WEBVTT - Dodger Talk (8-27-26) 0:00:00.650 --> 0:00:03.170 The quest for the three-peat has begun. 0:00:03.410 --> 0:00:07.370 Only four teams in Major League Baseball history have won 0:00:07.470 --> 0:00:12.180 three consecutive titles. The Dodgers are the favorites to become 0:00:12.490 --> 0:00:13.280 the fifth. 0:00:13.340 --> 0:00:15.980 This is World Champion Dodger Talk. 0:00:16.060 --> 0:00:16.900 Here we go again. 0:00:16.920 --> 0:00:17.919 We're getting ready to run it back. 0:00:17.960 --> 0:00:22.880 To get in on the show, call 866-987-2570. And be 0:00:22.960 --> 0:00:26.320 sure to follow Dodger Talk wherever you get your podcasts. 0:00:26.930 --> 0:00:30.130 And now your host... Here's Tim Cates. 0:00:31.570 --> 0:00:34.390 All right, well, it's not panic time yet, Dodger fans, 0:00:34.430 --> 0:00:39.449 but certainly a concerning three-game series in Atlanta ends with 0:00:39.490 --> 0:00:43.980 the Dodgers getting shut out by Chris Sale in a 0:00:44.000 --> 0:00:46.820 1-0 Braves win tonight at Truist Park. Tim Cates with 0:00:46.860 --> 0:00:49.860 you here on AM570 LA Sports, live everywhere on the 0:00:49.940 --> 0:00:52.540 iHeartRadio app. Thanks for being with us on this Thursday night. 0:00:52.560 --> 0:00:54.380 866-987-2570 is our number. Jump on board. We've got a 0:00:54.400 --> 0:00:58.600 line open. If you want to talk a little Dodgers 0:00:58.640 --> 0:01:02.010 baseball tonight, and certainly I feel your frustration. I see 0:01:02.050 --> 0:01:05.070 your frustration all over social media. But you know what? 0:01:05.410 --> 0:01:07.190 Tonight is one of those nights you have to just 0:01:07.330 --> 0:01:11.330 tip your cap to Chris Sale. He out-pitched Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 0:01:11.410 --> 0:01:15.010 who pitched really well again and gets nothing for it 0:01:15.069 --> 0:01:18.130 and gets tagged with the loss. And Yamamoto, outside of 0:01:18.170 --> 0:01:19.870 the solo home run that he gave up to Drake 0:01:19.890 --> 0:01:21.950 Baldwin on the first pitch that he threw, again, a splitter. 0:01:25.380 --> 0:01:28.059 Jose Moda said it perfectly on the Clubhouse Show. If 0:01:28.200 --> 0:01:31.590 Drake Baldwin is sitting splitter for the first pitch he 0:01:31.670 --> 0:01:34.550 sees in the first pitch thrown by Yamamoto in the 0:01:34.590 --> 0:01:37.630 game and hits it out of the park 402 feet 0:01:38.130 --> 0:01:40.910 into the chop house in right field, then you got 0:01:40.930 --> 0:01:44.310 to say, attaboy, way to go, Drake Baldwin. You got 0:01:44.350 --> 0:01:46.910 a good swing on that. Because nobody else is looking 0:01:46.970 --> 0:01:49.070 for a splitter right there. But he left it over 0:01:49.130 --> 0:01:51.110 the middle of the plate. First pitch he threw. And 0:01:51.160 --> 0:01:54.440 that proved to be the biggest home run of the game. 0:01:54.520 --> 0:01:56.700 And the only home run that the Braves needed to 0:01:57.220 --> 0:01:59.660 win this game tonight. Because Chris Sale was that good. 0:01:59.700 --> 0:02:04.600 His fourth career shutout. His first since 2019. As Chris Sale, 0:02:05.140 --> 0:02:07.550 after the eighth inning, went in and told Walt Weiss, 0:02:07.610 --> 0:02:10.700 you could see him mouthing the words, I got it. 0:02:11.250 --> 0:02:13.910 I got it. As he made his way to get 0:02:13.950 --> 0:02:16.190 a towel and get ready for the top half of 0:02:16.220 --> 0:02:18.139 the ninth inning. Because the way he was pitching, he 0:02:18.540 --> 0:02:21.419 was not even close to 100 pitches. and he goes 0:02:21.480 --> 0:02:23.419 back out there in the ninth inning and shuts down 0:02:23.460 --> 0:02:26.760 the Dodgers despite a leadoff single from Freddie Freeman. Just 0:02:26.860 --> 0:02:29.600 could not get any offense going tonight. And we've seen 0:02:29.639 --> 0:02:32.240 this so many times. And when a game in which 0:02:32.260 --> 0:02:35.310 the Dodgers will get five hits, and they actually out-hit 0:02:35.370 --> 0:02:39.690 the Atlanta Braves tonight. They out-hit them 5-4. But they 0:02:39.730 --> 0:02:42.290 couldn't string together the hits tonight. And in this series, 0:02:42.350 --> 0:02:44.120 they couldn't get the big hit when they needed it. 0:02:44.470 --> 0:02:46.709 They lose by one in the series opener. They lose 0:02:46.750 --> 0:02:49.510 again last night in a one-run game to the Atlanta Braves. 