Dodger Talk is sponsored by LA Care Health Plan, providing affordable healthcare insurance to millions of Angelinos for over twenty five years. And now your voice for Dodger Talking like back, David Vasse. We are live at Dodgers Stadium. I'm after the Rockies defeat the Dodgers tonight by a final score of four to one and spoiling Dave roberts fifty second birthday. Welcome the Dodger Talk. David Vasse
with you until eleven o'clock tonight. Here on a five to seventy LA Sports phone lines are open eight six six nine, eight seven two five seventy. We will check in with Jose Mota at ten forty. We will hear from Bobby Miller, who was our pregame guest, to get an update on his rehab and where he's at. And also Evan Phillips was activated today. We'll
hear from the Dodger closer as well. But as far as this game goes, obviously Walker Bueller was not sharp, but he's going to have nights like this, especially since he just came back from his second Tommy John surgery. I know it's been two years, but it's been two years since he's pitched in the major leagues, and I didn't think he pitched that poorly. I know he's going to be his harshest critic, but after the first inning,
I thought he was a lot better. I know he loaded the bases in the first inning, but you have to give him credit for striking out the side. He got McMahon for the first out of the inning. After back to back singles from Blackman in Tovar and after a walk to the cleanup hitter Dias, he was able to get Chris Bryant looking and strike out Brendan Rodgers to end the inning. So that was impressive to see that he was able to do that with the bases loaded in less than two outs, and from
there I thought he pitched well. Obviously, the third inning got a little shaky as well, but his defense let him down. Andy Pa has misplayed to base it by Brendan Rodgers that would have scored one instead of scored two, and it was a three run third inning. All in all, that still should not have been enough to beat the Dodgers. I still don't know
how Dakota Hudson was fooling the Dodgers tonight. You could say all you want about the sinker and that's the new pitch now, yes, but it's the I guess retro is always coming back, is what they say in fashion, and the sinker. Pitching down in the strike zone was a primary necessity up until the last seven eight years, where teams thought they could get away with the high strike, and yeah, you can, but if you make a
mistake, it's going to be middle middle. But nonetheless, the Dodgers were swinging at pitches that Dakota Hudson was throwing that were outside of the strike zone, and if they were in the strike zone, you know they were aren't pitches that they were doing much with. And the Dodgers, I don't care if they're playing the Sisters of Mercy. If their first four hitters go a combined one for fifteen, they are not beating them. And that's what happened
tonight. The Dodgers' first four hitters, the four Horsemen bets, Otani, Freeman, and Smith, were it combined one for fifteen. Will Smith had the only hit of the four hitters for the Dodgers, and in the eighth inning there was a golden opportunity for the Dodgers to be able to maybe mount to comeback against this Rockies team. And Mookie Betts came up with the bases loaded, nobody out and hit into a double play. That's how the Dodgers
scored their only run. And even after that, Freddie Freeman came up after a two out walk by show Hey Otani, put runners at the corners and struck out. That's not gonna get it done against any team out there. And I don't know, you know, this is where Mookie Bets making himself vulnerable playing shortstop kind of opens the door for questions like this, because Mooki's out there virtually every day, three hours before first pitch, taking ground ball
after ground ball, and making throws after throw at first base. Has anybody realized the fact that Mooki Bets only has two home runs in his last one hundred and sixty nine at bats, two home runs in his last forty two
games. This is a leadoff hitter that hit thirty nine home runs last year playing right field and second base this year, playing a much more demanding position and putting in a ton of work before games and then going out and playing the most demanding position outside of catcher on the field has two home runs in his last one hundred and sixty nine at bats. That's right now, Mooki has eight home runs. He's hitting three and is at the top of the
most hits in baseball. But the power, where has it gone? Are the lead legs a little wobbly because of this new position that is very demanding on the body. Where has the power gone? Because Mookie Bets right now is on pace for only twenty two home runs. I'm not putting tonight's loss at his feet. I'm just bringing that up that the fact that he only has two home runs in his last one hundred and sixty nine at bats eight
six six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. Let's go out to mission Viejo, brad You're on Dodger Talk with David vasse Hi. Brad Hi, thanks for taking my call. Yeah. And usually he's driving the ball to the deepest part of the field when he's not homering, so to kind of well one into a double play situation was unusual. And what's with Freeman. Freeman's not always clutched these days. I know he's got a lot of doubles, but what do you think of You think he's just gonna
start hitting better. Yeah, you know, he's kind of spoiled us, right the first two years with the Dodgers, he's been on another planet. He's still doing really well. He's sitting close to three hundred, Brad, But yeah, that was an inopportune time for him to strike out in that spot. So I think Freddy's doing a nice job. Is it to the level of last year's Freddie Freeman? No, and he would admit that. So hopefully he still hasn't got hot this season, so the Dodgers are winning
for that. Once he does, that'll help out a lot. But I guess that's scary for the rest of the National League that Freddie Freeman has not gotten hot and he's still hitting three hundred. I would be very concerned for other National League teams. And that's a good thing for the Dodgers. Yeah, what was wondering the last three home games, they've really been out Homer too when you go back to the two Arizona losses. All right, Brad, Yeah, thank you for bringing up all those things. Appreciate it.
