 0:00:49.440 --> 0:00:50.180 Hope you're well. 0:00:50.220 --> 0:00:52.760 Hope you're staying dry from all the rain that we 0:00:52.800 --> 0:00:56.550 had on this Sunday. It started raining overnight. It rained 0:00:56.590 --> 0:01:00.210 pretty much all day here in Southern California. And then 0:01:00.270 --> 0:01:03.390 it cleared up right before first pitch. And then it 0:01:03.430 --> 0:01:05.590 started to rain again in the sixth inning when the 0:01:05.650 --> 0:01:07.370 Dodgers were taking on the Nationals. 0:01:07.450 --> 0:01:09.150 It quickly cleared out. 0:01:09.470 --> 0:01:11.930 And when it did, Mookie Betts cleared one out of 0:01:11.950 --> 0:01:14.819 the ballpark in the eighth inning. A three-run home run 0:01:14.860 --> 0:01:17.450 as the Dodgers come back and beat the Washington Nationals 7-5. 0:01:17.440 --> 0:01:18.399 866-987-2570 is the number. 0:01:18.420 --> 0:01:18.480 866-987-2570. 0:01:18.660 --> 0:01:20.880 Jump on board whether you're listening on AM570 LA Sports 0:01:20.900 --> 0:01:32.450 or AM570. listening on the iHeartRadio app. We certainly appreciate that. 0:01:32.490 --> 0:01:35.250 I know I was driving around in Arizona taking my 0:01:35.290 --> 0:01:38.410 daughters back to college last week, and thanks to David 0:01:38.430 --> 0:01:41.280 Vasse for helping out on the Dodgers on Deck pregame 0:01:41.319 --> 0:01:43.560 show and calling Yee as well for all he does. 0:01:44.400 --> 0:01:45.840 Listen on the iHeartRadio app. 0:01:45.900 --> 0:01:48.140 Driving around late at night, listen to Dodger talk and 0:01:48.180 --> 0:01:51.000 all you great Dodger fans talking to David Vasse and 0:01:51.040 --> 0:01:53.970 hearing Jose Mota and all the post-game reactions, a lot 0:01:54.000 --> 0:01:57.010 of fun. So whether you're here in Southern California, if 0:01:57.030 --> 0:01:59.080 you're in the desert, or if you're around the world, 0:01:59.480 --> 0:02:02.460 the iHeartRadio app is a great spot to check out. 0:02:02.980 --> 0:02:06.580 Dodgers postgame Dodger talk. So again, we'll take your phone 0:02:06.600 --> 0:02:08.519 calls here for the next 30 minutes or so. Jose 0:02:08.580 --> 0:02:10.100 Mota is going to join us coming up in just 0:02:10.139 --> 0:02:13.470 a little bit as the Dodgers finish off the Washington Nationals. 0:02:13.780 --> 0:02:16.990 Justin Robleski got the start, his shortest outing, three innings, 0:02:17.070 --> 0:02:19.870 four runs, eight hits, got himself into trouble in the 0:02:19.910 --> 0:02:22.490 fourth inning, a leadoff home run to C.J. 0:02:22.650 --> 0:02:23.010 Abrams. 0:02:23.090 --> 0:02:26.830 And that has been something that has absolutely haunted Justin 0:02:26.870 --> 0:02:30.579 Robleski the second half of the season. Now, before people 0:02:30.620 --> 0:02:33.820 want to start jumping on Justin Robleski and he's got 0:02:33.880 --> 0:02:37.060 no spot on the postseason roster, especially as a starter, 0:02:37.720 --> 0:02:40.459 let's pump the brakes just a second on Justin Robleski. 0:02:42.080 --> 0:02:44.910 Dodgers get the win tonight. The bullpen pitched good. Bobby 0:02:44.950 --> 0:02:47.690 Miller pitched in his first game in 16 months. Lots 0:02:47.730 --> 0:02:49.690 of digest. The Dodgers come from. 0:02:49.630 --> 0:02:50.210 Behind a win. 0:02:50.230 --> 0:02:54.829 Again, Mookie Betts, a three-run home run. All great. Justin Robleski, folks. 0:02:55.590 --> 0:03:01.560 Justin Robleski was a dominant first-half pitcher for this Dodgers team. 0:03:01.940 --> 0:03:05.209 There's no questions. There's no ifs, ands, or buts about it. 0:03:05.639 --> 0:03:09.400 Where would this Dodgers team be without Justin Robleski the 0:03:09.480 --> 0:03:10.929 first half of this season? 