0:02:49.530 --> 0:02:52.639 And they lose one to nothing tonight. And what's interesting 0:02:52.760 --> 0:02:55.650 is all three games, the Dodgers had a runner in 0:02:55.669 --> 0:02:59.669 scoring position, a chance to just manufacture, try to push 0:02:59.730 --> 0:03:02.370 across a run. In the first two games, it was 0:03:02.410 --> 0:03:06.300 to take the lead late in the ballgame. Tonight, it 0:03:06.320 --> 0:03:09.380 was the fourth inning, and you knew 1-0 game at 0:03:09.419 --> 0:03:12.739 that point. Chris Sayles on the mound. Folks, he struck 0:03:12.780 --> 0:03:15.530 out five of the first 11 Dodgers that he faced. 0:03:15.870 --> 0:03:17.609 You know what kind of night it's going to be. 0:03:18.010 --> 0:03:20.510 A leadoff double for Mookie Betts in the fourth inning, 0:03:21.000 --> 0:03:23.720 and he gets stranded. Can't even get him over to third. 0:03:24.540 --> 0:03:28.220 in that fourth inning. That has got to be a situation, 0:03:28.240 --> 0:03:31.500 and the Dodgers know it's a playoff-type atmosphere. It's a 0:03:31.520 --> 0:03:34.580 1-0 game. Runs are at a premium. We've got to 0:03:34.620 --> 0:03:36.820 do something to get them over to third base, and 0:03:36.840 --> 0:03:38.580 we've got to try to get a sack fly something 0:03:38.600 --> 0:03:40.940 to drive in that run and tie this up at 0:03:41.100 --> 0:03:43.770 one and make it a whole new game. But they couldn't. 0:03:44.130 --> 0:03:47.730 They strand Mookie Betts at second. That's where my frustration 0:03:47.790 --> 0:03:52.050 is right now, is the Dodgers' opportunity in these three games, 0:03:52.470 --> 0:03:55.220 and they can't get the big hit. They can't deliver 0:03:55.240 --> 0:03:57.700 with Shohei Otani standing 90 feet away the other night 0:03:57.960 --> 0:04:01.060 in Atlanta with nobody out in the ninth inning. And 0:04:01.090 --> 0:04:03.350 they get zeros on the board late in the game 0:04:03.810 --> 0:04:06.310 in the series opener on Tuesday. They get zeros on 0:04:06.350 --> 0:04:09.680 the board in the ninth inning last night. And again tonight, 0:04:09.740 --> 0:04:13.070 the Dodgers just couldn't do anything offensively against Chris Sale. 0:04:13.090 --> 0:04:13.490 866-987-2570. 0:04:13.550 --> 0:04:17.330 Dodgers baseball brought to you by Modelo. Modelo, the mark 0:04:17.750 --> 0:04:20.880 of a fighter. Now, the Dodgers at 80-54 are three 0:04:20.920 --> 0:04:22.880 games back now in Milwaukee for the number one spot 0:04:22.900 --> 0:04:24.420 in the National League. And again, we all know they 0:04:24.440 --> 0:04:26.320 need one of the top two spots in order to 0:04:26.620 --> 0:04:28.860 not play in the wild card round. Well, right now, 0:04:28.940 --> 0:04:31.130 the Dodgers have a one-game lead over the Braves. 0:04:31.430 --> 0:04:32.710 That's it. That's it. 0:04:32.740 --> 0:04:34.880 The Dodgers had a four-game lead over Atlanta for the 0:04:34.920 --> 0:04:37.110 number two spot and had a chance to build on that, 0:04:37.150 --> 0:04:39.330 and they lose all three games. So now they're only 0:04:39.510 --> 0:04:42.360 one game up on Atlanta going into the final month 0:04:42.400 --> 0:04:45.590 here of the regular season. We'll hear from the manager, 0:04:45.630 --> 0:04:47.670 Dave Roberts, coming up in just a little bit. Also, 0:04:47.910 --> 0:04:50.330 in case you missed it, Tarek Skubal joined David Vasse 0:04:50.770 --> 0:04:52.610 on Dodgers on Deck, our pregame show. It was a 0:04:52.610 --> 0:04:57.110 great conversation, very candid conversation about his workout process, how 0:04:57.150 --> 0:05:01.050 he's incorporated yoga, but also Tarek Skubal's emotions going back 0:05:01.089 --> 0:05:04.210 to Detroit where he pitched for so many years for 0:05:04.230 --> 0:05:07.210 the Tigers and gets traded at the deadline to the Dodgers. 