Oh, we got a fun show tonight, Off Night Dodger Talk. On this Thursday night, April seventeen, twenty twenty five, Tim Kate's with you here for the next hour on Off Night Dodger Talk is the Dodgers hit the road for a five game road trip beginning tomorrow in Arlington, Texas at Globe Life Field against the Texas Rangers. Eight sixty six, nine eighty seven to two, five seventy is the number I want you to be a part of the show tonight. It's Dodger Talk. We talk Dodger Baseball. Eight six six
nine eighty seventy two five seven. We got a fun show. Your phone calls talking Dodgers coming up. In about forty five minutes, we are going to get you a farm report. We are about three weeks into the minor league season.
We're a month in to the major league season. We'll get you an update on the Dodgers' top minor league prospects and also check in with the voice of the Triple A Oklahoma City Comments, Alex Friedman will join us during the farm report, give us the latest on Clayton Kershaw, who made minor league rehabs start yesterday in okc Tony Gonsolin, who's now three starts in to his minor league rehab
appearances and hopefully joining this Dodger rotation soon. Hey Sung Kim in Triple A Oklahoma City, how is he doing in his first taste of professional baseball in the United States? Dalton Rushing and of course Alex Freeland the Dodgers' top Triple A middle infielder prospects. So we'll get an updated on all of them, plus the guys in Double A Tulsa High A Ball, Great Lakes and the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes that's coming up in about forty five minutes your
phone calls between then and now. Though. At eight six six ninety eighty seven to two five seventy the Dodgers fresh off a six game homestand that saw them get off to a rocky start, drop two of three to the Chicago Cubs, but then bounce back and really feast on a bad Colorado Rockies team, the Dodgers winning all three games Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday last night in eight
seven victory over the Rockies. As the Dodgers go far two on this most latest homestand They're now fourteen and six overall, and as we speak right now, the Dodgers now in second place in the National League West, as they are behind the San Diego Padres, who are leading the division right now, the Padres at fifteen and four overall,
the Dodgers at fourteen and six. The Dodgers set in a game and a half back in the standings, the Giants two games back, the Diamondbacks are three games back of first place, and the Colorado Rockies, who we saw in the last three nights at Dodgers Stadium, boy, that is a bad baseball team. They are eleven and a half games back already now one month into this season, and that's where we're at. We are one month in
to this marathon of his season. They've officially played eight percent of their one hundred and sixty two game schedule at twenty games in. And there's a lot to kind of digest with this Dodgers team now twenty games in. Most certainly what jumps off the page is the Dodgers' injuries and have they've navigated through these injuries and the injuries they knew about going into the start of the season. The Clayton Kershaws, the Tony Gonsolins, the bullpen, high leverage
relievers in Michael Kopek and Evan Phillips. They started the year injured. Knew about those injuries, but then the injuries that they've had to deal with, in particularly the bug that Mookie Betts got that effected of him in Japan and the first part of the season, the il stent for Freddie Freeman reaggravating that ankle injury. The Dodgers haven't
been at full strength this season. We've had the injury bug and we've had the sick bug go through the Dodger clubhouse, most recently Teoscar Hernandez missing a couple of games on this last homestand because of the sick bug that went through the Dodgers' clubhouse twenty games into this season. My thoughts, the Dodgers pretty much played as good as they can now. They're gonna get better and this Dodgers lineup is gonna get better and it's gonna get healthy.
