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 Talk by back David Vasse. I like to have bunmacollin Ye back there a big show. Heyo Tani fan and Otani tonight. Two for four tonight he is hitting three h nine with an ops of nine fifty six. Welcome to Dodger Talk. David Vasse with you until ten thirty. Jose Mota, another
big fan of show. Heyo Tani will join us in fifteen minutes. And uh, I don't know if the phones are working or not because we only have one call tonight after an hour of full board of calls. Just ripping
into Mookie Beds show. Heyo Tani and Freddie Freeman last night because they could not deliver in the eighth inning against David Robertson Well Tonight, in the eighth inning, two of the three of those guys delivered Mookie Betts with a one out single, set up Freddie Freeman delivering the go ahead base hit in the bottom of the eighth inning in a huge clutch moment two outs against his former teammate Will Smith. Maybe the phones aren't working either, because I don't see
any Chris Taylor haters tonight. It's weird. Chris Taylor tied the game up in the bottom of the fifth inning clutch as well two outs against Cole Reagan's and I don't know are the phones working tonight. I don't see anybody tonight. That's why I try to tell you don't overreact to one game in the middle of June, especially when you're talking about talented players like Mookie Bets, Sho Hao Tani and Freddie Fah. Those guys, more games than not are
going to deliver and impact the game in some shape or form. Does it work out every night, of course not. Are they all going to go into slumps, of course they are, but you will hope that they minimize those slumps. Otani for the last twenty four games coming into tonight, was hitting just two hundred and before the game tonight. No mar Garciapara, who was listening to the show last night, defined what a slump is to a
hitter. You don't want to get beat by the fastball, and you're starting your swing early to not get beat by the fastball and instead you're making yourself look silly and not seeing the baseball well. And every hitter goes through it, but the great ones find a way to minimize it. And hopefully tonight was the beginning of Otani coming out of his slump, because the Dodgers came
up big tonight in a couple of different ways. The bottom third of the order, Miguel Rojas, who got the started second base tonight, came up big defensively as always, and also came up with a big hit with one out in the fifth inning, a two run home run to cut the Royals lead to one run, and then Chris Taylor with the two out home run to tie the game was huge, and Freddie, of course doing what Freddy does, not trying to hit a home run, but just trying to get
that run in because that's all the Dodgers needed, and that's what they got. A base hit up the middle, Mookie Bets scores from second base, and the Dodgers complete the comeback against the Royals. Eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number? Ah, there you guys are I guess the phones are working again. I can't say enough about Gavin Stone. He was my pick to be one of the leading vote getters for the
National League Rookie of the Year in spring training. And after last night's bullpen game where the Dodgers used Blake trenin back to back nights, they used Evan Phillips. Even though they were losing last night, they used six different pitchers last night. They needed a big start from Gavin Stone, and even with the three run home run he gave up to Salvador Perez, he hung in there for seven innings and shortened the game. And from there it was Daniel
Hudson and then Alex Vesias. So to me, Gavin Stone just as big as anybody tonight. Let's head downstairs to the Dodger clubhouse to hear from tonight's starter, Gavin Stone. Yeah, especially when you have bollpen game the day before. But we dropped to the Rangers. So getting a win today was I mean pretty big. Navigate through their through their lineup so efficiently. Yeah, just mix it in now. Two seam was good today, change up was good today. Just left one over the plate to Salvi and I mean
he's a good hitter. He crushed it. But yeah, just makeing two seam change up for Simway pretty much responsibility of pride. Do you take this is the fourth time gone seven last nine starts. Yeah, I mean I feel like that's my job, more or less is to go deep in games, give her a bullpen, you know, some lenked and let them come in and do their job in the later inning zone. But yeah, I mean that's a huge I feel like that's any starter's job really though. But
one mistake the first pitch slider for us? You want that one back? Yeah? Yeah, for sure. Are you better at letting those go now than maybe you were last year? Yeah? I mean, once it's over, you can't really do anything about it. You can only focus on the next hitter, And so just having that approach helps a lot. All Right. There's Gavin Stone who came up big for the Dodgers tonight, pitching seven innings and from there the Dodger offense found a way to score enough runs to
come back against a very good pitcher in Cole Reagan's. He was actually acquired by the Royals last year when they traded e Raaldus Chapman to the Rangers. I would say the Royals are happy with that Trade. Eight six six seven is the phone number. We now have a full border calls. Let's start in Lake Elsin or Andy. You're on Dodger Talk. How you doing, Andy? Hey, Dave, I just want to talk a little bit about Yeah, Gavin Stone, he's badass, and you know what, he's surprising
me this year. I love his pitching, But I want to talk about really, you know, from twenty seventeen to twenty twenty, when we won that World Series, we had a a corra of Dodgers that you know, it was pasted the baton and they did even better with a two strikes you know, they were able to get hit or home runs whatever, they were able to do start rallies. But this year, year and a half,