0:05:07.770 --> 0:05:09.200 And now he's going back there and will get to 0:05:09.220 --> 0:05:11.660 start in the series opener against the Tigers tomorrow. So 0:05:11.680 --> 0:05:13.900 we'll hear from Tarek Skubal. in that conversation with David 0:05:13.940 --> 0:05:15.419 Vasse coming up in just a little bit. Let's go 0:05:15.440 --> 0:05:17.119 out to the phone, though, because I know you Dodger 0:05:17.140 --> 0:05:18.490 fans want to weigh in, and I want to hear 0:05:18.500 --> 0:05:19.260 from you. 0:05:19.290 --> 0:05:19.870 866-987-2570. 0:05:19.880 --> 0:05:23.830 Sam in Buena Park starting us off here on Dodger 0:05:23.850 --> 0:05:24.890 Talk on this Thursday night. 0:05:24.910 --> 0:05:25.550 How are you doing, Sam? 0:05:27.290 --> 0:05:31.650 Not too well, considering we just got swept. I haven't 0:05:31.670 --> 0:05:35.330 called in a long time, but all season long, the 0:05:35.370 --> 0:05:39.090 Dodgers haven't, I don't even remember if we won a 0:05:39.250 --> 0:05:40.370 series against a winning team. 0:05:41.180 --> 0:05:42.099 It's been a while. 0:05:42.460 --> 0:05:47.240 Yeah, so, you know, it's concerning, but luckily it's just 0:05:47.339 --> 0:05:49.930 a regular season. We just need to get in and 0:05:50.290 --> 0:05:55.650 get the first two spots. So, you know, hopefully, you know, 0:05:56.690 --> 0:06:00.230 Will Smith missing is a big factor in producing runs. 0:06:00.410 --> 0:06:03.620 I think when he comes back, he's going to change 0:06:04.000 --> 0:06:08.800 the dynamic of our team. Otherwise, you know... Yeah, he's 0:06:08.839 --> 0:06:11.640 our biggest reinforcement. And, you know, hopefully Dalton Rushing can 0:06:11.700 --> 0:06:16.810 come off the bench during the playoff time. Otherwise, you know, 0:06:18.490 --> 0:06:23.050 losing 1-0, it's not too bad. You know, we pitched 0:06:23.110 --> 0:06:26.770 a good game. All three games we lost by one run. 0:06:26.810 --> 0:06:29.919 So it shows that, you know, the games are ours 0:06:30.660 --> 0:06:33.080 to take. We just got to, you know, manufacture those 0:06:33.100 --> 0:06:37.420 runs because that's what, you know, World Series championships do. 0:06:37.440 --> 0:06:37.660 No doubt. 0:06:38.260 --> 0:06:40.300 No doubt, Sam. I appreciate the phone call, Sam. I 0:06:40.300 --> 0:06:42.040 know where you're going, and I appreciate it because I 0:06:42.060 --> 0:06:45.630 understand what you're saying. You lose three one-run games. You're 0:06:45.670 --> 0:06:47.810 right there in all three of those games, but you 0:06:47.830 --> 0:06:49.890 can't get the big hit. What was the difference between 0:06:49.930 --> 0:06:52.890 these three games and, I don't know, last year's postseason 0:06:52.910 --> 0:06:55.190 and the year before against the Yankees? The Dodgers got 0:06:55.210 --> 0:06:57.969 those hits. You know, and then hopefully in October, it 0:06:58.050 --> 0:06:59.750 flipped for the Dodgers. And I think we saw it 0:06:59.970 --> 0:07:02.510 a year ago. They struggled against the Brewers in the 0:07:02.560 --> 0:07:05.820 regular season. They struggled against Philadelphia. And in those matchups 0:07:06.000 --> 0:07:08.740 in the postseason, a lot of baseball pundits kept saying, well, 0:07:08.760 --> 0:07:10.340 you know what, they can't figure it out. They're not 0:07:10.360 --> 0:07:11.660 going to be able to go up against that pitching. 0:07:11.980 --> 0:07:14.550 of Milwaukee or that big lineup of the Philadelphia Phillies. 0:07:14.850 --> 0:07:16.910 And the Dodgers got big hits. They played good defense. 