This Dodgers have with stand some injuries early on and really some disappointments early on in the rotation. Think about the Blake Snell injury and what the Dodgers have had to deal with with him making a couple of starts and then going to the injured list, the Dodgers navigating with Yoshi Yamamoto and Sasaki, two starters who realistically are
gonna be once a week starters for the Dodgers. As will show, Hao Tani be a one start a week starter for the Dodgers when he gets healthy and joins this rotation, and the Dodgers having this depth that we thought they had in pitching well hasn't lived up to the hype quite yet. But twenty games into this season, we've got a pretty good sample size of this twenty twenty five Dodgers roster. We've seen some ops, We've seen some downs. We've seen some offensive slumps. We've seen some
bad defense, We've seen some sloppy base running. We've seen some just flat out bad pitching at times. The number one thing that sticks out to me is the bullpen and what this Dodgers' bullpen has been able to do. I believe carrying this Dodgers team through the first twenty games, the bullpen has been asked to do a lot already this year. Certainly when you're in the beginning part of a season. You're not gonna throw your starters out there six seven Indians. You're not gonna have them go up
to one hundred pitches. You're not even gonna get him close to eighty eighty five pitches the first couple times through the rotation. I understand that. So you're gonna rely a little bit more on your bullpen early in this season as you're starting pitchers ramp up. That's kind of understood already, But this Dodgers' bullpen has had to kind of cover the butts of starting pitchers who have just not been very good and not given them the length
past the third or the fourth inning. This bullpen has been asked to do a lot entering tomorrow, eleven more innings pitch than any other major league bullpen so far this season. Dodgers relievers have averaged four to third innings pitch per game already this year. And remember last night, they had to cover the final six innings because Bobby Miller can only go three innings and get to eighty
four pitches and give up five in runs. After giving up a run in the first, Ben Casparius has had been asked to carry a lot Jack Dryer has been asked to carry a load. Alex Vesi had pitched again last night. Anthony Bonda Tanner Scott, We've seen the Dodgers bullpen a lot the first twenty games of the season. The Dodgers relievers have pitched almost as many innings as Dodgers starters through the first twenty games, eighty seven and two third innings combined for the Dodgers' bullpen eighty nine
and a third innings pitched by the Dodger starters. That has got to change as the weather gets warmer and we get closer to summer. It just has to, or else you're going to see a bullpen with dead arms by the All Star break. And quite frankly, the reason why we're seeing Michael Kopek, Evan Phillips, some of the high leverage older relievers for the Dodgers start the season on the injured list, it's because they pitched a lot last year. Bruce Dargraderol, where are you? It's been hurt
the last year plus. He pitched a lot going into twenty twenty four injured last year, unable to help. That's why Jack Dryer and Ben Casparius were big parts of the bullpen in October and Casperi's pitching in the World Series because you used your bullpen a lot during the season. It's something that Yeah, twenty games in, are we panicking about the bullpen? No, but they have carried this Dodgers team to a fourteen and six start. The offense has been up and down. They can score runs in bunches.
Last night they put a seventh spot on the board in the first inning. Unreal. But they could also go through droughts and the starting pitching has really not lived up to what we thought it was gonna be.
Sure.
Yoshi Yamamoto has pitched really well and has looked really good. David Vasse has gone out and said he could win the Cy Young Award, but before the season even started well. Four starts in, he's two and one with a one to twenty three ERA and twenty eight strikeouts. He's pitched really well. Dustin May welcome back. Code Red has pitched really well for this team. Roki Sasaki four starts up and down. Tyler Glass now up and down. You get a little cold weather, a little rain, and he melts.
But he bounced back and pitched well against the Cubs over the weekend at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are gonna get healthy and get arms back, but the depth has already been challenged with the rotation. The bullpen has saved them. The bullpen has carried it a lot the first twenty games I just mentioned pretty much even as far as innings pitched by the bullpen and the innings pitched by the starters. It's gotta change, gotta get more out of
the starting pitching. As we get to May and the weather even gets warmer into the summertime, the Dodgers will get Clayton Kershaw back. Tony Gonslim will be infused into this rotation at some point show hey Otani, my guess is the second half of the season will be ramped up and added to this rotation. So you'll see major league depth ready to go, but already landed neck Justin Robleski and last night Bobby Miller, three young arms that
going into this season, we looked at his depth. We looked at is all right extra arms ready to go? An injury occurs, we'll pop up Bobby Miller. Something happens in the rotation, a short stint on the il boom, Land and Neck inserted into the rotation. You didn't have a worry about that, and quite frankly, I still don't
worry about them starting. But they none of them, Robleski, Knack and last night Bobby Miller, in their opportunity so far, and they've been given all opportunities to go out there and start and flash and do something to catch the eye of this Dodger coaching staff have not done that. Land and Neck has certainly not done that in his two starts in three outings. Justin Robleski has come up and pitched five innings and gave up eight earned runs on eight hits in his time out there, included a