I don't recognize anyone from any one of those teams. And honestly, I think they're every one of them has that pressure and when they get those two strikes, I don't really see them trying to pass the baton or shorten their stream. I think they're time to hit home runs regardless. So I don't know, can you talk about that? Yeah? I agree with you, Andy, I don't feel like this Dodger team has that same identity. Just yet. You will hope that they get it by the time the end of
the season comes. But we're just ten games shy at the midway point of the season. But I feel like some guys do it better than others Andy. But yes, you would like to see more of the way those Dodgers did it from even twenty fifteen all the way through twenty twenty, that's for sure, Andy, I agree with you, and certainly different personnel, but you will hope that they find a way to do that. Those were special teams and special group of players, for sure. Andy, Thanks for the
phone call. Eight six six ninety seven two five seventy is the phone number. Look, when you talk about passing the baton, that means grinding out at bats, making the pitcher work, and taking your walk if that's what it is, and trusting guy behind you is going to be able to deliver. That was the identity of those Dodgers, and you would hope that some
of these guys start to feel that mindset. A lot of these guys are just getting here or are just arriving from the minor league, so it takes some time to develop that type of identity, and those teams were really special in that department. Let's go out to Redondo Beach. Steve, you're on Dodger talk Yep, here we go, Steve, stand by, stand by Steve. All right now you're on Holy Crab, Dave. You can bang that phone on the desk a little harder, man. Yeah, where are
you at? I I'm on the I'm on the one oh one North right now in the valley. I was just in La here in the fireworks from the stadium though. Nice? Nice? So what where do you fall? Were you the guy that overreacted last night? Are you a Chris Taylor hater? Where do you fall in all this? Hey, I'm not gonna lie, man. I was. I was, you know, I was, you know, I was flip popping from Chris Taylor to Key k Hernandez and then listening to you. You made a good point. You know we're missing
Max Munty. But I remember calling into you, Dave too, like two seasons ago or last season, when they were talking about Nolan Aeronauto and I I got Max Munty's back and I asked him how you felt about him? Defensively right? And then no one grinds out and at that or takes pitches and sees the strike zone better than Max Muncy, right left handed bat knows the strike zone, takes pitches. So you know, I just but no one, uh no one talks with conviction and and says it better than you,
Dave. So I want to give you the respect. And I also just wanted to touch on this guy, Anthony Bonda. His stuff looks really good man. And and then when you brought up Gavin Stone, I would love to bring another Rookie of the Year back home to Dodger Stadium, and that would just you know, that rainer Rookie of the Year that we had. That would really be sweet. And obviously, you know, a World Series championship. But I just appreciate what you do for us here on the
Daily Dave. Thanks Steve, I appreciate it. Thanks for calling in and thanks for listening. Call back any time. And look, I feel like we all underappreciate Max Mounsey, but maybe not after this. I think we understand now that it's not just about Max Monsey. It's about how Max Monsey fits in this lineup. I talked about it last night. It's about one
through nine. It's not just about nine Island hitters. You gotta be able to be a cohesive lineup, and I think we all have a better understanding on why the Dodgers decided to bring back Max Mounsey because he does fit perfectly in the middle of this order, and he was having a much better season than he had last year. So I think we all when Max Munsey comes back, we'll appreciate his value a little bit more to this lineup. Eight
six six ninety seven two five p seventy is the phone number. Dodgers come from behind tonight, beating the Royals four to three. It was an exciting night for the Dodgers, for sure, but it was even more exciting to see Bobby Wood Junior. And I guess I shouldn't say even more exciting, it was just as exciting to see Bobby Wood Junior play for the first time
tonight in his career at Dodgers Stadium. Remember, the Royals have not been to Dodgers Stadium since August of twenty seventeen, so this was the first time we have had a chance to lay eyes on Bobby Wood Junior here in LA
and he did not disappoint. Despite going zero for four tonight, he made the play of the season defensively in Major League Baseball when he was able to go out to shallow left field, catch a flare by Andy Paez and then had the presence of mind to be able to throw it to the cutoff man Nick Lofton is second baseman, instead of trying to make the throw all the
way himself from shallow left field on the grass. He has the presence of mind as a shortstop who's in shallow left field to throw it to the cutoff man. In some sorts, Lofton to double off Taioscar Hernandez. So that was spectacular And I'm sure you've already seen it on your social media. Let's go out to burbank, Zoe. You're on Dodger Talk. How you doing, Zoe? Hey, Dave, how are you? My question? And
I didn't watch the postgame or anything. I wasn't sure if Roberts had an explanation, but I was curious with Rojas's starting why they didn't put him in short and move Mooki to second, just to kind of get him off his legs a little bit and give him a break from playing short. Yeah, they've said this earlier in the season. Zo If they're going to commit to Mookie Bets. They're going to let Mookie Bets play shortstop even when Rojas is
in the starting lineup. So that's the reason why, even when you know for the last two months, when Rojas plays, it's either third base or second base if Mookie's playing shortstop, because they're committed to Mookie Betts until the trade deadline at the very least to let him play there. Okay, Okay, yeah, I mean I'd love for Rojas to play a little bit more too, because he's been playing really well when he gets his opportunity to see.