0:03:10.940 --> 0:03:12.370 Well, I'll tell you what. 0:03:12.810 --> 0:03:17.350 Double-digit winner, Justin Robleski, an all-star first half of this season, 0:03:17.389 --> 0:03:21.190 and was rewarded with an appearance in Philadelphia for the 0:03:21.270 --> 0:03:24.830 all-star game. As Colin and I were talking about during 0:03:24.850 --> 0:03:27.750 the break from the Clubhouse show to Dodger Talk, it's 0:03:27.910 --> 0:03:32.950 very reminiscent of what Gavin Stone did two years ago. 0:03:33.510 --> 0:03:36.390 It's very similar, but not as good, to. 0:03:37.900 --> 0:03:39.580 What Tony Gonsolin did. 0:03:39.380 --> 0:03:43.840 A few years before that, where he was virtually unhittable, 0:03:44.360 --> 0:03:48.380 an all-star, but then never was right after arm problems. 0:03:49.020 --> 0:03:53.530 The Dodgers rode him, was an all-star, and got hurt 0:03:53.990 --> 0:03:56.610 and was never really the same and not really ever 0:03:56.650 --> 0:04:00.750 the same in baseball again. Gavin Stone, who's in AAA 0:04:00.790 --> 0:04:05.250 Oklahoma City right now, 2024, the Dodgers were lacking starting pitching. 0:04:05.470 --> 0:04:07.630 Guys were just banged up. We saw that in the 0:04:07.670 --> 0:04:11.150 World Series. They were basically throwing bullpen games out there, openers. 0:04:11.190 --> 0:04:13.210 They won the World Series in five games, and they 0:04:13.250 --> 0:04:16.530 did it with a bullpen in that final game. The 0:04:16.570 --> 0:04:22.260 Dodgers saw Gavin Stone carry them, carry them in 2024. 0:04:22.260 --> 0:04:26.630 In that first year of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Dodgers didn't 0:04:26.650 --> 0:04:29.770 have a lot of starting pitching. Gavin Stone was a 0:04:30.410 --> 0:04:32.750 horse for the Dodgers in 24. 0:04:32.750 --> 0:04:36.180 Until they got to September, and what happened? He fell apart. 0:04:36.360 --> 0:04:36.920 He got hurt. 0:04:37.420 --> 0:04:39.279 His arm gave out. And he hasn't been to the 0:04:39.320 --> 0:04:44.599 big leagues since. Bobby Miller, very similar, 2023. They rode 0:04:44.660 --> 0:04:47.860 Bobby Miller a lot as a starting pitcher. Young guys, 0:04:47.900 --> 0:04:51.300 they insert into the lineup or the rotation like a 0:04:51.350 --> 0:04:55.190 Justin Robleski this year because of necessity, because of injuries, 0:04:55.450 --> 0:04:58.750 because Tyler Glass now wasn't right, because Blake Snell wasn't right, 0:04:59.010 --> 0:05:04.110 and because the Dodgers needed a six-man rotation. Justin Robleski 0:05:04.529 --> 0:05:08.029 pitched his tail off. Now, what does Justin Robleski's role 0:05:08.089 --> 0:05:10.030 look like now in October? 0:05:11.089 --> 0:05:12.190 That remains to be seen. 0:05:12.880 --> 0:05:14.800 It's most likely only going to be out of the 0:05:14.820 --> 0:05:19.180 bullpen if he makes his postseason roster. Long reliever, piggyback 0:05:19.260 --> 0:05:22.200 of somebody who can't get out of a game early 0:05:23.260 --> 0:05:25.630 because he's getting roughed up and just doesn't have it, 0:05:25.960 --> 0:05:29.560 could come in and pitch you a long relief in October. 0:05:29.940 --> 0:05:33.560 That's most likely his role if there's room for him. 0:05:34.760 --> 0:05:37.390 on the pitching staff in October. All that's going to 0:05:37.430 --> 0:05:40.450 play itself out, but I've seen it on social media. 0:05:40.529 --> 0:05:43.050 Fans want to get after Justin Robleski. Pump the brakes. 