Six six ninety seven two five seventy is the phone number. Dodgers fall tonight to the Rockies four to one in their first matchup against the Rockies. And like I mentioned during the Clubhouse Show, it's about when you catch a team. And yes, the Rockies have one of the worst records in Major League
Baseball, but in their last two series they have beaten division leaders. They've beaten the Phillies two out of three, who lead the National League with the best record, and they also beat the Cleveland Guardians in their last series two out of three, and the Guardians are in first place in the n AL Central. So something is working. And Bud Black is not a guy that is going to give up on a season in May, so you can expect
his team to take on the personality of his manager. I mean, he has not had a lot to work with the last seven eight years, since basically twenty nineteen. You know, seeing Walker Bueller on the mound against the Rockies at Dodger Stadium brings back memories of Game one sixty three in twenty eighteen, and ever since then, these two franchises have gone in different directions. The Dodgers kept on rolling and the Rockies have gone down and taken many steps
backwards. Eight six six nine, eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. The Dodgers fall to the Rockies tonight four to one, and with the loss tonight, the Dodgers lose just their twenty third game of the year. They finish May seventeen to ten. That's the second best record in the National League in the month of May, to only the Phillies. The Dodgers still hold a six game lead in the lost column over both San Diego and
San Francisco. San Diego won tonight, the Giants lost to the Yankees. Aaron Judge hit two home runs by the Bay, so the Giants are at five hundred. The Padres a couple of games over five hundred or three games over five hundred as they trailed the Dodgers. Eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. I was getting a lot of tweets tonight for those that were watching and listening at home and those that were here
at Dodger Stadium. They were asking me, what's going on with the PA announcer, Todd Lights has the weekend off, so uh. One of the in house people here at Dodger Stadium, Nancy Moritaia Chavez did a very nice job in her debut as the PA announcer here at Dodger Stadium. Her day job is the broadcast traffic manager for Dodger Spanish Radio. So great job Nancy. First time doing the PA at Dodger Stadium, filling in for Todd Lights.
She did a very good job. Eight six six nine eighty seven two five seventy is the phone number many of you keep asking me about Bobby Miller. What's going on with Bobby Miller? Woondsy coming back? Well? I got an update from Bobby Miller himself, and here's what he told us in our pregame conversation. I'm definitely interesting to get back. You know, I'm just trusting the process at the same time, but I feel ready to go.
I feel ready to get back in Major League games with where my stuff is at right now and health wise, I feel one hundred percent right now. But you know, I'm just here trusting the process. During your rehab outing, can you gauge anything from those or is it more about how you feel the next day. It's a little bit of a mix of both. You know, I felt great that day and the day after. I've been
bouncing back really good, especially after that LIVEVP here at Dodger Stadium. It seemed like right after that, like I just started bouncing back really good health wise, and everything just seemed to go away. And I'm feeling nothing at this point, like no pinch or anything in the shoulder, even warming up. It's not taking me a long time to get loose anymore. It's just like coming out good right away. But your takeaways from the game, I
mean, it's hard, like really to know what to expect. You know, you don't know if there's gonna be guys like really really excited to face a major leaguer and start swinging a lot. But you know, some of a couple of them put together some good at bats. That's really just an execution standpoint for me, like showing them something good or not. But my takeaways were really good, you know, after a decent amount of strikes.