0:07:16.930 --> 0:07:18.950 They got good pitching. And they got big hits when 0:07:18.970 --> 0:07:21.450 they needed them. Teoscar Hernandez, a home run against Philadelphia 0:07:21.490 --> 0:07:23.630 on the road, a three-run home run late in the game. 0:07:24.350 --> 0:07:25.870 You know, we know what happened in Game 7 of 0:07:25.910 --> 0:07:28.470 the World Series with those great home runs and then 0:07:28.750 --> 0:07:32.230 the game winner from Will Smith in extra innings. So 0:07:32.250 --> 0:07:33.930 they were able to do it in October. They just 0:07:33.970 --> 0:07:35.730 haven't been able to do it here against teams during 0:07:35.750 --> 0:07:38.400 the regular season that are the better teams in baseball. 0:07:38.780 --> 0:07:41.520 I mean, the Dodgers in six series sweeps this year. 0:07:42.490 --> 0:07:48.470 Six series sweeps, eight series against them, three Dodgers sweeps, 0:07:48.530 --> 0:07:50.730 and then they were victims of being swept by opponents 0:07:50.750 --> 0:07:53.410 three times. So you can kind of see where they're 0:07:53.490 --> 0:07:56.450 at in these tight series against better teams around baseball. 0:07:56.790 --> 0:07:59.880 They're falling short, whether it's against the Brewers losing three 0:07:59.890 --> 0:08:02.420 or four and now getting swept by the Atlanta Braves 0:08:02.800 --> 0:08:05.160 in all three games of this series. It's certainly a 0:08:05.240 --> 0:08:08.600 frustrating night all around for the Dodgers offensive. But again, 0:08:09.040 --> 0:08:13.120 Chris Sale was that good. A complete game. Five-hitter, struck 0:08:13.180 --> 0:08:16.420 out 11, didn't walk anybody. The fastball was unhittable, and 0:08:16.440 --> 0:08:21.940 the slider was just absolutely like a cartoon curveball, just unhittable. 0:08:21.960 --> 0:08:23.740 He made the hitters of the Dodgers look silly tonight. 0:08:24.120 --> 0:08:26.420 Shohei Ohtani was swinging at pitches a foot outside the 0:08:26.460 --> 0:08:29.350 strike zone and then swinging at pitches a foot above 0:08:29.400 --> 0:08:32.300 the strike zone at 99 miles an hour. It's just 0:08:32.760 --> 0:08:35.010 one of those nights for the Dodgers offense in which 0:08:35.030 --> 0:08:38.780 they just got just got dominated by an opposing pitcher. 0:08:39.120 --> 0:08:41.380 And tonight it was Chris Sale who made them look 0:08:41.480 --> 0:08:43.819 foolish at the plate tonight. But you know what? Dodgers 0:08:43.840 --> 0:08:46.280 can get right back at it against the Tigers tomorrow night, 0:08:46.620 --> 0:08:48.780 and it's going to be a tough three-game series against 0:08:48.800 --> 0:08:51.800 the Tigers at Coamerica Park. 0:08:51.830 --> 0:08:52.070 866-987-2570. 0:08:52.470 --> 0:08:54.830 Charlie in El Sereno is next up on Dodger Talk. 0:08:54.850 --> 0:08:55.510 How are you doing, Charlie? 0:08:55.530 --> 0:08:57.309 I'm doing great, Tim. 0:08:57.330 --> 0:08:58.350 Thanks for taking my call. 0:08:59.130 --> 0:09:00.050 You know, I just want to. 0:09:00.010 --> 0:09:04.780 Kind of reiterate, you know, we talk about how the Dodgers– 0:09:05.140 --> 0:09:07.880 play chess and everyone else playing checkers, you know, I 0:09:07.920 --> 0:09:11.620 kind of feel losing to the Braves may be an 0:09:11.660 --> 0:09:15.400 advantage in the postseason where the Braves are now five 0:09:15.420 --> 0:09:17.910 games ahead of the Phillies where Phillies have been a 0:09:17.950 --> 0:09:20.990 threat in the postseason and we're still one game ahead 0:09:21.090 --> 0:09:22.250 of the Braves. 0:09:22.309 --> 0:09:23.929 So kind of feel, you. 0:09:24.470 --> 0:09:27.250 Know, I don't think, you know, I don't think they 0:09:27.270 --> 0:09:29.069 did it, but I don't know, you know, they didn't 0:09:29.090 --> 0:09:31.250 make any productive outs where we could have gotten like 0:09:31.270 --> 0:09:32.910 some sacrifice life and bunting. 0:09:33.670 --> 0:09:35.750 You know, so I just feel like trust the process. 