Dodgers look to avoid a sweep and remain in first to end August – Dodgers Digest

The Dodgers (77-59) continued to struggle against lesser competition with a 6-1 loss last night. Tyler Glasnow was mostly dominant last night, but a Corbin Carroll homer and some sloppy defense gave the Dodgers an insurmountable three-run deficit. Like Zac Gallen on Friday, Eduardo Rodriguez came into the game with an ERA over 5.00 and shut the Dodgers out for six innings.

4 pitchers with ERAs over 5.00 have started v #Dodgers in past 8 games. Those 4 – Yu Darvish and Nestor Cortes in SD, Zac Gallen last night and Eduardo Rodriguez tonight — have combined to allow 1 run on 8 hits in 24 IP

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) August 31, 2025

Is that good? According to the broadcast last night, they’re 11-4 since the end of July against teams over .500 and 5-9 (now 5-10) against teams under .500. For at least one more day, the Diamondbacks still qualify at 68-69 and their next game against a team currently over .500 is on September 15, so they need to figure something out. They have a chance to exercise those demons and their demons against pitchers with high ERA’s today in the finale with Arizona.

Today’s #Dodgers lineup vs. D-backs: pic.twitter.com/7taB8V8m9q

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 31, 2025

Last one in LA. https://t.co/k9Xjx1ui6d pic.twitter.com/1imGgDkZAI

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) August 31, 2025

Yoshinobu Yamamoto makes his first start at Dodger Stadium in over a month. His last five have come on the road and is coming off the lone win in San Diego last weekend. Yama allowed two runs and four hits over six innings and left the game tied at 2, but the offense beat up on Jeremiah Estrada in the top of the seventh to give Yamamoto the win. He’s struck out exactly six batters in each of his four starts this month, but has allowed a homer in each of his last three games after allowing only one in his previous seven. Yama made two starts against Arizona back in May with very different levels of success. His first bad start of the season came in Arizona on May 8, allowing five runs and six hits in five innings after only allowing four earned runs in his seven starts prior to that one. He saw them again in LA two starts later and was dominant, throwing seven innings of one-hit ball with nine strikeouts and two walks. He took the no-decision after the Dodgers only scored one run through nine innings and Tanner Scott blew the save, but the Dodgers beat up on Shelby Miller in the 10th for a 4-3 win.

Brandon Pfaadt gets the ball for Arizona. Normally his 5.24 ERA in 27 starts would feel like a good thing to face, but that basically guarantees six shutout today. Pfaadt’s overall numbers are still trying to recover from back-to-back nightmare starts earlier this season. He faced Washington on May 31, faced eight batters and allowed four doubles, two singles and hit two batters before being pulled without recording an out. He didn’t exactly bounce back in his next start, allowing six runs and six hits in three innings in Atlanta. He actually did get his ERA under 5.00 two starts ago, but had another rough outing in Milwaukee last time out. The Brewers tagged Pfaadt for eight hits and six runs in 2 2/3 innings. Naturally, he made two starts against the Dodgers in May and was pretty good both times. He threw 6 1/3 shutout against the Dodgers in Arizona on May 8 against Yamamoto and then went to LA and allowed three runs on three hits (all solo homers) in six innings. Mookie Betts took him deep twice and Shohei Ohtani hit one out in the sixth.

Pfaadt hasn’t exactly been a big strikeout guy in his career, but his strikeout rate has fallen off this season. His 24.3 percent strikeout rate last season was pretty solid (60th percentile on Savant), but that’s down to 18.7 percent this season. He’s thrown a four-seamer (25.6 percent), sinker (22.9 percent), sweeper (19.8 percent), change (15.9 percent), curve (8.7 percent) and cutter (7.1 percent).

The Dodgers roll with a semi-regular Sunday lineup. Dalton Rushing starts behind the plate and Alex Call get the start in right over Teoscar Hernandez. Teo’s been cold of late (3 for his last 27), so Call gets the start with Michael Conforto in left.

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Max Muncy will not return during this road trip after all.

Dave Roberts said Max Muncy will not rejoin #Dodgers on this road trip due to his chest cold that has delayed his rehab.

— David Vassegh (@THEREAL_DV) August 31, 2025

Muncy’s dealing with a cold that’s delayed his rehab. At least it’s not an injury setback, and hopefully he doesn’t mess up his side with a sneeze/cough like I’ve definitely done in the past. He’s expected to begin his rehab assignment this week, along with Tommy Edman and Alex Vesia.

The Dodgers have a rare off day on Monday when rosters expand, but Hyeseong Kim and Michael Kopech are expected to be the roster additions when they expand.