Who will win this series?
In a three game series, however unlikely, anything is possible. Prior to this series, the Dodgers played the Padres and the Reds. The Dodgers may have used their best pitchers, making it more likely that the Diamondbacks will score a lot of runs.
On Tuesday, Ohtani pitched; effectively the Dodgers have a 6-pitcher rotation. With their off day on Thursday, each Dodger starter will pitch on two extra days rest.
Dodgers to Watch
Shohei Ohtani, DH and starting pitcher. He is not expected to pitch this series. He will bat
as a DH. This future Hall-of-Famer is worth watching.
Alex Freeman, third base. In 2022, the Dodgers drafted him in the third round. He is a top 100 prospect in baseball (#39 on The Board (FanGraphs), #43 on Prospect Rankings 2025 (MLB.com), and #73 per Kiley McDaniel (ESPN article on 20 August). His debut in the Majors was about a month ago, 30 July. In his first month, he hit 6 RBIs.
A Reprise of the Wizard
As I sat upon my wooden bench, confident in my path, my mind wanders to an optimistic place. A struggling team might explain it: The Wizard appears, more apparition than form, more scraggly than usual. He is humming a song. I whisper softly.
Me: “What about this season?”
Wizard: “The Wizard can make your team lose 30 1-run games.”
Me: “And next season?”
Wizard: “And the Wizard can make your team wild.”
Me: “And after that?
Wizard: “And the Wizard can make your team reach the World Series.”
Me: “Will Hazen and Lovullo be part of it?”
Wizard: “The Wizard can’t make every good thing last forever. Very long quests are often successful.”
My mind reaches focus; a leap of faith, many journeys are.
The Wizard continues to hum as he dissolves into the mist.
[The Wizard was humming Burn On by Randy Newman]
What to look for each day.
Three games with young players showing they are ready for a bright future. The starting pitcher matchups follow.
Friday, 7:10 PM MST.
Both starting pitchers only had one run of support in their last start. One big difference was that Blake Snell’s bullpen allowed zero runs, while Zac Gallen’s bullpen allowed 5 runs.
Zac Gallen. In his latest start, he allowed 1 earned run in 6 innings against the Reds. He is motivated to pitch well because he is about to be a free agent.
Blake Snell. Twice, he won the Cy Young. In his latest start, he allowed 2 earned runs in 7 innings. After that start, he went on Paternity leave. He is likely the best Dodgers’ starting pitcher in this series.
This matchup of starting pitchers is advantage Dodgers.
Saturday 6:10 PM MST.
Eduardo Rodriguez. He and Corbin Burnes are part of the the long term rotation core because their contracts extend the longest. In his latest game, he showed an ace preview (6 up and 6 down) and a bust preview (5 consecutive batters got hits with 2 strike counts; followed by a hit and a walk). In that game, Bryce Jarvis pitched well in very long relief, showing his high ceiling.
Tyler Glasnow. Among active pitchers, his 62 wild pitches ranks 16th highest. Diamondbacks batters need to protect their hands. In his latest start, he allowed 3 earned runs in 4 innings.
This matchup of starting pitchers is advantage Dodgers.
Sunday 1:10 PM MST.
Brandon Pfaadt. He is part of the long term rotation core because he is under team control via arbitration through 2029. Hat tip to Jim for his comment to this recap that pointed out that Pfaadt’s latest start was his fourth start with less than 3 completed innings in the last 12 months.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto. From 2017 through 2023, he pitched for the Orix Buffaloes in Japan. His contract with the Dodgers lasts through his age 36 season (2035). In his latest start, he allowed 2 earned runs in 6 innings.
This matchup of starting pitchers is advantage Dodgers.