couple of home runs. And last night Bobby Miller was given a seven to one lead, only to give up five runs in the third and make it a one run game before having to hand it over to the bullpen after three innings. I love Bobby Miller, the kid as tough as nails. I love his grit and the way he goes out there on the mound and pitches. The control issues who are a problem. I think the confidence has been lost and he's searching for it. And we thought this offseason, he'd do some searching for it
this spring training, he'd find it. Certainly, getting hit in the spring training didn't help. He was behind the eight ball as far as the race was concerned with Landon Knack to make the major league roster to start the season. But last night golden opportunity to come up. He was spotting a six run lead after one inning and couldn't get out of the past the third inning. Give it an opportunity. You gotta take advantage of it. Got to get more out of these young starting pitchers. You just
have to if you're the Dodgers. That's what's stood out to me Dodger fans. The first twenty games of this season, the bullpen has been lights out. How many times have we talked about it on postgame Dodger Talk, talked about it on a five to seven DLA Sports. David Veasse has brought it up on pre and postgame shows. Rick
Monday's talked about it. How big the bullpen has been putting up zeros, keeping teams at certain runs to allow the offense to get back into a game, keeping a team off the board so the Dodgers can maintain a lead, keeping a team off the board, So what is a scoreless game? The Dodgers' offense can get jump started and
get going and give them the lead. The lack of starting pitching outside of really Dustin May and Yoshiyamamoto has been glaring the first twenty games, and the bullpen has been there to save their behinds and to help out this Dodgers team collectively. Last night, having to pitch six innings over the weekend picking up innings, Ben Casparius Jack Dryer asked to do yeoman's work pitching two three three
plus innings add the bullpen times. Through twenty games, the bullpen has pitched just as many innings as the starters eighty seven to two thirds, eighty nine and a third. Basically right there next to each other. As far as the bullpen and starters is concerned, that's gotta change. But again, my my opinion, the first twenty games of this season, the bullpen has been the MVP for this Dodgers eight sixty six nine eight seven two five to seventy. The division is tight. The NL West is gonna be like
this all season long? Will it be four teams vying for the division like it is right now? With the Dodgers, the Padres, the Giants, and the Diamondbacks. I don't think so. I think this will ultimately come down to a three team race. Really by the time the weather warms up into June, and by the time we get past the All Star break and get into August and pass the trade deadline, I think it can be tighter than that Padres and Dodgers. Right now, the Giants are playing way
above their skis. You're seeing Wilbert Flores hit six home runs early on for a San Francisco Giants team that's getting big time production out of him. Junghuglee, Ustrimsky, Willia Domas, Helio Romes, Lamont Way Junior has done nothing for him. But you're seeing a Matt Chapman team for the San Francisco Giants off to a good start. They're not going to maintain this. They don't have the depth, they can't overcome injuries like other teams in the division, and they've
got guys like Wilmer Flores having awesome starts. But quite frankly, we'll come back to reality at some point, as will the San Francisco Giants. They will be who they think they are pretty much an above five hundred team, but not a playoff team. The Diamondbacks, they're a team that's scary. They've now won in a row and are crept back into this race here early on with the Padres, Dodgers, and Giants. They'll be here for a while, but in the end it's gonna come down to the Padres and
Dodgers again. It's gonna be a neck and neck back and forth. I think the depth of the Dodgers over one sixty two is the one thing other teams don't have and can't compete with. When a starting pitcher like a Blake Snell goes on the injured list on another team like the Padres, what happens to them? Their rotation goes down dramatically. Do they have the talent around them to plug in a starter, go to the minor leagues and plug in a young arm for a couple of starts,
a couple of spins around the rotation. They just don't. They don't have what the Dodgers have. They don't even have a bullpen like the Dodgers. Even when a young arms like Robleski and Nack and Bobby Miller don't have great outings when plugged in like they have been. Other teams don't have the bullpen depth like the Dodgers to carry them for a couple of games series for a stretch like the bullpen has carried the Dodgers so far
this year. If the Dodgers lose a player in the lineup like a Freddie Freeman, which they have for an il stint, lose a player like a Mookie Betts like they have because of the illness that he had in the stomach bug, miss a couple of games here for Taoscar Hernandez two games out of three in a series. Most teams don't have the depth in the lineup or the bats in the lineup to survive something like that over the stretch of a couple of eel stins. The
Dodgers do. That's where I think ultimately it'll come down to the Dodgers and Padres the second half of the season. Injuries are part of baseball. It happens. The Dodgers are gonna have them, the Padres are gonna have them. It's going to affect a team and kill a team's chances
of a postseason run. But the Dodgers have so much depth, and they got so many guys still waiting to come back and haven't even played yet, that they are going to be able to overcome the longevity of one hundred and sixty two game season just because other teams will not be able to do that. It's going to be a wild, wild though in l West this twenty twenty
five season. Something I'm looking forward to it. It's good for the Dodgers, it's good for West Coast Baseball, and it's good for baseball in general to have a competitive division, to have meaningful games over six months of a season.