Fastball was really good, chained up was great, cider was great, curveball still needs a little bit of work, but I learned that everything's going good. Well, there you have it. Bobby Miller himself giving us an update on how his rehab is going and how the right shoulder is feeling great to hear number one, he's not feeling a pinch in that right shoulder. And
I know he said when he went on the il. Ever since spring training, it was taking him a little bit longer to warm up, and that's the reason why he said that it's just taking the normal amount of time to warm up to come into that game. And Dave Roberts said that Bobby, even though he is feeling ready to go, is still going to have to make two more rehab starts, one for Rancho Cuckamonga, the other will be for Oklahoma City before he returns to the Dodger rotation. And quite honestly,
everybody's wondering who's the odd man out when Bobby Miller comes back. A A lot can happen between now and then b If everybody is healthy and feeling good and the Dodgers are feeling good about the way they're managing their innings, then they probably will go to a six man rotation in the near future with Bobby Miller coming back to it, because they have a more favorable schedule than what
they've had in the month of May heading into the month of June. Once the Dodgers get passed this stretch of game, so this weekend and into next weekend where they have to fly back to the East Coast. Thank you tooever, made the schedule by the way, in Major League Baseball, it made complete sense to send the Dodgers to the East Coast last week, have them come to LA for three games, and then head back out to the East
Coast again, make complete sense. That the Dodgers did not play the Mets and Yankees during their time in New York last week in complete sense, right wrong, horrible job by the schedule maker this year. Anyway, once they get past the series in New York against the Yankees, it seems like the
schedule kind of favors them a little bit more so. Look, it hasn't been easy for the Dodgers, and it hasn't been easy for any team in Major League Baseball my understanding, talking to other teams, players, broadcasters, their schedule has made as much sense as the Dodgers schedule has. So I don't know what went on this season, but think about this, how ridiculous the schedule make was this offseason. You got the Dodgers going to Yankee Stadium
next weekend. That is the most anticipated regular season matchup this entire year, not just Dodgers. Name another bigger series than Freddie mooki Otani in a Dodger uniform going to Yankee Stadium to take on the Yankees, who are back in first place, a possible World Series preview right, three nationally televised games next weekend from Yankee Stadium. Do you know? Major League Baseball scheduled their Jewel
International Series in London Phillies Mets next weekend as well. So if they want attention that they're taking the game to London and they want all the lights on at Yankee Stadium for Dodgers Yankees, why would you schedule it the same weekend? It makes no sense Anyway. The Dodgers will be at Yankee Stadium starting
next Friday night. Before they get there, they'll be in Pittsburgh for a three game series, and the way it's lined up right now, the Dodgers will see rookie sensation Paul Skens out of El Toro High School during that three
game series. Hey, tomorrow, between twelve and one, you can meet Miguel Vargas and Austin Barnes at the Montabello Dodgers Clubhouse store any purchase of fifty dollars or more at the Montabello Dodgers Clubhouse store, you will receive a qualifying risk band to participate in the meet and greet with Austin Barnes and Miguel Rojas. Limited risk bands available. Reach out to the store for more details.
That's tomorrow, twelve to one Austin Barnes and Miguel Rojas. And they asked me if I was showing up. I said, I haven't seen my kids in a while, so I'm gonna spend some quality time there. And my daughter tonight was playing Baby Simba in the school play, so she did a great job by all accounts, I mean biased opinion. Her mom texted me and said she did great, so I'll take her word for it. Anyway.
Speaking of the Dodgers last road trip, not sure if you heard, but on the way back from New York they were delayed for nearly eight hours and did not arrive in Los Angeles until seven twenty yesterday morning here in LA because of multiple issues weather, pilots, pilot rules, and you know, some mechanical issues. So the Dodgers were in a tube for twelve hours eight on the ground five in the air, and it was nobody on the team's
fault. There was just unfortunate circumstances, and the Dodgers director of Travel, Scott Akasaki, does a great job. Outside of pushing the plane and trying to get it going in the sky, there was not much he could do.