0:05:43.510 --> 0:05:46.029 Justin Robleski has been a dog for this team. He 0:05:46.050 --> 0:05:49.430 has been an absolute horse that they have ridden all 0:05:49.490 --> 0:05:52.550 season long, out of necessity. And he never once has 0:05:52.589 --> 0:05:55.480 he said, I'm gassed. Never once he says, I can't 0:05:55.540 --> 0:05:58.180 do it. He took the ball every single time from 0:05:58.240 --> 0:06:01.740 Dave Roberts this season. Pretty much as a starter every 0:06:01.779 --> 0:06:04.290 single time outside of coming in relief tonight. And one 0:06:04.320 --> 0:06:06.270 time he was a bulk inning guy when they decided 0:06:06.290 --> 0:06:08.589 to go with an opener for one inning before him. 0:06:09.310 --> 0:06:10.599 He's gone out and pitched in 21 starts. 0:06:12.339 --> 0:06:15.300 So Justin Robleski, a big part of why this Dodgers 0:06:15.320 --> 0:06:17.820 team was able to get through the first half of 0:06:17.860 --> 0:06:20.080 the season the way they did is one of the 0:06:20.120 --> 0:06:21.120 best teams in baseball. 0:06:21.460 --> 0:06:22.330 Has he fallen off? 0:06:22.670 --> 0:06:22.950 Yes. 0:06:23.470 --> 0:06:24.450 I think it's arm fatigue. 0:06:24.529 --> 0:06:27.849 I think you've reached the innings and starts and the 0:06:27.910 --> 0:06:30.910 numbers have all kind of tapped out for Justin Robleski. 0:06:31.510 --> 0:06:33.800 And it's no knock on him. It's just where is that? 0:06:34.400 --> 0:06:37.460 He's reached his limit as far as innings. He's broken 0:06:37.500 --> 0:06:40.340 through that ceiling and moved past it, certainly coming off 0:06:40.380 --> 0:06:41.180 the injured list now. 0:06:41.220 --> 0:06:43.100 But how much does he have left in the tank? 0:06:43.980 --> 0:06:46.539 We're seeing a lot more fastballs hitting out of the park. 0:06:47.040 --> 0:06:49.039 Tonight he left the pitch out. It was a good pitch, 0:06:49.740 --> 0:06:52.560 and Abrams got the best of it. But still, the home. 0:06:52.320 --> 0:06:54.580 Run ball is absolutely killing him. 0:06:55.440 --> 0:06:57.160 And I don't know how much you can rely on 0:06:57.200 --> 0:07:00.140 him then come October if he's giving up the long ball. 0:07:00.560 --> 0:07:02.060 You can't afford to have a guy out there who's 0:07:02.080 --> 0:07:04.900 giving up home runs at the rate that Justin Robleski has. 0:07:05.200 --> 0:07:07.450 All right, with that being said, the Dodgers tonight saw 0:07:07.510 --> 0:07:10.090 Bobby Miller come in and pitch really good. Three innings 0:07:10.150 --> 0:07:13.010 of relief, and he only got better batter by batter. 0:07:13.050 --> 0:07:13.740 And he even admitted it. 0:07:13.750 --> 0:07:15.450 You heard him in the clubhouse show with David Vasse 0:07:15.490 --> 0:07:17.070 there inside the Dodgers clubhouse. 0:07:19.210 --> 0:07:19.860 He was nervous. 0:07:20.270 --> 0:07:22.820 First time on a mound in 16 months. Felt like 0:07:22.840 --> 0:07:24.640 he didn't have his bearings. Kind of felt like he 0:07:24.660 --> 0:07:25.580 was float on the mound. 0:07:26.780 --> 0:07:26.900 And. 0:07:27.720 --> 0:07:30.140 got into some trouble and didn't have his control. 0:07:30.600 --> 0:07:32.560 But as soon as he got that final out in 0:07:32.580 --> 0:07:36.080 the sixth inning, he then retired six in a row 0:07:36.160 --> 0:07:38.520 after that final out in the sixth. He got some 0:07:38.540 --> 0:07:40.700 help from Kyle Tucker, Robin Ford of the home run 0:07:40.720 --> 0:07:42.920 in the eighth inning, but he really settled in and 0:07:42.960 --> 0:07:43.500 looked nice. 0:07:43.880 --> 0:07:45.870 Now, what does he look like as far as October? 