The last thing you want is a blowout runaway. Well, certainly it would feel good for the Dodgers, But to be in a competitive division, to play meaningful games from April through September, to be in a fight for a playoff spot, to make this team hungry to get another championship, there's nothing wrong with that at all. Eight to sixty six, nine to eighty seven, two five seventy. So the Dodgers bullpen, in my opinion, has been the MVP so far the
first twenty games of this season, hands down. Even through all the usage, all the innings pitched so far, collectively, they have saved the Dodgers many times so far held on to wins for this Dodgers team, held off teams by putting zeros on the board when the starters go down early. The bullpen, to me, has been the MVP of this Dodgers team, and the NL Wild Wild West is gonna continue to be that all season long. And
I'm ready for it. I'm excited for it. I think you're gonna have a lot of head to head showdown still with the Padres, the Giants, the Diamondbacks that are gonna be fun series at Dodgers Stadium and on the road. Eight sixty six nine, eight seven, two, five seventy. We'll take a time out, we'll come back. We'll get to your phone calls coming up in about twenty minutes or so. We're gonna get you a farm report, the latest on the Dodgers' top minor league prospects. Host way to Paula.
Is that your hope? You saw them in spring training? You heard their name a lot. They're off to pretty good starts in the minor leagues. Plus, we will check in with Alex Friedman, the play by play voice of the Dodgers Triple A affiliate, the Oklahoma City comments, your phone calls, will we come back? I got one line open, Dodger fans, twenty games in. Your thoughts on this Dodgers team, what you've seen so far? To me, it's bullpen, bullpen, bullpen.
They have been the MVP twenty games into this season. Your phone calls, when we come back. Tim Kates, Rodney Fossio, and you. It's Off Night Dodger Talk on this cold, gloomy Thursday night here in southern California brings the sunshine to the show here on an FHI seventy LA Sports Live Everywhere on the iHeartRadio app. Off Night Dodger Talk continues here on AMPI seventy LA Sports Live Everywhere on the iHeartRadio app. Tim Kate's with you here till the
top of the hour. Coming up in about twenty minutes, we'll get you a farm report the Dodgers' top minor league prospects from TRIPAA, Oklahoma City, all the way down to Rancho Cucamongo. We'll check in with the voice of the Oklahoma City Comets, Alex Friedman. Also during our farm report, Dodgers twenty games in, I told you my MVP, the bullpen and what they've been able to do. Eighty seven plus innings pitched for the Dodgers' bullpen so far this season,
eighty nine innings pitched for the Dodgers' starters. The Dodgers' bullpen has been big helping out this Dodgers team. Certainly, the lineup is what it is, but the Dodgers' bullpen has been tremendous. Eight sixty six, ninety seven, two five seventy. It's go out to the phones, Joshua and Porter ranch is first up here on this off night Dodge Talk. How you doing, Joshua, I'm doing all right.
Mister Tim Kates. It is so refreshing to hear you on the radio and just the knowledge that you have that you're able to spread out. I completely agree. The Dodgers' bullpen has been phenomenal. For the years, we always struggled in the bullpen, and the Dodgers slowly built that up, and obviously their death has been huge because their pitching
has struggled and their hitters have struggled. You got guys that batting in the lineup in the one twenties and the two twenties, and you know some of these guys that are barely hitting their weight, Chris Taylor finally hitting a little two fifty, which is not Austin Barnes back as usual. You know, zero fifty nine, but that top of the lineup is huge. But then once you get past that number five hit or we're in trouble, what do you think them?
I appreciate it, Joshua, don't be a stranger. Thanks for checking in here on off night Dodger Talk. Thank you for the kind words. Yeah, we saw the Dodgers seven through nine hitters finally step it up for the Dodgers last night in the win against the Colorado Rockies, and I bring up Austin Barnes's name is Joshua did just now as a guy who finally got a base hit last night. It was great to see Austin Barnes deliver
with a two run double. Dodgers seven through nine hitters last night in the eight to seven win over the Rockies. It combined five for eleven, a double, five ribbies, four runs scored, and a walk. So, yeah, we talk about the top heavy Dodgers lineup, guy get something out of the bottom of the lineup, and last night they delivered in an eight seven Dodgers win. But what happened also, the bullpen picked up the Dodgers when they needed him.
When Bobby Miller went just the three innings, the Dodgers bullpen they combined six innings of work last night to help the Dodgers and really a Rockies team that the Dodgers are supposed to beat, and they did over the course of three games. But it wasn't just last night. Go back and look what the Dodgers they didn't. The bullpen has done throughout this first twenty games of this season.
They have been nails and virtually every time they'd been called upon to come up out and keep a game where it's at, keep the team off the scoreboard the remainder of the way so the Dodgers offense can get this team back into a game. We've seen it time and time again what the Dodgers bullpen has been doing. Corey and long Beach is next up here on off Night Dodger Talk with Tim Kates. How you doing, Corey?
Hey?
Tim? Pretty good? Thank you. You don't think you're pushing the paddic button a little early, do you?
No?