Yeah, not only is he playing great defensively, but he's having a great offensive season. That was his third home run tonight and he's hitting two to eighty. But Zoe, I will say this, if the Dodgers do not pull off a trade for a short stop at the trade deadline, I wouldn't be surprised to see Miguel Rojas in September, mid September, or even going into the postseason be the Dodgers shortstop and Mooki Bets be the Dodgers second
baseman through October. I could be wrong, but I wouldn't be surprised to see that. Okay, yeah, all right, so thanks for the phone call. We lost you sell hell there for a second. But look, the reason why the Dodgers are not going to play Miguel Rojas as much as they played him last year is because he's dealt with lake soreness on and off since spring training in New York. He was dealing with some soreness in his
left hamstring that affected him running a little bit. But obviously he's well enough to play and to hit a two run home run in the fifth inning. But if they want Miguel Rojas to be ready and upright for October, they don't feel like they can play him every day, and he's on board with whatever they're asking him to do. Let's go to Gilbert, who was at Dodgers Stadium tonight. Hi, Gilbert, you're on Dodger Talk. How you doing it? David? From you? Greaty to hear from you. Yeah,
yeah, thank you, thank you. We're just leaving the stadium right now, and you know what, everybody likes to blowout, but to night, I think the Dodgers look complete and the Devin Stone pitched it a done good game. They only do one bet pitch all night. But like you said, he shortened the game. The bullpen took it from dere vasia. Looked great, dosn't look great. I think got key hits from the bottom of the lineup, and and uh, I think. I think it's just
a matter of time. We're gonna get going. We just gotta get get healthy and just keep just get plugging away. We look good though, you look really good. All right, Gilbert, thank you for the phone call. I will say, for the most part, the Dodgers are healthy. They're just missing a key part of their offense in Max Muncy. And obviously Bobby Miller is going to come back next week and Clayton Kershaw sometime in July. So for the most part, the Dodgers are healthy. And speaking of
guys coming back, Joe Kelly through a twenty five pitch bullpen. It's the second bullpen session he's thrown in the last three days. And when I asked him, are you coming back before the All Star break? He looked at me like I was a dumb idiot, which I am, But that tells me that he is going to come back before the All Star break, which will be a huge boost to this Dodger bullpen, So keep your eye out for Mariachi. Joe Kelly eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy is
the phone number. Freddie Freeman with what turned out to be the game winning hit in the bottom of the eighth inning with two outs, gave the Dodgers the four to three lead, But it would not have been It would not have happened if not for Chris Taylor tying the game up in the bottom of the fifth inning with two outs, Taylor's first home run of the season, Taylor's first home run in the major leagues since last September. Let's head downstairs
to the Dodger Clubhouse to hear from Chris Taylor on Sports net LA. Yeah, been a while, you know, I think it was more relief than anything. Wasn't sure I'm gonna I was gonna get to ever do an so, uh, yeah, I feel good. Has there been a focus for you as ofly, just with working on with your swing that's kind of led to this result. Yeah, you know, it's been every day. It's
kind of weird, you know, not meeting in there that often. You know, some days you feel good and you don't get to play and then some days you're not feeling good and you know, it's just kind of the way it goes, and you're just trying to be consistent with my work and just be ready when the opportunity comes and you're kind of stick, like, how have you going to get? Do? I try to just take it
day by day, you know. I I've definitely had my moments of frustration, and you know, just uh trying to embrace the process and trust that my work's gonna, you know, eventually come through for me. And you know, I know I'm what I'm capable of, and uh just not losing sight of that, and you know, continuing to grind through. How much of a way do you feel came off you just with that swing? Yeah? For sure. You know it had been like I said, it had been a while, so uh it felt good and, like I said,
a more relief than anything. Do you stay? Do you go home and kick the garbage? Can? No? My family definitely helps with that, you know. I say all the time, I don't know what I would have how I would have handled this, you know, And earlier in my career, you know, I think I took things home with me a lot more and you know now that I have my wife and a kid at home, and you know, it's a good escape from all this, and you