0:09:35.809 --> 0:09:38.270 I think the Dodgers know exactly what they're doing. And 0:09:38.290 --> 0:09:41.359 when it comes postseason time, I think we'll know. We'll 0:09:41.380 --> 0:09:43.179 be meeting up with the right team to match up. 0:09:43.960 --> 0:09:44.430 We'll find out. 0:09:44.480 --> 0:09:46.420 We'll find out, Charlie. I appreciate the phone call. Thanks 0:09:46.440 --> 0:09:47.260 for checking in. 0:09:47.280 --> 0:09:47.500 866-987-2570. 0:09:47.800 --> 0:09:52.610 Teoscar Hernandez, another 0 for tonight at the plate. The 0:09:52.630 --> 0:09:55.910 struggle is real for Teoscar Hernandez. And the landing pad 0:09:55.950 --> 0:09:58.230 here for him to figure it out and get right 0:09:58.309 --> 0:10:00.839 is getting shorter and shorter and shorter. here with the 0:10:00.880 --> 0:10:04.360 regular season now. A month to go in the regular season. 0:10:04.900 --> 0:10:07.060 He's got to figure it out. And tonight, he looked 0:10:07.140 --> 0:10:09.360 foolish at the plate from Chris Sale. And Chris Sale 0:10:09.380 --> 0:10:10.980 did that to a lot of the Dodger hitters tonight. 0:10:11.240 --> 0:10:15.400 So it wasn't just Teoscar Hernandez. But Teoscar Hernandez's struggles 0:10:15.460 --> 0:10:17.620 at the plate, whether it's a lefty, whether it's a righty, 0:10:18.010 --> 0:10:19.750 We've seen the defense last night with the ball in 0:10:19.790 --> 0:10:22.030 left field. He's got to clean it up. He's got 0:10:22.080 --> 0:10:24.300 to play better. There's no doubt about it. And he's working. 0:10:24.440 --> 0:10:26.360 He's trying to. He's the first guy to tell you 0:10:26.620 --> 0:10:29.719 he's not happy with his season. But the Dodgers really 0:10:29.760 --> 0:10:32.099 need to find out what he can do here the 0:10:32.140 --> 0:10:33.700 final month of this season, or they're going to have 0:10:33.720 --> 0:10:37.000 to start asking some questions, some legitimate questions when it 0:10:37.020 --> 0:10:39.780 gets to October. Is Quique Hernandez a better fit in 0:10:39.820 --> 0:10:43.000 left field? Is Teoscar Hernandez, in fact, the right guy 0:10:43.040 --> 0:10:47.090 to be in left field come the postseason? Carlos and Valencia, 0:10:47.130 --> 0:10:49.810 thanks for being patient. Welcome to Dodger Talk after the 0:10:49.850 --> 0:10:53.470 Braves shut out the Dodgers tonight behind Chris Sale's five-hit 0:10:53.590 --> 0:10:55.960 complete game. How are you doing there, Carlos? 0:10:57.580 --> 0:10:59.120 Doing okay, doing okay. 0:10:59.360 --> 0:11:03.380 Yeah, you know, you guys are talking about they don't 0:11:03.420 --> 0:11:08.150 do great against teams that are pretty good. Actually, since 0:11:08.190 --> 0:11:12.170 the All-Star break, These guys are 6-16 against teams with 0:11:12.510 --> 0:11:16.679 a 500 or better record. And sometimes you can say 0:11:16.900 --> 0:11:19.959 they're just not playing good ball. But against teams that 0:11:19.980 --> 0:11:23.380 are below 500, they're 13-2 in that same span. So, 0:11:23.500 --> 0:11:29.390 I mean, they're really, you know, this is real. And today, obviously, Chris. 0:11:29.230 --> 0:11:30.050 Sale was dealing. 0:11:31.010 --> 0:11:33.170 And, you know, if it's a one off, you say, 0:11:33.230 --> 0:11:35.790 you know, hats off to him. But this is happening 0:11:35.830 --> 0:11:38.330 way too often against the teams that they're probably going 0:11:38.350 --> 0:11:40.150 to play in the playoffs. Now, they've built a lot 0:11:40.170 --> 0:11:43.550 of equity, obviously. I mean, you know, two championships. So 0:11:43.910 --> 0:11:47.040 but I mean, winning three is really difficult. 0:11:47.559 --> 0:11:49.160 Yeah. And this is just an example of that. 0:11:49.860 --> 0:11:52.580 No doubt, and it's a testament to how good this 0:11:52.620 --> 0:11:55.870 team is that they've gotten this far and still an 0:11:55.890 --> 0:11:59.209 80-win season. They got a month to go, but as 0:11:59.250 --> 0:12:03.730 you mentioned, it's 6-16 against teams over 500. They're not 0:12:04.150 --> 0:12:07.130 winning those series because they're running into teams that have 0:12:07.200 --> 0:12:10.260 good pitching, and the Dodgers' offense has just not been 0:12:10.300 --> 0:12:12.500 up to par. You can win series against the Royals. 