I think it's the facts of the facts. They've thrown eighty seven plus innings and the Dodgers starters are throwing eighty nine. That number's got to change. I said it. It's gonna change when it's the warmer, the weather gets warmer. But it's a little alarming to see how much this Dodgers used and what they've had to do coming out and saving the behinds of the starters so far.
Okay, here's my response for you. Isn't that what we're used to the last three, four or five years, All these injuries to the pitchers and here comes the bullpen and they saved the day and they keep on doing it in all kinds of weather. And I mean they they have proved it. They've they ran a bullpen game in the World Series, for crying out loud.
Right, it's because they broke down with their starters as.
It absolutely positively can be done. And somehow, some way, if they run out of pictures somewhere in July or August, they're going to bring up a guy that I've never heard of, and he's going to come in and do the job.
Well, they're running out of those guys you've never heard of, Corey. I appreciate you that they're running out of those guys you've never heard of, and all of a sudden they come up. The Jacked Ryers, the Benkusparius, they were in Double A and Triple A last year. I'm gonna give you a farm report coming up here. There isn't that ready to go. Wow, this guy's gonna be here the second half of the season. Type of prospects pitching wise that can help out this Dodgers team. Keep in mind
a year ago the Dodgers got hit by injuries. Clayton Kershaw tow injury didn't see into what last seven weeks of the season. Tyler Glass now pitch really well, twenty two starts, an All Star, and what happened in the last eight weeks wasn't available. Gavin Stone, a start of the Dodgers, relied upon so much he threw his arm out. Twenty five starts last year for the Dodgers, one hundred and forty innings. James Paxton ate up a lot of
innings early for this Dodgers team. Yeah, the Dodgers' bullpen fresh in our minds what they did in October because of their's lack of starting pitching and injuries. But the Dodgers' bullpen also did a lot of it during the regular season when they weren't getting starts from Stone or Glass. Now there wasn't a lot of depth from the other guys. James Paxson made eighteen starts, ate up some innings for you. Walker Buehler made sixteen starts, but remember was slow played back.
Jack Floerty wasn't picked up until the trade deadline. They needed more arms. We saw Robleski make six starts last year. You know, we saw the opener multiple times. River Ryan came up, pitched four starts and threw his arm ount. Ryan Brasier was asked to make starts. Clayton Kersh only made seven starts a year ago. How many bullpen games
did we see last year? How many piggyback games where we saw a Ryan Yarborough start the game or a Dodger reliever take the ball like a Ryan Brasier and then piggybacked with a Bobby Miller, or piggybacked with a long relief guy like a Landon Nak who did that three or four times last year in his fifteen appearances. It's April. It's not even the last week of April.
We're twenty games into this season and the usage for the bullpen I'm just bringing up is a little alarming now as the season goes on, the starting pitching and the influx the back of Blake Snell, the influx of Tony Gonsolin, the influx at some point of Clayton Kershaw, and a show Hey Otani is going to help out this Dodger starting staff, and you're gonna start seeing, hopefully, the numbers of starting pitchers way higher than the usage
of the bullpen collectively. When the Dodgers got to October last year, they relied a lot on the bullpen. It's not even argument. We all know that, but look at the effects of it. Daniel Hudson retired, Gavin Stone's arms done. Evan Phillips is on a minor league rehab assignment coming back in hasn't looked great, but probably will be activated
this weekend in Texas. Michael Kopek a sore arm all off season, rested it, rested it even more during spring training and is just now working his way back the Dodgers. Bruce dark Gratderol battling through injuries. Bruce dark graderole last year for the Dodgers, you know, was basically non factor in seven games that he pitched. He's been banged up, But you look at how many pitchers they used last year.
The Rickyvenaskoz of the World, the Enrique the Edgardo Hernriquez who they brought up in September, Danelson, Lamett made some starts and outings, Gus Varlan, Kyle Hurt, and Abil Chris Met. They were stretching to get guys to give them innings last year. Codnor Brogden, I mean there was a lot
of arms that the Dodgers relied upon last year. Johann Ramirez, Brent Honeywell, I mean, there's a lot of names I'm throwing out of you that helped out this Dodgers team, and it's going to be that case this year, especially for this bullpen as the amount of innings continue to rack up. Steven la is next up here on Dodger lock.
Hey go Steve, Hey, Tim Good.
You know, I think a couple of things. I think Padres and d Backs are legit. Three teams from the West make the playoffs. I could see a scenario of Muncy struggles below two twenty and his defense isn't that great that they go after Nolan Aeronado at.
The at the what do you call it?
Deadline?
But Tim, the big thing is two Nicos are better than one.
Nico Harrison and me. We got a quarterback at U.
C l A.
Yeah one.
