By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer
The Los Angeles Dodgers entered the All-Star break on a sour note after being swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Since the break, however, the defending National League powerhouse has quickly regained its form.
The Dodgers wrapped up a successful East Coast road trip with a 6-3 record, winning all three series against the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees.
Los Angeles has been one of baseball’s best road teams this season, posting a 36-20 (.643) record away from Dodger Stadium while averaging 5.79 runs per game.
Freddie Freeman caught fire during the trip, collecting 11 hits over a four-game span, including three consecutive three-hit games before adding two more hits in the series finale. His 11-hit stretch matches Andy Pages’ four-game total from March and April for the most by a Dodger over a four-game span this season. Freeman’s hot streak also pushed his batting average back above the .300 mark.
Back home, the Dodgers dropped a 7-6 decision to the Seattle Mariners in the opener of a three-game series despite another spectacular performance from Shohei Ohtani. The two-way superstar went 3-for-4, launching a 432-foot leadoff home run in the first inning before doubling home the tying run in the ninth. The comeback fell short when Mookie Betts grounded out with runners on second and third to end the game.
Dodgers Notes
The Dodgers could soon receive a major boost to their pitching staff as the trade deadline approaches.
Right-hander Tyler Glasnow is progressing well in his recovery and is scheduled to face hitters in a live batting practice session Wednesday at Dodger Stadium. Glasnow and left-hander Blake Snell have both been sidelined since May.
Ohtani has not pitched since July 3, leaving Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Justin Wrobleski and Emmet Sheehan to shoulder much of the workload. While the trio has helped keep the Dodgers atop the standings, the club knows it will need a healthier rotation for a deep postseason run.
All-Star catcher Will Smith has also resumed baseball activities after being sidelined since early June with a neck injury.
The Dodgers also reinstated Kiké Hernández from the injured list while optioning infielder Alex Freeland to the minors. Freeland batted .231 with a .309 on-base percentage, a .313 slugging percentage and a 74 OPS+. Although his defense has been solid, the rookie’s offensive struggles limited his role with the big league club.