0:12:12.820 --> 0:12:14.940 You can beat the Rockies, no doubt about it. You 0:12:14.960 --> 0:12:17.300 can beat the Pirates and sweep them in three games, 0:12:17.360 --> 0:12:19.209 and I appreciate the phone call. But when it gets 0:12:19.230 --> 0:12:21.730 to these series where it's tighter, I mean, this did 0:12:21.830 --> 0:12:25.300 feel like a postseason series. All three games, one-run games, 0:12:25.780 --> 0:12:28.500 all three of them. And they had the atmosphere, a 0:12:28.540 --> 0:12:31.340 sellout crowd at Truist Park. They were behind their Braves 0:12:31.460 --> 0:12:35.130 all three games. And these kind of games are low scoring. 0:12:35.290 --> 0:12:37.450 These kind of games are tight. These kind of games, 0:12:37.510 --> 0:12:39.410 as we know, in the last couple of postseasons, and 0:12:39.429 --> 0:12:41.630 the Dodgers are not strangers to this. This isn't an 0:12:41.929 --> 0:12:43.550 inexperienced team in postseason play. 0:12:43.570 --> 0:12:44.010 They know. 0:12:44.250 --> 0:12:46.170 They played in a Game 7 of a World Series 0:12:46.530 --> 0:12:48.300 last year with their backs up against the wall in 0:12:48.320 --> 0:12:51.040 the ninth inning. They know pressure. They know how high 0:12:51.100 --> 0:12:54.260 stakes it is comes October. So I expect this team 0:12:54.280 --> 0:12:56.740 to turn it up another notch. I expect this team 0:12:56.760 --> 0:12:59.070 to play at a different level when we got to October. 0:12:59.720 --> 0:13:02.380 I expect that. But right now, against the better teams 0:13:02.440 --> 0:13:04.960 in baseball, those teams are coming out and shoving against 0:13:05.000 --> 0:13:08.900 the Dodgers. And it's the offense. It's just plain and simple. 0:13:08.920 --> 0:13:11.000 I mean, look at the pitching in these last three games. 0:13:11.020 --> 0:13:14.469 It hasn't been bad. You know, you saw last night 0:13:14.510 --> 0:13:16.670 Sasaki get the blister and come out of the game. 0:13:17.210 --> 0:13:20.770 But the bullpen pitched well. Tonight, pitching into the seventh inning, 0:13:20.809 --> 0:13:23.700 Yamamoto gave up one run on four hits, struck out eight. 0:13:24.170 --> 0:13:27.000 He gave the Dodgers every chance to win this baseball game, 0:13:27.320 --> 0:13:27.819 and they couldn't. 0:13:29.179 --> 0:13:29.239 866-987-2570. 0:13:29.520 --> 0:13:31.800 We'll take one more call before we take a break. 0:13:32.400 --> 0:13:34.660 Let's go out to Edgar in Anaheim. Thanks for being patient, Edgar. 0:13:34.700 --> 0:13:35.140 How are you doing? 0:13:36.500 --> 0:13:36.850 Hey, guys. 0:13:36.950 --> 0:13:39.130 I think we're panicking a little bit here. I think 0:13:39.150 --> 0:13:42.809 we're panicking a little bit. You've got to have some confidence. 0:13:43.050 --> 0:13:47.230 You've got to realize the Braves, the other good teams, 0:13:47.290 --> 0:13:53.020 the Brewers, they have one good pitcher, right? And the 0:13:53.040 --> 0:13:54.480 guy that pitched against the Dodgers today. 0:13:55.150 --> 0:13:58.050 That's all they have. Eventually, all that's going to be 0:13:58.130 --> 0:14:00.930 exposed in the playoffs. It's going to be exposed. The 0:14:00.970 --> 0:14:03.670 Dodgers have more options, and it will show in a 0:14:03.710 --> 0:14:06.110 seven-game series the best team will win, and it's going 0:14:06.130 --> 0:14:07.969 to be the Dodgers. We've got to calm down a 0:14:08.010 --> 0:14:11.010 little bit. The one thing that does worry me, something 0:14:11.170 --> 0:14:14.610 that worries me, we have to match the other team's 0:14:14.650 --> 0:14:17.850 intensity because the Dodgers, right now, they're a huge target. Remember, 0:14:17.910 --> 0:14:19.990 nobody has ever won three World Series in the Rona 0:14:20.010 --> 0:14:22.350 National League. It's never happened. So this is not going 0:14:22.380 --> 0:14:24.370 to be a cakewalk. It's going to be hard. You've 0:14:24.390 --> 0:14:26.670 got to expect every team we play, they're going to 0:14:26.690 --> 0:14:27.550 bring their A game. 0:14:28.070 --> 0:14:28.410 No doubt. 