It's still not official, Steve, but I hear you. I'm excited as well for a little U s LA football. If Nico in fact gets to West, well, I don't know how many weds he's good for. To add to this UCLA team that's got a lot of transfers on it. Every year is different now, certainly in the last landscape of college athletics. So we'll see how that shakes out. It's only April and tomorrow's the spring game. Isabelle Anaheim? As we missed you last night on postgame Dodger Talk.
Glad you're okay, and glad to have you on off night Dodger Talk.
Yeah, well you know I can call after cam Ah, You're right? Why, Yeah, that's okay. Say let's will you say about the whoop? And I agree? Will you say about Miller?
Are you agree?
Now? The only thing is I was wondering something I'm still worthy. Oh By the way. I'm still worried about the team though, so, but I was thinking, you know, weird think I would be thinking if we never got we never go attorney, we'll probably will not read this thing team like we were. I wasn't thinking he if he was, if we were still with the Angels right now, how would where would it be?
I know?
And that's I love Otani. He's my favorite player. Don't tell platone please anyway, No, but but no, you know, I'm I'm happy. I'm sure we'll be about this team. I'll probably done with them.
No, you're not easy. You're not done with them. You're not done with them. Stott saying that I don't think Clayton Kershaw is gonna get jealous that show Etani is your new favorite player. Uh eight six, nine eighty seven, two five seventy will come back. We'll get to a farm report. We'll try to squeeze in your calls if we can. As well. They expected to be joined by the Voice of the Oklahoma City Comments Alex Friedman as well.
Get his thoughts on Clayton Kershaw's performance, Tony Gonsolin, Hey Song, Kim Dalton Rushing, Alex Freeland a lot to get into with him, and a farm report from Tulsa, Great Legs, Rancho Cooca Manga that's coming up, and your phone calls if we can squeeze man. Thanks for being with us. It's off night. Dodger Talk here on a FI seventy LA Sports Live everywhere on the iHeartRadio on this Thursday night. Dodgers back at it tomorrow as they start a three
game series in Arlington against the Texas Rangers. Old friend alert Corey Seeger with the Texas Rangers Dodgers on deck. We'll start at four o'clock. First pitch from Arlington Dodgers and the Rangers is at five oh five. We're gonna hear from the Voice of the Oklahoma City comments. Alex Friedman coming up in just a couple of minutes here as we start our farm report. Yes, we go down on the farm Dodgers Minor League top prospects from Triple A Oklahoma City all the way down to Rancho Cucamonga.
In between at Great Lakes with the Loons and Double A Tulsa. We'll get an update on Dalton rushing. Alex Friedland coming up in just a couple of minutes. With Alex Friedman, the voice of the comments. But let's get you caught up on some other top prospects host Wade Depaula, the nineteen year old outfielder in High A Ball with the Great Lakes Loons. Ten games in so far, so good, deep drive to right field, hit well smith running back, watch that ballfly.
A grand slam for the teenager to take the lead in the eighth inning. Soon enough, he'll do.
It in Hollywood. But he is bringing Hollywood to Midland right now. Lons Radio Network with the call a grand Slam pro suade to Paula a couple nights ago. It's got two home runs on this season, six ribbies, ten walks, three doubles, a triple. He's hitting just two forty three but an ops of nine to forty five. About Jackson Harris in Double A Tulsa, the twenty one year old left tender. Two starts, no wins, no losses, but a one eighty ero thirteen strikeouts already for Jackson Ferris in
ten innings of work. Zayer Hope, the twenty year old outfielder. You got a glimpse of him in spring training in the Freeway Series against the Angels. He's in High A ball with the Great Lakes Loons. Eleven games so far, three sixty four average, four doubles, a triple, and a couple of home runs, fourteen ribbies on the year for Zayir Hope, he's got an ops over one thousand, and a few nights ago had a four hit game. Here's the pitch.
It's a high fly out to right field, toward the corner Nate Nankill. He's at the wall and that hits off the Lansing BWL sign. Hope's around second, taking for third. Their relay throw arrives late, hitch to Hope. Ground ball sizzled past Montero at first base, hit into the right field corner on the two run double by Zayirra Hope three to two.
A ground ball.
Weekly struck towards second, all off the backhanded attemptive Yamba Uchiu staggered. It kicks in a shallow center Hope reaches single, charts by the official scorer, and he swings and drives it center field. Rodney Green Junior goes back over his head and one hops off the wall. It's a double for Hope, an RBI two bagger and the Loons go up seven to three.
LUN's Radio with the call Zaiir Hope quickly having a good twenty twenty five season in High A ball. Kellen Lindsay, nineteen year old shortstop down in Rancho Cucamonga, the six to two, one hundred and seventy five pound first round pick a year ago. His first professional home run.
