Renee: Fresh off a frustrating sweep in Atlanta, the Dodgers are packing their bags for Detroit, and Joel, I've got one question: can this team hit the reset button in a hurry?
Joel: They have to. Chris Sale just threw a complete-game shutout against them, and the bats went quiet. But Detroit is a different animal. Let's break it all down.
Renee: Welcome back to Beatline, the show where we talk Dodgers baseball every single day. I'm Renee, and as always, I'm joined by the sharpest baseball mind we've got, Joel. How are you feeling after that one?
Joel: I'm feeling like we need to talk about the pitching matchup tonight because it's a doozy. Tarik Skubal against the Dodgers' offense, and we know what he can do.
Renee: Oh, we sure do. We saw him strike out 11 Pirates just a few days ago. But before we dive into that, here's what we've got for you today: first, we'll break down the Tigers series and the pitching probables. Then, we'll get into the key hitters and the bullpen questions. And finally, we'll give you our keys to the series and a bold prediction. Stick with us, because this one's going to be good.
Renee: Alright, let's start with the big picture. The Dodgers are 80-54, still first in the NL West, but they just got swept by the Braves. How much do you worry about that carrying over, Joel?
Joel: Honestly, I'm not too worried. The Braves are a great team, and Chris Sale was dealing. But you don't want to let that linger, especially with a tough AL Central opponent coming up. The Tigers are 62-71, so they're not a powerhouse, but they've got some pieces that can hurt you.
Renee: And speaking of pieces, Tarik Skubal is starting for Detroit tonight. We saw him just dominate the Pirates with 11 strikeouts. That's the same guy we're facing?
Joel: That's the same guy. And he's been one of the best lefties in the game. The Dodgers have a right-handed heavy lineup, so we'll see how they handle him. But they've seen him before, so that's a plus.
Renee: And on our side, who's taking the mound? We've got a lot of names on that roster, but I know some guys are banged up.
Joel: The probable starter isn't listed in the brief, but we know the rotation is dealing with injuries. Bobby Miller's on the 60-day IL, and we've got guys like Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell. But honestly, with the bullpen game we saw yesterday, anything could happen.
Renee: Speaking of injuries, we had a lot of names on that list. Reynaldo Lopez, Joe Jimenez, Robert Suarez, Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, Will Klein, Bobby Miller, Blake Treinen, Ben Casparius, Justin Wrobleski... that's a lot of arms out.
Joel: It's a lot, but the Dodgers have depth. We've seen guys like Jack Dreyer and Seth Halvorsen step up. And we've got Evan Phillips and Tanner Scott in the bullpen. It's not ideal, but it's manageable.
Renee: So, tonight's game is at 10:40 PM UTC, which is early evening for us. Let's talk about what we expect from Skubal. He's got that wipeout slider. How do the Dodgers approach him?
Joel: They need to be patient and get his pitch count up. He's a strikeout pitcher, so you have to make him work. If they can get into the Tigers' bullpen early, that's a win. But Skubal is tough, so it won't be easy.
Renee: We saw him strike out 11 Pirates on the 23rd. That was impressive. But the Dodgers have a lineup that can go deep. We've got Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Shohei Ohtani... they can change the game with one swing.
Joel: Exactly. And that's what makes this matchup so intriguing. Skubal vs. the Dodgers' power. It's a classic battle. We'll see who blinks first.
Renee: Alright, let's take a quick break. When we come back, we'll talk about the key hitters and the bullpen questions. Stick with us, folks.
Renee: Welcome back. Joel, let's talk about the offense. The Dodgers scored just one run in the last two games against the Braves. What's the issue?
Joel: It's not a huge issue, but when you face a guy like Sale, sometimes you just have to tip your cap. The bats will come around. But we need to see more from the middle of the lineup. Ohtani has been quiet, and we need him to get going.
Renee: Ohtani is always a threat, but he's been in a bit of a slump. Do you think he's pressing? He's been doing live batting practice, so maybe he's close to breaking out.
Joel: He's a professional. He'll be fine. But I'm more concerned about the bullpen. We've seen some blown leads recently, and the Braves took advantage. With guys on the IL, the pressure is on the guys available.
Renee: Let's talk about the bullpen specifically. We've got Evan Phillips, Tanner Scott, Alex Vesia... those are solid arms. But we saw a walk-off loss on the 26th, and then yesterday's loss. What's going on?
Joel: It's about execution. When you're missing your top setup guys, you're asking a lot of the middle relief. But I think the guys we have can handle it. They just need to trust their stuff.
Renee: And on the injury front, we've got Bobby Miller out, Blake Treinen out... it's a lot. But the Dodgers have been resilient all year. They've got the best record in the NL, and they're still in first place.
Joel: That's the key. They're 80-54, and that's with all these injuries. Imagine what they'll do when they get healthy. But for now, they need to find a way to win without some key pieces.
Renee: Let's talk about a few hitters who need to step up. Teoscar Hernandez, Kyle Tucker, Mookie Betts... they've been carrying the load. But we need production from the bottom of the order too.
Joel: Absolutely. Guys like Tommy Edman and Miguel Rojas have been solid, but they're not going to hit for power. We need the big bats to do damage. And against Skubal, you have to take advantage of mistakes.
Renee: And what about the catcher position? We've got Ben Rortvedt and Hunter Feduccia. They're not exactly offensive powerhouses, but they handle the pitching staff well.
Joel: That's the thing. The Dodgers value defense and game calling behind the plate. They'll take offense from other positions. But if the pitchers keep giving up runs, it's going to be a long night.
Renee: Alright, let's take another quick break. When we come back, we'll give you our keys to the series and a bold prediction. Don't go anywhere.
Renee: We're back. Joel, let's get into the keys to this series against the Tigers. What do the Dodgers need to do to win?
Joel: First and foremost, they need to get to Skubal early. If they can score a couple of runs in the first few innings, it'll put pressure on the Tigers. And second, the bullpen needs to hold the lead. That's been the Achilles' heel lately.
Renee: And on offense, we need to see Ohtani get going. He's been quiet, and the team needs his bat in the middle of the lineup. Do you think he'll break out tonight?
Joel: I think he will. He's too good to stay down for long. And with Skubal on the mound, he'll get a couple of good pitches to hit. I wouldn't be surprised to see him go deep.
Renee: That would be huge. And what about the defense? The Dodgers have been solid up the middle with Betts at short and Edman at second. But we saw a few miscues against the Braves. They need to clean that up.
Joel: Defense is always key. Against a team like Detroit, you can't give them extra outs. If the Dodgers play clean baseball, they should win this series.
Renee: Alright, before we make our predictions, let's recap what we've covered. We talked about the pitching matchup with Skubal, the bullpen concerns, and the key hitters. Now, time for the bold prediction. Joel, you go first.
Joel: My bold prediction is that Ohtani hits a home run tonight. He's due, and he's been taking live batting practice. I think he breaks out of his slump in a big way.
Renee: I like that. I'm going to go with the Dodgers winning tonight by a score of 5-2, with Mookie Betts driving in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning. And I think the bullpen holds it down.
Joel: That's a solid prediction. But I'm a little worried about the bullpen. If they can't hold a lead, it's going to be tough. But I trust them to bounce back.
Renee: Alright, that's our show for today. Thanks for listening, and don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share this episode with your fellow Dodgers fans. As always, let's go Dodgers!