0:14:28.790 --> 0:14:31.070 Every team is. It's the Pirates, the Royals, or it's 0:14:31.090 --> 0:14:34.490 the Atlanta Braves. And I appreciate the phone call, Edgar. Absolutely. 0:14:34.530 --> 0:14:36.510 The Dodgers know this. This isn't a secret. This isn't 0:14:36.550 --> 0:14:39.170 something that's catching up to them and catching them by surprise. 0:14:39.390 --> 0:14:43.080 They know. They're getting everybody's best shot. And they've weathered 0:14:43.120 --> 0:14:45.810 a lot of storms this season. to get to 80 wins, 0:14:45.870 --> 0:14:47.540 to have an eight-game lead in the division, to be 0:14:47.560 --> 0:14:49.800 the second-best team in the National League. I don't think 0:14:49.820 --> 0:14:53.080 people are necessarily panicking, but the reality is they're 6-16 0:14:53.100 --> 0:14:56.190 against teams over. 500. And they're beating the teams that 0:14:56.210 --> 0:14:58.430 they're supposed to, but when they get to better teams 0:14:58.450 --> 0:15:00.370 like the Brewers and the Braves, who they're going to 0:15:00.390 --> 0:15:03.560 most likely see one or both in the postseason, they 0:15:03.600 --> 0:15:05.300 lose three or four to Milwaukee and they get swept 0:15:05.340 --> 0:15:07.860 by Atlanta. That's the reality of it. We'll take a break. 0:15:07.880 --> 0:15:09.460 We'll come back. We'll get to more of your phone calls. 0:15:09.480 --> 0:15:12.280 We'll hear from Tarek Skubal as well. Dodgers lose to 0:15:12.320 --> 0:15:12.780 the Braves. 0:15:12.840 --> 0:15:13.240 Tough one. 0:15:13.500 --> 0:15:17.360 Chris Sale shoved tonight. A complete game shutout allowed five hits, 0:15:17.400 --> 0:15:19.730 struck out 11. He was really good to pick up 0:15:19.760 --> 0:15:23.940 his 13th win. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, equally good. Pitched into the 0:15:23.980 --> 0:15:27.480 seventh inning. One run, four hits, eight strikeouts. Dodgers just 0:15:27.500 --> 0:15:31.640 couldn't get going anything offensively tonight against Chris Sale. We'll 0:15:31.660 --> 0:15:33.240 take a timeout. We'll come back. More of your phone 0:15:33.280 --> 0:15:35.859 calls as well right here on AM570 LA Sports. Live 0:15:35.900 --> 0:15:38.210 everywhere on the iHeartRadio app. 0:15:41.710 --> 0:15:43.170 Dodgers fans, this is Mookie Betts. 0:15:43.470 --> 0:15:45.870 You're listening to the home of the back-to-back world champion 0:15:45.930 --> 0:15:47.450 Dodgers on AM570 LA Sports. 0:15:50.780 --> 0:15:53.239 Mookie Betts had a couple of base hits for the 0:15:53.280 --> 0:15:56.060 Dodgers tonight. Had a double in the fourth inning to 0:15:56.100 --> 0:15:58.600 lead off against Chris Sale, but the Dodgers stranded him 0:15:58.680 --> 0:16:01.260 in second. Dodgers had five hits in the entire game. 0:16:01.300 --> 0:16:03.820 That was it offensively as the Atlanta Braves and Chris 0:16:03.840 --> 0:16:07.240 Sale shut out the Dodgers 1-0. Sale, a complete game shutout. 0:16:07.300 --> 0:16:09.200 Five hits struck out 11 to get the win. His 0:16:09.240 --> 0:16:12.060 13th of the year. Yoshinobu Yamamoto gets the loss. He 0:16:12.100 --> 0:16:15.900 falls to 12-8. Dodgers baseball is brought to you by 0:16:15.950 --> 0:16:18.540 our friends at Daniels Jewelers. They present the Home Run Forecast. 