Here's a high fly ball into right center. This ball is way back into the gap in it is gone. Last year's number twenty three overall pick in the first round. Kelln Lindsey goes yard. He deposits one into the right center gap.
Quakes Radio Network with the call. Thirty five at bats already for Kellen Lindsay, two eighty six average. There's his first home run. You just heard the five ribies in eight sixty five ops. They like his speed and they like his defense. Ed wardo Quintero, nineteen year old outfielder, signed out of Venezuela two years ago. A lot to like about him, speed, defense, A five tool guy. He's an a ball in Rancho Cucamonga. Thirty nine at bats to eighty two average. He's got couple home runs.
Here's a high fly ball into deep right center. This ball is way back. This ball is gone. Eduardo Kintaro goes yard. It is a long ball Sunday for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.
Eduardo Quintaro with the Home Run Quakes Radio Network in eight fifty eight ops to start the season for Quintaro. Jean Ja Vargas, nineteen year old shortstop also in Rancho Cucamonga. Thirty one at bats so far for the young Men at the Dominican Republic, two ninety average, six ribbies and his seven forty four OPS. Kendall George, the Dodgers first
round pick in twenty twenty three. He is in High A Ball with Great Lakes ten games so far, one ninety seven battian average, two home run, six ribbies, ten walks, so he's getting on base with a six sixty six OPS just a low batting average. Young Siuk Jing twenty one year old right hander out of South Korea, the top pitching prospect signed out of Korea in twenty twenty three. So far three starts in Rancho Cucamonga one one record, six fifty two ERA eleven strikeouts, but in nine to
two third innings, Jang has got eleven walks. How about Jared Carroll's Eric Carrols's son. He is in Double A Tulsa, the twenty four year old two starts so far, oh in one record with a ninety seventy two ERA and five strikeouts. All right, an update on some of the Dodgers' top prospects in A Ball, High A Ball and Double A Tulsa. Let's check in though with Alex Friedman, the voice of the Oklahoma City Comments, the Dodgers Triple A affiliate, And yesterday Alex Clayton Kershaw made a minor
league rehab start for you guys, three shutout innings. How did he look?
I think for any pitcher, whether it's Clayton Kershaw or someone who's essentially making their first spring training appearance of the year, because this is what that is for Kershaw to go three innings, three scoreless and face just ten batters and be very efficient is very encouraging. The fastball velocity is a little bit from where it was last year, but that's expected from any pitcher, you know. Like I said,
basically their first game action of the season. But that slider had its traditional bite to it, got a few swings and misses on it. The curve ball he dropped in a few of those as well. Nickson so much change ups too, So overall I think just very encouraging for him to have three innings to get those three ups back on the mound to start his season.
Evan Phillips has made some appearances. Looks like he's going to get recalled with Bobby Miller be an option back to Triple A. Ok See today, Tony Gonsolin, the Catman Dodger. Fans haven't seen him in over a year. He's in Triple A Oklahoma City. He's made three starts. Now, how is he looking as he looks to come back.
Well, it's been nine total innings for Tony. In eight of them have been really good. There was one that it wasn't even bad. He kind of got single to death. There was a lot of soft contact, So I don't think it's as bad maybe on paper as it seems that his last start two days ago against Tacoma, where he gave up three runs over four innings. Get all three of those runs came in that one inning where just balls found some spots against him. But I mean in his second start with US in Round Rock boy,
he was looking phenomenal. Fourteen swings and misses over forty six total pitches, twelve of those fourteen on the splinter, and you could see why at the time the Dodgers were saying, well, maybe it is just one more for Gonsolin, or maybe he could join us sooner than that. But they, I think, have the luxury of making another start at least how things stand now with us next week in
Sault Lake, and that should be the final one. But overall, Tony, of course, you know, he'll be such a big lift of the rotation, veteran guy who knows what he's doing out there. And again, I think the majority of the results have been really good so far.
Alex Freeman, the voice of the Oklahoma City Comments, joined us here on off night Dodger Talk. All Right, some of the young guys. We'll start off with Hayesung Kim. They signed him in the off season. Many thought he'd open the season with the big league team. He struggled offensively in spring training, Alex, and that was the one thing that the Dodgers really wanted him to work on before they call him up to the big leagues. How has Hayesong Kim look so far for Okse.