0:07:46.690 --> 0:07:47.190 I don't know. 0:07:47.750 --> 0:07:50.090 There may be even less room for another right-hander out 0:07:50.110 --> 0:07:52.650 of the bullpen in Bobby Miller. So I think you 0:07:52.690 --> 0:07:54.930 can ride him as much as possible here in September 0:07:54.950 --> 0:07:58.540 and with knowing the fact that you've got a plethora 0:07:58.640 --> 0:08:01.640 of right-handed veteran arms that you can go to in 0:08:01.660 --> 0:08:06.550 the bullpen in high-leverage situations. Blake Trinan, Evan Phillips, you know, 0:08:06.590 --> 0:08:09.410 guys like Edgardo Enriquez who got a save tonight. There's 0:08:09.430 --> 0:08:11.550 three guys off the top of my head that would 0:08:11.570 --> 0:08:16.780 certainly become before Bobby Miller in October. But certainly tonight, 0:08:17.300 --> 0:08:19.320 you tip your cap to him coming back. That is 0:08:19.500 --> 0:08:23.410 no easy feat. missing basically the last two seasons of baseball. 0:08:23.670 --> 0:08:25.630 He made two starts all of last year. He missed 0:08:25.650 --> 0:08:28.330 the second half of 2024, and here he is, his 0:08:28.470 --> 0:08:30.910 first game action on September 6th. 0:08:31.570 --> 0:08:32.809 It's a long road back. 0:08:33.410 --> 0:08:35.410 Sure, many days over in the hot heat of the 0:08:35.480 --> 0:08:39.100 desert of Arizona at Camelback Ranch when nobody's around. It's 0:08:39.140 --> 0:08:42.860 just you and the athletic trainers and the pitching coordinators. 0:08:43.980 --> 0:08:45.260 And you're trying to figure out, am I ever going 0:08:45.280 --> 0:08:46.780 to get back to the big leagues? Am I ever 0:08:46.800 --> 0:08:48.860 going to get a sniff at pitching at the major 0:08:48.880 --> 0:08:50.640 league level again? Am I ever going to play again 0:08:50.679 --> 0:08:54.080 in minor league baseball? He hadn't pitched basically in two years. 0:08:54.940 --> 0:08:57.890 To have him back out there was absolutely fantastic. Speaking 0:08:57.929 --> 0:09:00.790 of back, let's go back out to Dodgers Stadium. Certainly 0:09:00.910 --> 0:09:03.330 a night for the Dodgers to celebrate a three-game sweep 0:09:03.730 --> 0:09:06.370 over the Washington Nationals. Mookie Betts had the big three-run 0:09:06.410 --> 0:09:08.850 home run. Let's go back and hear from the manager, though, 0:09:08.929 --> 0:09:10.010 Dave Roberts, postgame. 0:09:10.760 --> 0:09:13.540 Hey, after Mookie hit the home run, you were right 0:09:13.570 --> 0:09:14.370 there with Freddie. 0:09:14.670 --> 0:09:16.190 Did you call that home run? 0:09:16.250 --> 0:09:19.490 No, I was wondering. I was wishing he would have 0:09:19.530 --> 0:09:22.770 gotten hit by the pitch. You know, the ball came 0:09:22.830 --> 0:09:25.610 in on him and he avoided the pitch. And Freddie 0:09:25.650 --> 0:09:27.070 was giving me a hard time. He said that's why 0:09:27.170 --> 0:09:30.050 he avoids the pitch when he can hit a home run. So, no, 0:09:30.070 --> 0:09:31.810 I didn't call it. Did you feel like you guys 0:09:31.830 --> 0:09:34.470 were knocking on the door all night, especially the later 0:09:34.510 --> 0:09:35.270 part of that game? 0:09:35.630 --> 0:09:35.950 I did. 0:09:36.150 --> 0:09:39.430 You know, I thought tonight, like we have the last, 0:09:39.790 --> 0:09:42.360 you know, pretty much the last week, we've just taken 0:09:42.420 --> 0:09:45.800 good at-bats and continue to, you know, get runners on base. 0:09:45.880 --> 0:09:48.240 And I just like the at-bat quality. And, you know, 0:09:48.260 --> 0:09:52.140 it seems like every night it's someone different. And I 0:09:52.660 --> 0:09:53.689 thought we were going to break through. 0:09:53.830 --> 0:09:54.329 I really did. 0:09:54.370 --> 0:09:58.370 And tonight we had a few guys down. So tonight, honestly, 0:09:58.470 --> 0:09:59.589 Bobby Miller was a start. 0:10:00.059 --> 0:10:00.339 Tonight. 