But the good news was nobody freaked out. Everybody kept their composure and we all just rolled with it. And also in New York, I had a very unique experience of taking the seven train back to the hotel with Kirsten Watson, Steven Nelson, Eric Carrows, director Mike Levy, and the rest of the TV crew. The only problem was once we got to Grand Central Station, Fabio aka Eric Carrows did not want the rain to mess up his beautiful hair, so he was a little salty about having to walk half a
mile from Grand Central Station to the team hotel. And as he was pulling his rollaway bag, I was behind him and all I heard him say was, I swear, I swear one time in my life I did back cleanup for the Dodgers. So take it easy, fab yo. We made it all right. We're gonna take a time out here on Dodger Talk. When we come back, we'll check in with Jose Mota and also we will hear from Dodger closer Evan Phillips, who was active tonight if there was a safe
situation. Unfortunately, there wasn't, as the Rockies beat the Dodgers tonight four to one on a five to seventy LA Sports on air at AM five seventy, online at AM five seventy LA sports dot com, and available by podcast on the iHeartRadio app. This is Dodger Talk with David Bassa. What no
highlight? Yeah, that should tip you off. Not a great night for the Dodger offense, as they only mustard one run and that came after Mookie Betts grounded into a double play with the bases loaded and nobody out in the eighth inning. The Dodgers only one run and five hits against THEA. COODA Hudson and the Rockies tonight as Colorado comes into town and beats the Dodgers four to one tonight. Daniels Jewelers they are the official sponsor of the Trip around
the Diamond. Stop by any Daniel's location and say home run for your free team bracelet and fifty dollars gift card toward any purchase of ninety nine dollars or more. Daniels Jewelers owned the dream. Before we get to Jose Mota,
I just want to let you in on a Tommy Lasorda anniversary. In this day and age of load management for pitchers, I thought it was very interesting that on this date, back in nineteen forty eight, the Hall of Fame manager for the Dodgers was chasing his pitching dreams in the minor leagues for the
Dodgers' Triple A affiliate Montreal, Tommy Lasorda. Listen to this, Tommy Lasorda on this date in nineteen forty eight in the minor leagues through a fifteen inning complete game and struck out twenty five batters, struck out twenty five amsterdamn rugmakers. To be exact, that's right, true story. Fifteen inningcomplete game for Tommy Lasorda and he struck out twenty five batters on this date in nineteen forty eight. Let's set out to Jose Mota. Now it's time to go around
the horn with Jose Mota. How many times did you hear Tommy tell that story? Jose Moda. That is exactly what I was thinking about. Oh my god. I heard it so many times, going back to Dominican Republic winter Ball early seventies, when Tommy would go, hey, Mota, if I was pitching today, you have no chance of being in the big leagues. That's what he told my father every single time. Did you ever take batting practice when you were at cal State Fullerton against Tommy? I took batting
practice at Dodger Stadium against Tommy, and it was not batting practice. It was I bet you can't hit this. Who knows what he did? So he had a tendency to go to his mouth a lot, and I'll tell you that nothing looks the same. Tommy had so many tricks. It's good to recall these memories because what a character and how many stories and how many meetings that we were allowed to be and his kids. It's just an unreal experience for all the stuff been around Tommy for that long. Great ambassador for
the game and especially the Dodgers, no doubt about it. Jose. Let's turn our attention to tonight's game. I did not believe Walker Buehler pitched that poorly, but unfortunately U two out base hits, two out home run in the fourth inning by Ezekiel Tovar kind of got him for those four runs. There's a way I'm gonna be evaluate Walker Bueler. Every time I seen to go to the mound, I want to see if he took a step forward, and today he did again. His line looks worse than he pitched.
