Scott Schebler Credits Dodgers Teammates For Help At The Plate

While top prospect Corey Seager continues to get the hype (and deservedly so), another Los Angeles Dodgers rookie has also given the team a spark late in the season.

Outfielder Scott Schebler was called up for the second time this season, but his first time, he played in just one game. On Monday night, he delivered a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth that pushed the Dodgers lead from 2-1 to 4-1, providing insurance for Chris Hatcher in the ninth.

It was Schebler’s third home run in nine games since being called up, and came after he started the night with two strikeouts. After the game, he kept it simple in terms of what he was trying to do. “The pitchers were there for us the whole game,” he said. “Clayton [Kershaw] had a heck of a game, so putting some extra runs on the board was nice to give them a little bit of a cushion.”

Schebler said he wanted to relax after his first two at-bats, looking for a pitch up in the zone and he delivered when he got that pitch. The ball was 109 MPH off the bat and traveled 429 feet, displaying the 24-year-old’s raw power.

The rookie then discussed the help he’s gotten from his Dodger teammates. “A.J. [Ellis] has helped me a lot with that [calming down],” Schebler said.

“He told me if you ever get in a moment like that, try to count your breaths. It’s something to slow you down. And all the guys in here have been amazing as far as bringing me in and talking to me, and really teaching me different ways to calm it down because it can snowball very quickly.”

It’s a sign of the type of team that the Dodgers have that the rookies are thanking their veteran teammates for help even while some of the younger players are taking playing time from the veterans. The roster expansion has proven to be quite a boost to the team, as youngsters like Seager and Schebler have produced.