Well, the batting average is in a decent spot right now. It's dipped down a little bit the last couple of games to sixty eight. But I think the thing that's been encouraging, especially for the Dodgers, has been a slug It's a figh twenty one slugging percentage so far for Kim, with a total of eleven extra base hits, so over half of his hits so far have gone for extra bases. He's also played all over the field, second, short, center. A lot of people have been asking, well, how has
he looked in center? He'd never really played there before. He's played a little bit of left field in Korea, and talking with him through his translator saying he's adjusting just fine. He perverse playing up the middle. The way I've said it is he doesn't look any different than any other center fielder that I have seen this year. And I say that in a good way. But offensively, yeah, there's still some adjustments to be made. I think velocity, and he'll even admit the velocity on every pitch is
higher than it is in Korea. And another point that he brought up again when I was interviewing him and assisted by his interpreter Joe Lee. Is that the overall speed of the game is just faster. He said, everything is faster here in the US. You don't have a pitch clock over in Korea. You don't have the pace of play in disengagement roles that you do when comes to holding runners on. So he's adjusting to that as well.
And again it's some encouraging results, but I think he's certainly the first to let you know that there's more work to be done.
Alex, what's the plan for Hay Sun Kim? You mentioned he's playing center field. It has opened the eyes a lot of Dodger fans saying, well, maybe that's the long term plan form Is that the case or is it to make him versatile like a Chris Taylor, a Key k Hernandez, a Tommy Edmund, a guy who can play multiple positions infield and outfield.
Well, I don't think I can definitively answer that question. I think you have to ask another Friedman spelled differently the answer to the answer to that question. But I think we know that the Dodgers value versatility. I don't think that there is a plan to stick him at one position. I think it is to just keep him up the middle basically second, shortened center, knowing that he can handle any of those positions.
Dalton Rushing, we saw the experiment in left field at the end of the year last season. Is he back behind the play at full time? How is Dalton Rushing the Dodgers' top prospect looking so far in twenty twenty five.
Alex, Yes, he is mostly behind the plate, and that's nothing to say that he can't play left field. He did play a couple of innings there one of our game when he pinched hit like in the eighth inning, and it just made sense for him to continue the rest of the game out there based on the rest of the lineup in defensive alignment, but it's mostly catch. There have been a little bit more first base than
we saw last year. We basically saw none in Oklahoma City, so there have been some games at first base.
Two.
The thing for Dalton is last week in Round Rock hitting before the games in the cage back locked up on him. He used the final four games that series, but he's been back this week the same guy that
we saw last year. Really good knowledge of the strikes, son a really good hit tool as well as power, and he's had some really good early results too, but again that's been a little bit limited, just between again that minor injury and the fact that being a catcher he is going to get some days off as opposed to other position players. But it's going to starting lineup back behind the plate tonight, so looking forward to that, Alex.
One of the guys Dodger fans saw in spring training was Alex Frielan, the twenty three year old infielder out of Central Florida third round pick back in twenty twenty two. He shot through the system last season, played really well at every level that he got to. Here he is in twenty twenty five. Is he still primarily a shortstop? Are we seeing maybe a little bit of him at third base? And how is he doing here in the start of the season.
Yes, still, I think you nail it. They're still primarily playing getting his majority of reps at short, but they have mixed some third in as well, and he's been totally fine. I think both stops a really good hands, strong arm. The offense has been the biggest difference for the most part. Last year he struggled when he was with us, but he was starting to figure it out
at the end of the season. Had a really good last series in the season in Salt Lake City, and it was one of those situations like, gosh, you just wish the season was going to go on for him because, like I said, he was figuring out. It's carried over to this year. Talking with Alex, he says, I'm just playing free again. I got tight when I got here the Triple A. Last year. I wasn't having success, develops
some bad habits. I'm getting back to the player that I usually am and again a pre Alex Freeland it is in his last name. Since has been a really fun to watch again. Offensively defensive league guy can run too. He's got five stolen bases in six attempts since April of fourth He leads all the minor leagues and hits, so he's been a hot hitter as well well.
Alex. I appreciate the time and the update from Okac on some of the Dodgers' top prospects. Not on the door to get to LA. Thanks so much.
Happy to join you anytime.
All right, there's Alex Friedman, the voice. So the Dodgers Triple A affiliate, the Oklahoma City comments, that's gonna do it for off night Dodger Talk MINDI. Thanks to Ronnie Fozio. Thanks to you Dodger fans for being a part of the show. Thank you for podcasting as well. Dodgers back at it tomorrow the start of a five game road trip, three in Texas against the Rangers, and then two next week at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Yoshi Yamamoto on the mound. Tomorrow, Jacob deGrom will go for the Texas Rangers in a great opening pitching matchup to this three game series. Thanks for being with us until tomorrow with Morogo Casino, Dodgers on Deck. Gets it all started at four pm, First pitch at five. Have a great rest of your Thursday night. So long, everybody,