It is, objectively, a good bit to sweep the Padres and then immediately lose a game to the Rockies. The Rockies walked off the Dodgers (71-54) in the opener with the help of some shoddy defense. Teoscar Hernandez was arguably responsible for three of the Rockies’ four runs, including a bloop double with a .060 expected batting average to set up Warming Bernabel‘s walk-off two run single. Fortunately, Dodger legend Nestor Cortes gave up four runs in the first as the Giants beat the Padres to preserve the Dodgers’ two-game lead in the division.
5:40 PM
Denver
DH
Ohtani (L)
RF
Freeman
SS
Betts
LF
Moniak (L)
C
Smith
C
Goodman
1B
Freeman (L)
1B
Bernabel
RF
T. Hernández
SS
Tovar
CF
Pages
3B
Karros
LF
Call
CF
Doyle
2B
Rojas
DH
Fernandez (L)
3B
Kennedy
2B
Ritter
P
Sheehan (R)
P
Gomber (L)
Emmet Sheehan gets the start coming off a rough start in Anaheim. He gave up three runs on three hits and a walk in the first inning and finished the game with five runs over five innings. He hadn’t allowed an earned run in his last two outings (but did allow five unearned over those two games, Dodgers defense good), but has gotten through five in four of his eight outings this season. Sheehan made two starts in Colorado back in 2023 and was pretty solid overall. His first look at Coors came in his third Major League start and he allowed three runs and seven hits over five innings. He also made his final start of 2023 in Coors and was even better, striking out a career-high 10 batters and allowing five hits and two runs over six innings. He didn’t issue a walk in either of those two games, but has issued at least one walk in seven of his eight outings this season.
Austin Gomber makes his 12th start for the Rockies this season after a shoulder issue kept him off the field until mid-June. It’s been a rough season for Gomber, who has a 6.75 ERA/6.15 FIP and is still searching for his first win of the season. His first start of the season was great, as he allowed two hits over five shutout innings in Atlanta. Things quickly fell apart for Gomber in his next start against Arizona, where the DBacks put up nine runs and 12 hits over 4 2/3 innings. In his eight starts in July and August, Gomber’s thrown 40 innings and allowed 31 earned runs and 11 homers. He allowed one homer in each of his five July starts and has allowed two homers in each of his three starts in August. It hasn’t all been Coors-related, as he’s allowed 11 runs and 14 hits over 11 innings in his last two starts in Arizona and St. Louis. Naturally, one of his best starts this season came in LA against the Dodgers. He allowed four hits and a run over five innings against the Dodgers on June 26.
Gomber’s been one of the worst pitchers in baseball this season, which probably means he’s throwing six shutout tonight. Among pitchers with 50+ innings pitched, Gomber has the third-worst strikeout rate (12.7 percent), the second-worst barrel rate (13.7 percent), and his 15.8 percent whiff rate is in the first percentile. He’s only generated five whiffs in his last two starts combined. He’s thrown six different pitch types this season, almost all of them ranging between 80 and 90 MPH. He’s thrown a four-seamer (34.3 percent), knuckle curve (25.5 percent, only pitch outside of that velo range at 76 MPH), changeup (16.2 percent, exclusively to righties), slider (15.4 percent), splitter (4.9 percent) and cutter (3.7 percent). Gomber’s had reverse splits this season in very limited sample size (.903 OPS against righties, 1.046 OPS against lefties).
To everyone’s delight, Teo is starting in right today. That felt pretty obvious with a lefty on the hill. The only real change in the lineup is Will Smith back in the lineup behind the plate.
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Not really many updates out before I’m scheduling this. The Mookie Betts meeting after last night’s game turned out to not be about potentially moving him back to right.
Mookie Betts did meet with Dave Roberts and Andrew Friedman postgame yesterday in Roberts’ office. Not the first time he’s gone into the office after a game (and Friedman is on this trip).
Betts said he popped his head in there to reiterate how good he feels about his swing.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) August 19, 2025
Paul Gervase is also with the team in Colorado. No roster move as of now, but he could give the Dodgers a new arm down in the bullpen. He allowed two runs and six hits in 8 2/3 innings over five games at OKC after being acquired at the deadline with nine strikeouts and one walk.
I’m also fairly certain Kirby Yates and/or Tanner Scott were slated to begin their rehab assignments tonight. Nothing on that yet, but hopefully that’s still on (they play at 6:05)
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First pitch is scheduled for 5:40 PM PT and will be shown on SportsNet LA.