0:10:01.300 --> 0:10:04.319 First outing here this year with us. And to go 0:10:04.380 --> 0:10:08.300 three innings, give up one run. Managed that first inning. 0:10:08.380 --> 0:10:11.689 He came in with the rain and kind of not 0:10:11.730 --> 0:10:15.750 having a grip. So that was huge. And then, yeah, 0:10:15.809 --> 0:10:19.280 and I think for Robo, He hasn't gone this much 0:10:19.340 --> 0:10:21.970 in a long time. So we just had to try 0:10:21.990 --> 0:10:24.989 to get him through that fourth inning. And the first 0:10:25.010 --> 0:10:27.329 three innings were really good. So for me, that's my 0:10:27.370 --> 0:10:32.910 takeaway for Justin. And, you know, so we found a 0:10:32.950 --> 0:10:35.829 way to win. It was good that offense really delivered tonight. 0:10:36.130 --> 0:10:37.510 Were you using Otani as a decoy? 0:10:37.530 --> 0:10:38.260 No, he was going to hit. 0:10:38.320 --> 0:10:40.020 In that eighth inning, if. 0:10:46.380 --> 0:10:48.170 One of those first two guys we're going to get on, 0:10:48.230 --> 0:10:50.130 he was going to hit for Cole. But to be 0:10:50.170 --> 0:10:54.530 quite honest, versus the lefty right there, I just felt 0:10:54.590 --> 0:10:57.090 Cole had a good chance to get on base. And, 0:10:57.809 --> 0:11:00.870 you know, nothing against Shohei, but hadn't played in four days. 0:11:00.970 --> 0:11:03.220 And lefty's on the mound, so I figured, you know, 0:11:03.290 --> 0:11:05.340 we'll just try to keep the line moving and get 0:11:05.380 --> 0:11:05.939 Tommy up there. 0:11:06.650 --> 0:11:08.990 All right, there's the manager, Dave Roberts. Yeah, on TV 0:11:09.010 --> 0:11:10.470 they kept showing him. If you're at the game, you 0:11:10.490 --> 0:11:13.650 saw it. Shohei Otani had his shin guard on. He 0:11:13.690 --> 0:11:15.689 had his batting gloves out. He had his helmet on, 0:11:15.809 --> 0:11:17.290 and he was ready to go in and pinch hit. 0:11:17.730 --> 0:11:19.530 And we were kind of wondering, well, where's he going 0:11:19.550 --> 0:11:21.730 to hit? Where at spot is he going to take? 0:11:22.370 --> 0:11:24.290 And you just heard it from the manager, Dave Roberts. 0:11:24.340 --> 0:11:26.740 He was going to hit for Alex Call there if 0:11:26.820 --> 0:11:28.720 one of the first two guys got on in the 0:11:28.780 --> 0:11:31.020 eighth inning. As it turns out, neither of the first 0:11:31.059 --> 0:11:34.850 two batters got on base in the eighth inning, Freeland 0:11:34.950 --> 0:11:38.050 or Muncie, and that brought up Alex Call. And Alex 0:11:38.110 --> 0:11:40.290 Call came up and was down 0-2 in the count. 0:11:40.330 --> 0:11:42.980 And then we talked about earlier, They're one strike away 0:11:43.050 --> 0:11:46.340 from still being down in the game and then having 0:11:46.360 --> 0:11:47.760 to look and see, all right, what are we going 0:11:47.780 --> 0:11:50.320 to do in the ninth inning? Instead, a two-out, two-strike 0:11:50.380 --> 0:11:53.429 single from Alex Call, a walk to Tommy Edmond, and 0:11:53.470 --> 0:11:56.929 then Mookie Betts, of course, with the big three-run home run. 0:11:56.970 --> 0:11:58.130 We'll take a break. We'll come back. 0:11:58.170 --> 0:11:59.520 We'll get to your phone calls, and we'll check in 0:11:59.559 --> 0:12:02.440 with Jose Mota. On a night in which the rain came, 0:12:02.540 --> 0:12:04.520 the rain left, and so did the ball. Out of 0:12:04.540 --> 0:12:07.459 the ballpark thanks to Mookie Betts. Three-run home run in 0:12:07.480 --> 0:12:09.480 the bottom half of the eighth inning. Dodgers come back, 0:12:09.740 --> 0:12:13.420 beat the Washington Nationals 7-5. Dodger Talk continues on AM570 0:12:13.559 --> 0:12:16.710 LA Sports, live everywhere on the iHeartRadio app. 0:12:20.970 --> 0:12:22.430 Dodgers fans, this is Mookie Betts. 