2023 Season

Dodgers' Michael Grove: Bounces back with strong outing
Rotowire 8 HRS AGO
Grove did not factor in the decision against the Cubs on Saturday. He completed 5.2 innings, allowing one run on two hits and two walks while striking out six batters.

Grove was hit hard in his previous trip to the mound, allowing nine runs on 12 hits over 3.1 innings against Arizona. He was much more effective Saturday, holding Chicago scoreless until Patrick Wisdom tagged him for a solo homer in the fifth frame. The Dodgers' offense wasn't able to support Grove enough for him to pick up a win, but this was nonetheless a critical rebound for the right-hander, who recorded his best outing of the campaign. With Tony Gonsolin (ankle) and Ryan Pepiot (oblique) expected to be out until at least early May, Grove is likely to have a few more opportunities to prove himself in Los Angeles' rotation.

Dodgers' Will Smith: Won't play Sunday
Rotowire 12 HRS AGO
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters after Saturday's win against the Cubs that Smith (illness) won't play in Sunday's series finale and will undergo further testing, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Austin Barnes will once again be behind the plate. Smith has missed the last two games because of the undisclosed illness and will miss at least one more with Hoornstra believing that there could be a roster move coming. For now, Smith is still considered day-to-day, but the results of the testing will go a long way towards determining his status for next week.

Dodgers' Andre Jackson: Found to be tipping pitches
Rotowire 16 HRS AGO
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Saturday that Jackson was tipping his pitches during his appearance against the Cubs on Friday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Jackson was hit hard by Chicago, allowing six hits -- including four home runs -- and five runs over two innings. The Dodgers reviewed tape of Jackson's outing and determined that he was tipping pitches, which is something he's dealt with in the past. Roberts indicated that the team will try to address the issue with Jackson, but there's no word on how it may affect his short-term availability. The right-hander will likely be held out for multiple days regardless since he tossed 55 pitches in Friday's blow-up.

Now being listed as a “concussion”. Hmm - don’t remember Will being hit by any pitches in the head or being involved in any home plate or other collisions.

Did his locker door suddenly fly open and smack him in the face? This stinks to high Heaven.

GO DODGERS!!!

Time for Julio to hit the showers.

They ought to be booing the putrid offense that has yet to show up in this entire series.

And I’m not counting last nights LUCKY win because we all know 99 times out of 100 LA loses that game.

GO DODGERS!!!

Doc reporting Smith was feeling “uneasy and foggy” after two foul balls in the face mask against the Gnats last week.

While he passed concussion protocols, they are being cautious with his IL placement.

Letting Doc make a medical diagnosis is like giving a fresh pack of Bic lighters to an arsonist.

Wasn’t Goose supposed to miss a “couple” of starts? Now being pushed to May before he even gets a rehab start or two?

Not that his rotation spot makes much difference at this point.

You’d have thought last nights ninth inning comeback might light a fire under their asses.

And the bb’s literally TRIED to give them the game late with Suzuki missing a fly ball followed by a E at short.

But, as usual, we ended up with both Freddie and Max whiffing away and bases loaded.

GO DODGERS!!!

I certainly hope not!

GO DODGERS!!!

Way to go Trevor! You were royally screwed by MLB! WE wish you so much success!

237
STEPHEN WADE
Sun, April 16, 2023 at 4:33 AM MST
YOKOSUKA, Japan (AP) — Shunned by major league clubs, Trevor Bauer is trying to find his way in Japan where fans are drawn by his near celebrity status and seem unconcerned by domestic violence allegations against him.

The 2020 Cy Young Award winner pitched his first competitive game in almost two years on Sunday and said he’s almost ready to debut in Japanese baseball after being shunned by major league teams.

Pitching for the Yokohama BayStars minor league team in nearby Yokosuka, Japan — best known as the home of the United States Seventh Fleet — he allowed four hits, no runs and struck out six in four innings before 2,600 fans.

The minor-league park usually draws a few hundred spectators. The team said live streaming views reached 77,000 — 15 times the usual 5,000.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

“I thought the day went really well,” Bauer said. “The stuff was good, the command was good. The health was good. I feel like I’m ready to compete now, but I have to build my pitch count.”

Bauer said he was not sure when he’d be ready to start for the big club. He seems likely to get another minor league start before moving up.

Despite not pitching in a competitive game since 2021, he said it all felt familiar.

“I’ve stayed ready,” he said. “I didn’t feel like I’d been away at all. The game came to me well. It didn’t speed up on me. I commanded the ball. There really wasn’t any adjustment. Just competitive baseball instead of throwing to hitters in a cage.”

Bauer is in Japan on a one-year deal that could let him prove himself and return to the majors where he was unable to find work this season even after an arbitrator reduced his unprecedented 324-game suspension for violating the league’s domestic violence and sexual assault policy.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred suspended Bauer last April for violating the league’s domestic violence and sexual assault policy, after a San Diego woman said he beat and sexually abused her in 2021.

Bauer has maintained he did nothing wrong, saying everything that happened between him and the woman was consensual. He was never charged with a crime.

Bauer joined his hometown Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2021 season and was 8-5 with a 2.59 ERA in 17 starts before being placed on paid leave. The Dodgers cut him in January but owe him $22.5 million this season.

Fans in Japan don’t seem bothered by Bauer’s past. Hundreds lined up outside the stadium after he pitched, hoping for a glimpse or maybe an autograph.

Dozens wore his BayStars jersey with his No. 96 — chosen because that’s his goal for his average fastball velocity — 96 mph.

“I felt like I was pretty close to 100% today,” Bauer said.” Obviously, I have to have a couple more outings to get up the pitch count. But I feel 100%.”

___

Follow Japan-based AP sports writer Stephen Wade on Twitter at twitter.com/StephenWadeAP

___