Dodgers Team News

Dodgers News: Mookie Betts, Justin Turner, and Will Smith All Out of the Lineup

The Dodgers and Rockies are set to go head-to-head this afternoon at Chavez Ravine. With the season winding down, Los Angeles has to win games against teams like Colorado as they chase the Giants in the NL West. 

But they’ll have to get the job done today without some of their biggest bats. The Dodgers announced the lineup for this afternoon and there were 3 names left off that had fans talking. And they’re pretty good bats.



Will Smith, Mookie Betts, and Justin Turner are all out of the Dodgers lineup. That’s strictly for rest and for no other reason, but it’s still odd to see them all out at once. Mookie coming back from the hip injury has the team closely monitoring his rest days so it makes sense that he would be out. 

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Justin Turner has played in a lot of games for the Dodgers in 2021, probably more than they anticipated. But he’s also going through a rough stretch of late, slashing .188/.293/.313 through the month of August. He has also played in almost every game in that stretch. 

Smith is having a really good month, but he’s also played a ton lately. He caught all 16 innings last week against the Padres in the extras win. He was supposed to catch the next day but they pivoted to Austin Barnes. Barnes will catch Mitch White to start today’s game. 

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46 Comments

  1. Would love to know Roberts record on Sundays…and if I were to travel the 350 miles to go to a Dodger game, I would not wasted my time or money on a Sunday game….

    Iknow, Bat Beli cleanup …AFTER ALL HE IS DUE….

    1. Well Kingman, I would have to travel 850 miles to go see a game but I know it wouldn’t be for a Sunday game like today seeing those 3 bats out of lineup at the same time.

    2. I agree, traveling to LA from Lodi to watch half the starting lineup would suck. And can’t understand why Roberts would do that knowing the Giants had already lost??? We could have picked up 2 games on the Giants this week….

      1. Yeah, I too remember those days but it’s tough trying to figure out how and why Roberts can be so far off in his readings and decision making im still at a loss for words to describe just how bad the offense was on Sunday. However I do know Robert’s lineup decisions have a great deal to do with an offense thats sub par.

  2. I at a loss as to what Roberts is doing. Given that Urias last pitched on the 24th, pitching him today would put him in line to start game one against the Giants on the 3rd of September. More important it would set up Buehler on the 4th and Scherzer on the 5th. Now is not the time to take the foot off the gas and coast. Lets go with our hottest bats and best starters. Catching the Giants requires we sweep the Rockies at home not looking at the possibility of losing two of three.

  3. All I can say is our pitching must be spot on today. And if CT3 has a rough game at the dish, just look who’s hitting behind him in the batting to know the reason why.

    1. Couldn’t Roberts have looked at the scoreboard and thought, “Hmmm, if I get my A lineup out there maybe we pick up a game in standings?”

  4. I normally would agree with all the comments but the players resting , except maybe Turner, make sense. Smith needs rest and Mookie they have to be careful with.. don’t get why Urias isn’t starting on full rest, maybe saving him for a tough Braves team?

    1. I would normally agree with that but pushing Urias back a day means we lose Scherzer against the Gnats or he doesn’t pitch against the Braves.

  5. Roberts took 3 regular starters out of yesterday’s game too which resulted in lineup with a 200 hitter, 170 hitter and the pitcher’s spot. That’s why it took them till the 8th inning to score more than 2 runs. He is taking 3 regulars out today. Only 1 regular should be rested in any game. Is Robert’s being paid to lose?

    1. IDK but he is a puppet probably being dictated to but Freidman has come on record as saying he doesn’t dictate lineups to Roberts but then again Roberts makes his bed he must lie in it if Dodgers miss out on going deep in October.

  6. Can anybody tell me what’s wrong with Dave Roberts? Yes I understand our players need some rest and yes I know we’re playing at home against the Rockies. But c’mon now, first we’re going with another bullpen game and now you’re taking out 3 of our better bats!! We’re only a couple of games back of the Giants which BTW looks like we can gain some ground on if we win today. He better hope none of this backfires on him, again!!!

    1. Marcos, I can’t explain whats wrong with Roberts but maybe someone can. However they would have to write a novel to attempt to cover all those ides and other thoughts as to what is or may be wrong with Roberts. Certainly it’s no time to rest 3 big bats all at the same time but as ya may have seen me say before:
      That’s Roberts for ya.

  7. The arrogance to think you’re so good you can have 2 bullpen games and a bench lineup against a 4th place team and win the series. Another Giants loss is about to go to waste because they didn’t want to bring their A game against a bad opponent

    1. Oh yes, Giants lost 9 to 0 and Dodgers with Robert’s lay an egg lineup shutout after 3 innings without even so much as 1 base runner, 9 up 9 down. Dodgers lost this game in the 1st inning after Cron’s 3 run HR because i cannot see this lineup scoring 3 runs . Another wasted chance to gain a game IIWII. The sight of Roberts sickens me.

    1. Paul, had to turn the tv off at the bottom of the 6th. Pathetic! Even the Rockies announcers were questioning why the dodgers had so many players with days off right in the midst of a tight pennant race. Saw that 4 pitch inning by the Rockies pitcher. If Friedman claims he has nothing to do with the lineup, then I question why he is letting Roberts manage the team the way he is doing. I don’t think there is a major league manager, not to mention any analytics, that would place Cody in the 4 spot for a couple of games and then leadoff for a game (yes, I realize this was many games ago). This game is going to result in a loss and another lost opportunity to gain on the Giants.