know, I'm very thankful that I have them. All Right, there's Chris Taylor on sports and at LA. Chris Taylor, a great guy, has come up with a lot of big hits for the Dodgers since his breakout season in twenty seventeen, and we're all hoping this is the start of his season because coming into that at bat in the fifth inning, he was just nine for his last ninety one. By the way, Taylor's last home run exactly September seventh last year against the Marlins in Miami. We're gonna take a time
out here on Dodger Talk. When we come back more of your phone calls, and also we'll check in with Jose Mota after the Dodgers come from behind and beat the Royals four to three on a five to seventy LA Sports on air at AM five to seventy, online at amfive seventy LA sports dot com, and available by podcast on the iHeartRadio app. This is Dodger Talk with David Bassam to one pitch, Taylor hits a drive to left field, in
deep. This ball heading back to the wall. It's gone, the first home run of the season for Chris Taylor, and it ties the game at three. Two home runs of the inning for the Dodgers. It's a three to three ball game. Chris Taylor and Miguel Rojas go deep in the fifth inning off left hander Cole Reagan's to tie the game, and then Freddie Freeman a clutch two out base hit in the eighth inning to score Mookie Betts gave the Dodgers the lead and the win four to three. Daniels Jewelers is 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 own the Dream. The home run that Taylor hit an eighty five change up up in the zone, just enough up for it to be in Taylor's swing path and he did not miss it. His first home run since last September seventh against the Marlins.
It's tough to go around the horn with Jose Mota, all right, Jose Mota what a difference twenty four hours make. Everybody was freaking out last night over the Dodgers' MVPs not delivering in the eighth inning, but tonight in the eighth inning, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman teamed up to deliver a win. It was nice to see that, you know, the top of the order compliment the bottom of the old this time. And we're always talking about the
other the other way around. But here's a couple thing for you, Dave. You know, the Dodgers games like today, it's what you know, teams in the clubhouse will go, that's a feel good win. You know, it's like feel good about how this happened because you want to forget about last night and the strikeouts and all that night before whatever. Okay, but then the feel good story is affected guys that you don't expect who contributed the way they did, went out there and got it done. And I'm on
the offensive side. ROAs from the wall, so well, he's earning every single inning, every single at that defensive side, and where we getting from him? But man Chris Taylor, with the relief everybody felt of that, I mean, he was seem not Doug like a hero. And I just that's like, you know, taking so many pounds off of your shoulders and again to feel good. One with a lot of boxes were checked today that
needed to be checked in the vals. Needed to also learn how to win games like this later in games without using the long ball from the big guys. I think we heard it in Chris Taylor's voice when he said that he wasn't sure if he was ever going to hit another home run in the big leagues. Man, that really hits hard when you hear him say that. I mean, you're still talking with you decide, and I know there's not hided. Everybody's talking like, yeah, but he's making so much money.
Guys care. Money takes a secondary part here when you care about what you're doing and the pride that you take and doing it right and earning that money right. And the same time it's like, yeah, I don't have that guaranteed in security, but I want to fit with this ball club. I mean, there's something about this team that players tell you time and time again that they love gett a part of it. The camaraderie, the culture, the fact that they put a lot of pressure on themselves just to be good
and execute, and certainly you want to be a part of them. For Chris, as you mentioned with his voice, man, it's really for a lot of people, you know, including obviously a lot of us, to see him work card every single time. Every time there's a guy from a similar to the game gifts who's hitting Chris Taylor, you know, obviously he's assigned to go out there and hit it, but he doesn't because he wants
to get better. And I'm so glad that he got the results here tonight, Jose Mota is joining us after the Dodgers defeat the Royals tonight four to three, but going back to the eighth inning tonight, Jose. The last two nights the MVPs did not deliver with the game on the line and Freddie Freeman going up against his former teammate Will Smith, who seemed a little off because he threw the ball away at first base trying to pick off Mookie Betts.
