Trending Up, Trending Down: Kiké Hernandez Joins Zack Greinke, Clayton Kershaw
Looking to bounce back from a forgettable road trip in the state of Pennsylvania, the Los Angeles Dodgers returned home for three games against the Washington Nationals and four with the Cincinnati Reds.
After dropping the first game of each series, the Dodgers were able to win out the rest of the way, scoring 29 runs during the seven-game span (averaging 4.1 runs per game).
With a 5-2 week, let’s analyze which players had the most success and those that couldn’t find a groove.
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Mat Latos: In his third start since being acquired by the Dodgers, Latos had trouble against his former Reds teammates.
In just 4.2 innings, he allowed four earned runs and eight total baserunners (seven hits, one walk). On a brighter note, he did strike out seven batters after only striking out one in his previous two starts combined. As a result, his ERA for the season ballooned to 4.81.
Yasmani Grandal: Starting in four games last week, Grandal struggled offensively. In 14 plate appearances, he only recorded one hit but managed to walk four times. On Thursday, he wasn’t in the lineup because of a sore left shoulder, but returned the following day. Despite the minor slump, his slash line for the year remains stellar at .283/.390/.484.
Joc Pederson: Picking up five starts last week (six games), Pederson couldn’t find any consistency at the plate.
He reached base eight times in 24 plate appearances, but only recorded two hits (two home runs). His home run in Thursday’s game was his first since July 25 and first at Dodger Stadium since June 20.
Pederson also homered on Sunday, giving him 23 for the year. Even with his struggles as of late, his .804 OPS on the year remains impressive.
CONTINUE READING: Dodger Aces Continue To Lead The Way, Kiké Hernandez Joins In