0:12:22.710 --> 0:12:25.510 You're listening to the home of the back-to-back world champion. 0:12:25.190 --> 0:12:31.209 Dodgers on AM570 LA Sports. Call off of second. Now 0:12:31.230 --> 0:12:31.540 the pitch. 0:12:32.190 --> 0:12:36.030 Mookie swings, hits a drive. Deep left field. Way back. 0:12:36.510 --> 0:12:42.170 It's gone. A Mookie moment on a Sunday night. Flips 0:12:42.210 --> 0:12:46.209 the score. And the Dodgers lead it 7-5. 0:12:46.600 --> 0:12:50.179 Mookie Betts with his 18th home run of the season. 0:12:50.700 --> 0:12:54.460 Absolutely crushed a fastball that was left up out and over. 0:12:55.120 --> 0:12:57.610 And Betts with a three-run shot. 0:12:59.150 --> 0:13:03.840 Mookie Betts delivers a three-run home run in the eighth 0:13:03.940 --> 0:13:05.140 inning with two outs. 0:13:05.340 --> 0:13:06.179 Gets it done. 0:13:06.900 --> 0:13:09.520 And that was a huge moment for the Dodgers to 0:13:09.580 --> 0:13:12.150 come back and win it 7-5 over the Washington Nationals. 0:13:12.390 --> 0:13:14.849 Daniels Jewelers presents the home run forecast for your chance 0:13:14.890 --> 0:13:17.069 to win a $ 50 Daniels Jewelers gift card. 0:13:17.090 --> 0:13:21.530 Just go to am570lasports. com. 0:13:20.010 --> 0:13:22.980 Use the keyword home run into your name and you 0:13:23.020 --> 0:13:24.620 could win Daniels Jewelers home run. 0:13:25.040 --> 0:13:27.200 Own the dream. Before we get back out to your calls, 0:13:27.220 --> 0:13:28.439 let's check in with Jose. 0:13:28.980 --> 0:13:32.400 It's time to go around the horn with Jose Mota. 0:13:32.500 --> 0:13:35.360 All right, Jose, a lot to get to in this 0:13:35.420 --> 0:13:36.060 game tonight. 0:13:36.100 --> 0:13:38.000 The series for the Dodgers have now won four in 0:13:38.020 --> 0:13:40.920 a row, but Mookie Betts, the guy tonight, providing the 0:13:40.980 --> 0:13:42.860 big swing of the bat there in the eighth inning. 0:13:43.059 --> 0:13:45.990 He missed a home run earlier, but, man, he didn't 0:13:46.000 --> 0:13:46.610 miss that one. 0:13:47.350 --> 0:13:50.810 No, you know what's interesting to watch? Mookie Betts, his 0:13:50.850 --> 0:13:53.430 reactions after that big play by Lyle in left field. 0:13:54.100 --> 0:13:56.040 it's almost to say, okay, you know what, you got 0:13:56.059 --> 0:13:59.020 me this time, and I love the swing. And Mookie's 0:13:59.059 --> 0:14:01.720 been more consistent hitting the ball on the line. Once 0:14:01.760 --> 0:14:03.790 in a while he gets a little lazy and gets 0:14:04.030 --> 0:14:06.110 that barrel to drop a little bit, but more consistently 0:14:06.150 --> 0:14:09.110 now we're seeing him repeating swings, which we're not seeing 0:14:09.130 --> 0:14:11.770 in the first half of the season. And for Mookie, 0:14:12.070 --> 0:14:14.550 you know, the confidence starts growing because also the confidence 0:14:14.570 --> 0:14:16.410 from his teammates, and I think the fans start growing 0:14:16.429 --> 0:14:18.520 too and saying, Mookie's a good man to have in 0:14:18.540 --> 0:14:21.000 this spot. He's been there before. He knows what September 0:14:21.020 --> 0:14:23.900 baseball is all about. And he's having a fabulous one, hitting, what, 0:14:23.900 --> 0:14:27.780 360 now in September, 720 slugging. And here's something interesting 0:14:27.820 --> 0:14:30.540 I found out. And, you know, the Dodgers did a 0:14:30.600 --> 0:14:33.570 good job beating a bullpen that really needed to be beaten. 