  8. Losing 2 of 3 to the Rockies at HOME in a division playoff race at the end of Aug….NO WORLD SERIES champion team does this……Resting players has been the problem all year…..These are grown men, Professional athletes, they make Millions. I personally have been a Hotshot wildland firefighter, Professional tree climber etc. I’m 55 and still busting ass!! I really have a hard time with these players getting a REST , or having a sore hip, or a tight back!! Suck it up DODGERS!!!! You guys don’t know what HARD work is!!! Roberts has NO clue what hard work is all about….You guys are playing a GAME!!.F-kin A..

  9. Congratulations Dave, you’ve managed another perfect throwaway game! Keep up the good work. Anyone wonder why stands are so empty on Sundays?

    1. Tim I’ve got a great idea for roberts…..Instead of just throwing these games away by deception, he should just book a all expense vacation to Cancun for the 275 million dollar roster. Take 2 weeks off, everyone can just rest and maybe Belli and mckinnley can find their swings on the beach playing wiffle ball. Bring up the entire Triple AAA roster to play until the Padres get within 2 games again. Then Mckinnley Belli and the rest will be ready for the Wild card game all rested and ready for Oct. Heck, since the Division doesn’t matter, then the 2nd wild card position shouldn’t either. Who cares, the team broke the 32 year drought and were credited with a ring so who cares. Roberts can even show the team the base he stole in the Yankees series back in 04 on a video projector on the beach drinking mai tais …….

  10. Congratulations Dodgers offense. Another no show today. Keep up the good work and you will be rewarded with early fall vacations!

    1. And this is on Roberts as well. But this offense has been this inconsistent all year and IMHO this offense appears over hyped. But with the lineup he put out there today, it serves him right.

  11. Bellinger should be sent down til he gets his swing back. He is an automatic out. So is austen Barnes and Billy mckenny. There are better left handed hitters that were sent to triple A. With bellinger, Barnes, and Mckinney, that’s 3 straight outs.

  12. Best lineup in baseball handicapped by its manager. Dodger brass are you listening to the fans ? Get a manager who’s ego is not bigger than the team. Roberts has been gifted the best lineup in baseball and continues to underachieve.

  13. Meanwhile, the Giants continue to play all their regulars and maintain the lead over the resting Dodgers. Keep resting players and using bullpen games against the lesser teams and you’ll never catch the Giants. Losing 2 of 3 against the worst road trip in the majors is pathetic. I keep repeating that if we had a different manager leading the club, we’d be up on the Giants by at least 5 games. Instead, between resting players, using bullpen games and keeping Bellinger in the lineup (regardless of what he can do defensively) has cost the Dodgers a few games this season.

  14. These players are all young men. Physically in their prime. They don’t steal bases. Waste extra energy on hit and run plays. Are all paid large salaries, with many crazy high salaries. So either play or if too injured to play, go on the disabled list, get an operation or if you’ve lost your ability to perform (Bellinger / hit), go down to the level of baseball to relearn your craft and let someone else do what you are paid to do. Did anyone else notice where Barnes had the target set for the pitch that Crones hit out. White hit the target with a batting practice fastball. Orel even said Crones should be pitched around. Later White showed he had a nice low and away slider. Where was that pitch to the hottest power hitter in he last 2 weeks in the league. White is a rookie. He can’t be calling the pitches. Turned off after 3 innings as I knew what the end result was going to be. Something is seriously wrong with whoever is making the decisions on the team.

  15. Three outs in the lineup yesterday…rally killers. Belli, McKinney and Barnes…then the pitcher makes 4. Are we supposed to win that game? Once again, the Dodgers took a series off at home and lost the opportunity to gain two games against the Gyros. Unacceptable! What kind of baloney are we dealing with here? Are our guys resigned to taking the teams chances with a one game playoff? That’s sad.

    1. Well of those 3 ya mentioned, at least Barnes is over that Mendoza line at .214 and has come up with a few key pinch hits. He also homered off of Snell, in game where the team couldn’t do anything against him.

  16. I’ve had it with Roberts. You sit your best 3 hitters. You use a bullpen game with a starter throwing 85 mph meatballs. Game is over in the first inning. Bellinger is still in the lineup.Turner pitching in the ninth with the dugout joking and laughing. Are they going to be laughing when they’re eliminated in the wild card game? Tonight they face a good lefty so you know what that means! Another pathetic offensive performance! Just pathetic!!!

  17. Even Joe Davis outmanaged Dave Roberts in the first inning when he suggested an intentional walk to CJ Cron, their hottest hitter. With a sub .200 hitter up next and first base open, it seemed like a no-brainer. Result down 3-0 before you even get to bat.

  18. I’m really sick of Roberts holding our best players out of games for “rest”. We arent 10 games ahead where we can afford to lose a game. If our players can’t play more than a few games without rest, they aren’t ready to play in the major leagues. I’m sure the players would be happy to play if Roberts didn’t take them out. Why is McKinny playing every day? Why is Bellinger playing everyday? His defense is great, but we need the top bats in the games.

    This is crazy! If we don’t win the division, it’s on Roberts!

  19. PATHETIC!!!!!!! Won’t waste another dime on tickets to see a bullpen game & Roberts sit 3 best hitters. I said it before Dodgers win in spite of Roberts not because of his coaching

  20. Excellent comment. I agree with every word of it. Ever time they talk about resting players after they have played 4-5 consecutive games, I think of Cal Ripkin and Lou Gehrig.

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