There's a ball that Row has missed that to me, their basements. You got to make that play. And you know that was after one out. The next hitter Watts and the next hitter Flebb center field. I mean, I'm sure that Miguel is the first one to go. I have to make that play. It was not rule an error. But Walker had to work through twenty eight pitches in the first inning. He had to work the twenty three last time out, and to get to the sixth inning. Dave tells
you a lot about what this guy's made of. Okay, he is, as you mentioned, a harsh critic on what he does and the way he values himself. But let me tell you something, man, there's something magic in that arm. Still at ninety seven be able to flip the baseball at seventy eight to eighty miles an hour, get some swings and missus and you
know, get through that lineup on the first inning. And then even though he struggled in the third inning and the defense didn't help, he showed me a lot as to what is happening with his arm and not on the home runs is something he wants to keep down. But I really do apply the fact that you know, if we're going to go to arbitration and talking about quality stars, well there was again quality soft for Walker villain. All right,
maybe Jose Moto will represent Walker Buehler and arbitration after that. I think he's I think he's just fine as a pre agent. He'll be a very rich man too, Yes he will, Jose. As far as the offense goes, Dakota Hudson came into the game with an ERA close to six. How did he do this tonight against this offense? Well, he avoided barrels and that's exactly what you want to do with a sinker ball guy who's going
to go out there and see which way the guys are thinking. And when you see a lot of guys in the on the pull mode, guess what he's going to do. I'm going to show inside soft I wanted to heel it off or swinging miss. He did to Otani and he did to Freddy. I'm also going to go out there and stay in and out with my sinker and Dave. I mean, you know, you and I have talked about this. The sinker is back, There's no doubt about it. It's it's still one of the best dishes in the game, still one of the
most waste, one of the best way for you to be economical. And what I didn't see was hitters' adjustments. Again, and I know that we've talked about this before too, but if you're not barreling balls up, there's gotta be a reason when the first time, second time you see the same result and not make an adjustment. Certainly he's gonna not change, and he
did not change. He was not changing strikeos, which is great. Fifty six percent ground balls coming into this game just tells you about what he wants hitters to do is get the top of the baseball. Let my defense work. And one thing very interesting I noticed too, is how much the Rockies, Dave, and you don't see this on defense anymore. They pinched the
middle a lot. I mean, they give away range on the left or right of the shortstop, but they really take balls away up the middle, not just with one guy, with two guys, and it was visible they're an adult played by Mulkibiz in the a setting, they had two guys pinching and there was a result of an easy go a play. Yeah, the
Dodgers seemed to do that a lot too, Jose. I know the shift has been eliminated, but a lot of teams, like we saw tonight with the Rockies, and we see a lot with the Dodgers, they pinch and they do take away that base hit up the middle a lot of times. It's good to see, how you know, the tendencies are changing depending on who you're playing, obviously depending on who's on them. And they look compare hitter pitcher match up. What kinds of swings am I getting? Where can
I have all the most hits? And I'm glad that they're paying attention to them because obviously is one of the ways in which you're going to be able to go out to minimize damage, you know, on the ground for you guys on the mount. Okay, one one more question regarding tonight, Dakota Hudson against this Dodger offense, so I know has not been perfect in the last couple of weeks, but still Dakota Hudson is Dakota Hudson for a reason.
Was it more the Dodger hitters chasing pitches outside of the strike zone, Jose, Or was Dakota Hudson kind of David and taking down Goliath tonight? I think it was more David Goliath. He was on his game. You mentioned it quite clearly. Teams like Cincinnati obviously, teams like Colorado I want to gun down and said Nationals, this is our series. We need to
show Buddy Black that we can play against these big boys. And you know, they did it against Cleveland, they did it against the Phillies and they got off to a good stars. So, without taking much away from the door sitters, he did a very good job not repeating pitches, not staying the same pattern, and not chasing strikeouts, you know, not overthrowing, so allowing the ball at ninety one to do his effect and go out there
and full some hitters, reach some swings. And Eli has did the same thing too, the way he positioned himself and received and presented that sinker was also very favorable. Learr Veno were buying the plate, Jose, Mota is joining us after the Rockies beat the Dodgers tonight four to one. How about Mookie Bets in the power outage, Jose, He's still at the top as
far as hits leaders go in Major League Baseball. He's hitting three point thirty but only two home runs in his last one hundred and sixty nine at bats. What's going on with the power for Mookie Betts. Well, we got to get Mooki back on pull vote. I mean, we saw a flash of that in San Francisco against Web and we haven't seen it again. I mean, he's getting his bases, there's no doubt about it. But LOOKI