0:14:34.160 --> 0:14:36.010 You know, you don't want the story to be, Tim, hey, 0:14:36.190 --> 0:14:38.450 you know, the bullpen came here struggling for the Nationals 0:14:39.110 --> 0:14:41.570 all season long, and they squared themselves out against the Dodgers. 0:14:41.870 --> 0:14:45.410 Not the story. They're gone. They're swept. But Mulkey, home runs, 0:14:45.810 --> 0:14:48.890 in the sixth inning, he's got three. In the seventh inning, 0:14:48.930 --> 0:14:51.510 he's got one. In the eighth inning, he's got three. 0:14:52.270 --> 0:14:54.460 And in ninth inning, he's got two. You talk about 0:14:54.540 --> 0:14:57.000 saving the best for when it counts the most right 0:14:57.020 --> 0:14:59.320 now for power, that's what you bet at this point. 0:14:59.720 --> 0:15:00.610 No doubt about it. 0:15:00.940 --> 0:15:04.239 You look at the Dodgers' bullpen tonight, four different relievers, 0:15:04.500 --> 0:15:09.980 all right-handed. Stewart, Trinan, Bobby Miller, Edgardo Enriquez. Intriguing for 0:15:10.020 --> 0:15:12.940 Dave Roberts when he gets to October. But Bobby Miller, 0:15:13.060 --> 0:15:15.500 three innings, one run, a hit, two walks. 0:15:15.540 --> 0:15:18.030 Two strikeouts. He threw 53 pitches. We mentioned it a 0:15:18.040 --> 0:15:18.660 few minutes ago. 0:15:19.090 --> 0:15:21.110 A guy who really hasn't pitched in the major leagues 0:15:21.150 --> 0:15:23.990 in two years, was great in 23, pitched half of 0:15:24.010 --> 0:15:26.930 the season in 24, made two early starts last year 0:15:26.950 --> 0:15:28.950 before he had to shut it down, has basically missed 0:15:29.090 --> 0:15:31.970 all of this year until tonight. It was just great 0:15:31.990 --> 0:15:33.890 to see Bobby Miller out there pitching again. 0:15:34.310 --> 0:15:36.910 That's so touching. I mean, beyond the fact that he's 0:15:36.950 --> 0:15:40.480 a great athlete, he's gone through so much. High expectations. 0:15:40.520 --> 0:15:43.100 He got us all excited going 11-4 when he first 0:15:43.120 --> 0:15:46.360 came up. And the fans receiving him like he had 0:15:46.420 --> 0:15:49.380 never left. It's so good because... It's not just the 0:15:49.400 --> 0:15:51.620 story about a guy that throws out hard or, you know, 0:15:51.640 --> 0:15:54.680 a prime prospect and all those kinds of things. But 0:15:55.600 --> 0:15:57.460 it was a great human story, I think. You know, 0:15:57.760 --> 0:16:00.450 human interest in a kid that really has had everything 0:16:01.190 --> 0:16:04.530 going his way with velocity, with size, expectations, the first 0:16:04.570 --> 0:16:07.490 time in the big leagues. And then things just started 0:16:07.510 --> 0:16:10.870 going south. And I remember talking to Bobby at spring training, 0:16:11.170 --> 0:16:13.470 and he was showing me as we were walking back 0:16:13.530 --> 0:16:15.890 to the clubhouse. He goes, Jose, this is my range 0:16:15.910 --> 0:16:18.910 of motion right now. And I'm like, what? His shoulder 0:16:18.970 --> 0:16:22.180 was beat up, man. And I'm like, what is going on? 0:16:22.210 --> 0:16:23.870 He goes, I'm going to work hard to get back. 0:16:23.930 --> 0:16:25.770 But you know what? That look on his face was 0:16:25.810 --> 0:16:28.390 like so sad. And it relates to a lot of 0:16:28.410 --> 0:16:30.870 people that we're talking to right now and moms and 0:16:30.970 --> 0:16:33.290 coaches and just to never get up on these kids. 0:16:33.330 --> 0:16:35.790 And as you mentioned, it wasn't easy to rehab for 0:16:35.810 --> 0:16:38.050 him because he had to be in those backfields by himself, 0:16:38.630 --> 0:16:40.470 you know, thrown to a catcher and reading all the 0:16:40.530 --> 0:16:42.530 stuff off the metrics and all that kind of thing. 