0:16:18.900 --> 0:16:21.480 For your chance to win a $ 50 Daniels Jewelers gift card, 0:16:21.760 --> 0:16:25.690 just visit am570lasports. com. Keyword home run into your name, and 0:16:25.730 --> 0:16:29.870 you could win Daniels Jewelers' Own the Dream. Chris Sale 0:16:29.990 --> 0:16:32.090 owned the Dodgers tonight, but you know what? The Dodgers 0:16:32.130 --> 0:16:34.740 lose all three games in Atlanta by one run in 0:16:34.840 --> 0:16:37.140 each game. Very easily could have flipped the other way 0:16:37.180 --> 0:16:40.320 for the Dodgers, as it is. The Dodgers now at 0:16:40.340 --> 0:16:43.100 80-54 on the season as they head to Detroit for 0:16:43.140 --> 0:16:47.080 a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers. We'll hear from 0:16:47.100 --> 0:16:49.280 Tarek Skubal coming up. in just a couple of minutes 0:16:49.330 --> 0:16:51.590 as he joined David Vasse on the pregame show. Let's 0:16:51.610 --> 0:16:53.970 go back out to the phones. My guy, Ken Newport Beach. 0:16:54.010 --> 0:16:56.110 How you doing, Ken? Hey there. 0:16:56.130 --> 0:17:03.210 Doing okay. A little upset. Just a couple of stats 0:17:03.250 --> 0:17:06.790 here and there. Dodgers are 11-13 the month of August. 0:17:07.770 --> 0:17:13.669 They're now four or five games under. 500 with winning 0:17:13.750 --> 0:17:18.590 teams over. 500 this year. The biggest problems they have, 0:17:20.109 --> 0:17:21.830 I'm going to talk about two, and then the third 0:17:21.910 --> 0:17:24.990 one that really bothers me. See, Oscar's hitting 170 in 0:17:25.020 --> 0:17:30.159 the month of August. Yeah. Tucker, not much better. But 0:17:30.260 --> 0:17:34.000 don't expect those guys to consistently hit, and they're not. 0:17:34.960 --> 0:17:39.480 Otani is a real problem for me. He's hitting 263 0:17:39.480 --> 0:17:45.310 in the month of August with 28 strikeouts, and he 0:17:45.350 --> 0:17:46.670 looks terrible. 0:17:47.250 --> 0:17:48.170 He's swinging at. 0:17:48.150 --> 0:17:52.510 Pitches two feet away. He's letting balls go right down 0:17:52.570 --> 0:17:55.030 the middle. This is the worst I've seen him. 0:17:56.730 --> 0:18:00.119 You hope, Kenny, he figures it out come October. You 0:18:00.150 --> 0:18:03.040 hope these guys can turn it around. And I appreciate it, 0:18:03.060 --> 0:18:05.699 and I got to keep going, Kenny, here. But I 0:18:06.080 --> 0:18:07.800 understand what you're saying. And I'm going to throw another 0:18:07.820 --> 0:18:08.440 one on top of that. 0:18:08.520 --> 0:18:09.680 Is that– is the. 0:18:11.400 --> 0:18:16.220 Fact that– Freddie Freeman hasn't hit a home run since 0:18:16.240 --> 0:18:18.800 the 4th of July. There's no power there. This is 0:18:18.859 --> 0:18:21.219 a team that relies on slugging. When Freddie Freeman's not 0:18:21.240 --> 0:18:24.100 hitting home runs, and Teoscar Hernandez is not hitting home runs, 0:18:24.180 --> 0:18:27.420 and Shohei Otani's struggling the way he did tonight in 0:18:27.460 --> 0:18:30.300 this series, and as you mentioned in his last 16 games, 0:18:30.680 --> 0:18:32.570 the struggle is real for this offense. You're relying on 0:18:32.609 --> 0:18:34.409 Tommy Edmond to hit home runs, and Max Muncy can 0:18:34.450 --> 0:18:37.689 only save you so many times. Kyle Tucker's struggles are 0:18:37.850 --> 0:18:41.110 real as well. You're seeing it right now. I think 0:18:41.130 --> 0:18:43.740 the worst part for the Dodgers is a lot of 0:18:43.760 --> 0:18:45.619 guys are going through it, but you hope that they 0:18:45.640 --> 0:18:47.860 can get through, get to Labor Day, get to September, 0:18:47.880 --> 0:18:51.300 and hopefully turn things around here as they move forward 0:18:51.340 --> 0:18:53.659 into October. I believe they will. I believe they will 0:18:53.700 --> 0:18:56.310 put it all together. They've put together the defense for 0:18:56.330 --> 0:18:58.150 the most part. They've gotten better on the base running, 0:18:58.210 --> 0:19:00.590 and certainly the pitching has been really good as of late. 0:19:00.670 --> 0:19:02.429 Let's head back out to Atlanta. Let's hear from the 0:19:02.470 --> 0:19:06.210 Dodger manager, Mookie, the Dodger manager, Dave Roberts. Let's see 0:19:06.230 --> 0:19:08.550