knows the way he serves his ball club. He'll take his walks for twenty six on base coming into today, but the power needs to be there. He's he's a true separator. Booki Bets knows how to drive in runs. That's why he said with better scholing position too. But Muki goes well and everything turns on with him, and there's a better flow to his offense when he's on pull mode opposed to other hitters when they get in pullmot, they get in trouble. Mooki gets in pull mote, he is a much better
hitter. Yeah, Alex kra always said that about Muki as well. His power is to the poll side. If he's not pulling for power, it's going not the right direction for him. Hopefully it'll come. He'll get into a couple, you know, he'll get under a couple of balls and just get the confidence going. That's one thing about Mooki, you know, the hitter that when he gets into pull mode, he doesn't shy away from make
an adjustments middle deal the way. But certainly when he's on pullmo that top ten is driving through man and then we know it's a thing of beauty. So hopefully it'll happen soon and he'll have our opportunities to capitalize on the guys in the bottom when they get on to go out there, and I did it last season so well to drive him in. The good news is Jose, there's a game tomorrow. We'll see you out here at Dodger Stadium. His uncle Tommy would say, it's over people, let's go out there and
get it done. Gets Lasania to die and beat the heck out of the next team tomorrow. Hey, that sounds like a good plan. Thanks, Jose, we'll talk to you tomorrow. You got a mister sayer. There he goes Jose Mota, part of the Dodgers Spanish radio broadcast. Fernando Venezuela back in the house tonight with Pepe and Ningez and Jose Mota. The Dodgers fall to the Rockies tonight, four to one. As I mentioned earlier, Evan Phillips, the Dodger closer, was activated today off the injured list.
He missed a month with a strained right hamstring and was available if there was a safe situation tonight. Obviously there was not, but I had a chance to catch up with Evan Phillips, who's mood was a lot brighter today than what I've seen the last month. Very happy to be back, very excited. You know, not being able to pitch and being on the injured list is definitely no fun. It's much less fun than, you know, being a part of the team and trying to win ball game. So very fortunate
that my rehab journey was irrelatively quick and fully healed. So very fortunate for that, and just happy to be here again. Did you catch Daniel Hudson reminding the world you are the Dodgers? Yeah? Sure, did you know?
That was really exciting? That was actually that game of the doubleheader was what Sunday, right, Yeah, So I had I had a rehab game that day, and I was just getting ready for my game, and I had the Dodgers on in the background, and you know, watching that moment unfold and you know, think basis loaded three to zero count, you know, winning run on third base. I didn't have any doubt that Huddy could
get through it. So it was a super super awesome to see that come to fruition and the shushing of the crowd of the end was just the icing on the cake. Man, I could tell you're back. The smile is back. For Evan Phillips. It feels like a weight's been lifted. Definitely. Yeah. I'm absolutely just super excited to get back out there and you know, competing again. So been it felt like a long road for me, just because it's been I think about four weeks now since I've been in
a game. So just super happy to be back. There's Evan Phillips, the Dodgers super reliever who is back inactive and certainly back to his normal self, because I know it pained him to not be able to help the team over the course of the last month with that right handstring strain. So the Dodgers got big reinforcement today with Evan Phillips, and now their bullpen is that much deeper with Phillips, Trining Vesia and of course Daniel Hudson at the back
end of their bullpen. And Alex Vessia tonight came in and pitched really well. Also, Anthony Bunda, who the Dodgers picked up a couple of weeks ago, still has not given up and earn run with the Dodgers. Tonight he pitched a scoreless seventh inning. The left hander Anthony Bunda will be our pregame guest tomorrow, and he's a very interesting arm that the Dodgers feel like could provide what he has already this season. So good kid, and hopefully
things work out with the Dodgers and Anthony Bunda. That'll do it for us. Tonight on Dodger Talk Tomorrow, game two of this short three game homestand against the Rockies, Yoshi Yamamoto will be on the mound. He's five and two with an Era at three point fifty one, going up against Cal Quantrell, who is four and three with an ERA at three point fifty three. Marongo Casino. Dodgers on Deck begins at six o'clock tomorrow, with first pitch
at seven ten. Thanks to Colin Yee back at our Burbanks Studios, Thanks to Dwayne McDonald out here at Dodgers Stadium, and thanks to you for listening. In case you missed any of the show or our pregame conversation with Bobby Miller, you can find it on the iHeartRadio app once again. The final score tonight from Dodgers Stadium. The Rockies defeat the Dodgers four to one. Fox Sports Radio is next. Have a great rest of your night see them