0:16:43.010 --> 0:16:45.840 But today, man, to get out of that spot with 0:16:46.030 --> 0:16:49.020 one run, and then to go out and just get 0:16:49.140 --> 0:16:53.510 consistently better as the innings progress is so motivating. I 0:16:53.550 --> 0:16:56.570 think it opens up, you know, obviously the opportunity for 0:16:56.610 --> 0:16:58.990 him to see a little bit more, but to go 0:16:59.070 --> 0:17:01.200 three and go out there and just limit to one 0:17:01.260 --> 0:17:04.439 run under circumstances with the rain and the nerves and 0:17:04.460 --> 0:17:07.490 everything else, I really applauded him. So happy just as 0:17:07.530 --> 0:17:09.410 a human being for what he brought today. 0:17:09.830 --> 0:17:11.090 No doubt about it. Well said. 0:17:11.630 --> 0:17:14.760 Tomorrow we're expecting Shohei Otani to be back in the 0:17:14.800 --> 0:17:15.859 Dodgers lineup. 0:17:15.920 --> 0:17:17.280 And I know he's the unicorn. 0:17:17.320 --> 0:17:20.280 He's the greatest of all time, but I'm going to 0:17:20.300 --> 0:17:22.889 give you a couple numbers here. The Dodgers are 7-0 0:17:22.910 --> 0:17:27.170 when Tommy Edmond leads off this season. Tommy Edmond, 7-for-17 0:17:27.190 --> 0:17:29.970 in the leadoff spot over the last four games. Those 0:17:30.010 --> 0:17:31.649 are the four games that show he has been out 0:17:31.690 --> 0:17:34.820 with the banged-up body. And in those four games, three 0:17:34.880 --> 0:17:37.699 extra base hits, of course, the home run, three runs scored, 0:17:38.060 --> 0:17:42.470 four ribbies. Tommy Evans is a pretty dynamic leadoff hitter 0:17:42.609 --> 0:17:44.790 and can get on base from both sides of the plate. 0:17:45.650 --> 0:17:49.209 Would you maybe think about putting Shohei somewhere else in 0:17:49.230 --> 0:17:50.970 the lineup, or is he going to be back leading 0:17:50.990 --> 0:17:52.060 things off for the Dodgers? 0:17:53.180 --> 0:17:54.879 My guess is he's going to be back leading off, 0:17:54.920 --> 0:17:57.520 but I would leave Tommy Evans where he is. And 0:17:57.600 --> 0:18:00.730 I think that Shohei Ohtani right now, Tim, needs to 0:18:00.750 --> 0:18:02.649 have the game slowed down a little bit for him. 0:18:02.770 --> 0:18:05.640 You know, things were going so fast, and the injury 0:18:05.680 --> 0:18:08.899 and the knee and the biceps, all those things. And 0:18:08.940 --> 0:18:11.740 it seems like the at-bats were just going way too quickly. 0:18:12.359 --> 0:18:14.550 It would not be bad, even just to bring him 0:18:14.570 --> 0:18:17.590 back slowly, to put him in a different spot, to 0:18:17.690 --> 0:18:20.670 watch one at-bat before everybody hits. Like, you know, you're 0:18:20.690 --> 0:18:23.110 not setting the table up. You're not rushing to get 0:18:23.150 --> 0:18:25.940 to hit. All those things that play into his mind, 0:18:26.030 --> 0:18:27.630 his body, and all the work he has to deal 0:18:27.650 --> 0:18:32.170 with stress-wise, mentally and physically, I would not move Tommy 0:18:32.230 --> 0:18:34.690 Edmund right now. They're doing well without Shohei in the 0:18:34.730 --> 0:18:36.690 top of the order. You need a Shohei Otani. But 0:18:37.670 --> 0:18:41.230 also know that in modern-day baseball, how things are managed 0:18:41.250 --> 0:18:43.730 today is like, if you have one more swing in 0:18:43.750 --> 0:18:45.670 the ninth inning, who do you want that to be from, right? 0:18:45.690 --> 0:18:47.649 So that's what we're going to be facing. But in 0:18:47.790 --> 0:18:50.470 my opinion, I think you gradually have to bring him back, 0:18:50.630 --> 0:18:52.740 as I recommend that they did with Edwin Diaz, just 0:18:52.780 --> 0:18:55.410