So already he's reeling and he has to face one of the best hitters in the game. Be right, I mean, you know, when you're familiar with somebody like Will Smith who does not throw hard, as I'm going to be based in everything off of fastballs, he's going to try to fool you. He tend to comfort level know that he's not gonna beat you upstairs with the fastball. And from rookie bets selection of pitches. He went out
there looking for an idea as to how he's going to be started. Early in the bat, took a nice and easy swing, got the base hit and for Freddy also paid attention on Smith and how he approached show hate. But Freddy is his own man here. I mean Freddie has seen Will Smith have success on the mound from a different view of first base as a teammate.
And also he understands how he has success against lefties. And I mean, you know so many times you and I are talking here and we just say, you know, forget the mechanics, just how about you know, gray matter, how about your brain? What your trailer brain to have success here? And Freddy to say, I'm trying to push the ball to the short stop. That's getting away from everything that we might be talking about, examining things, an overallizing things, saying I just need to be a little
bit late. That's pretty much what he's saying. I need to stay in a fastball if you, oh, Will, but I need to really protect against the breaking ball. And that's why guys like Freddy, you know, orthodox or not or orthodox are not the way he goes about things. It's paid off and it does it again here today. Yeah, Freddie Freeman delivers more times than not, that's for sure. And even in a short Dodger career, he has done that quite a few times. Will Smith certainly knows
all about that. Jose Mota is joining us on Dodger Talk after the Dodgers beat the Royals four to three. Jose, you played the infield. You've seen a lot of great infielders in your career. Bobby Wood juniors play in the seventh inning. Have you ever seen a shortstop make a play like that? I mean that goes back Azzi's messed. I can't say that I had never seen it because I saw Ozzie play a lot, and every time every night you saw something that you do, what the heck was that all about?
Pot to see the way he went after that ball, and he's he mentioned so well, it's almost like you have another outfielder out there and then have the presence of mind to just say, I'm not going to be the hero here. By myself. I got to get first of all, get rid of the baseball and see what happens. That's what he did, that's what he knows the game well, Daddy Bobby taught him, well, give her to the ball, give it to your guy who becomes a middle guy,
a cutoff man, and let the rest take care. But he went out there with a termination. They're just going to make that play no matter what. And I'll tell you something quick about Bobby Witt Jr. Coming to the spring training, he became very aware that he was not considered a very good fielding short in terms of defensive run safe. He took up by himself offseason erdie spring training to bring one of his coaches, teammates and somebody from the outside and go, I need to get better at this. I don't
want to be on that list. I want to be one of the best. The time is there put in pay off is here. We see the athleticism, the effort. More than anything. The kid is the etiquette ball player who understands the inside of the game and what hard work pays off. In certainly the fourteen year contract he is earning every single Penny. Yeah, no doubt about it. He certainly is one of the best all around shortstops
in Major League Baseball. That was an unbelievable play and I'll always remember it and obviously on social media buzzing around right now, Jose, thanks for coming on. I know you're a big star. When the Royals come to town, Rex Huddler was in a frantic hysteria to try to find you, and then you saw all the Royals broadcasters giving you hugs from behind. You are big in Kansas City. Hey man, those twet bats came out big for me in nineteen ninety five, didn't it. The King You're right up there
with George Brennan Kansas City. Oh sure, rubbing it. Sure, it was fun to watch everybody. Rex just wanted to talk about hot yoga. I don't blame it. That's our thing. Yeah, his life. So you your next, buddy, You're next. Okay. Uh, well, let's not put it in pen or stone. Let's put it in pencil. No, we go easy. We're pretty much damasta, so we take it easy. Just whatever you want is joint in your bodies, right, your soul's ready. You're more than welcome. Okay, thanks a lot, Jose,
not mistake all right. There it goes Jose Mota, the king of hot Yoga and Kansas City. The Dodgers tomorrow will have Yoshi Yamamoto on the mound. He's six and two with an ERA of three even going up against right hander Seth Lugo. The former padre has delivered for the Royals nine and two with an ERA of two thirty six Morongo Casino. Dodgers on Deck begins at five o'clock tomorrow with first pitch at six ten. That'll do it for
us on Dodger Talk tonight. Thanks to Colin Ye back at our Burbanks Studios, Thanks to Dwayne McDonald out here at Dodgers Stadium, and thanks to you for listen. In case you missed any of the show, you can find it on the iHeartRadio app. And that's also where you can hear our pregame conversation with Dodger Bullpenn veteran Daniel Hudson once again. The final score tonight from Dodgers Stadium. The Dodgers defeat the Royals four to three. Have a great rest of your night, Seal