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Given all this, this is a good time for Dodge Mailbags. Thanks to everyone who submitted the questions, these questions have been easily edited to ensure clarity. Let's get involved:
Given Mookie Betts’ batting performance over the past few months, is there any topic about bringing him down? – Terry P. of Jasper, GA.
Manager Dave Roberts said firmly that he had no intention of hitting Betts below second. Agree or disagree, it seems like the thing is.
My opinion is that Roberts is trying to create stability for Betts and the entire lineup. Part of his reasoning to hit Bates in two holes is that Will Smith is the logical choice for two days off a week, so it's not a daily solution. “There is no better option,” Roberts told reporters at Dodger Stadium on Monday.
I don't think the order of hitting is important. But when you see it like who you would rather do extra bats on a given day (Betts or Smith), the answer is clear.
Is it possible that Muki sees the right area action in the extension or playoffs? – George L., Rolling Hills Estates, California.
I think it wouldn't be a problem if Bets had a compelling reason like last year. But as of now, the Dodgers consider him their shortstop.
If Blake Treinen doesn't come and the club abandons Tanner Scott, who will you see close in October? Ben Casparius seems to be a possibility, but it seems like a leap of faith in just 37 games and two saves in his major league career. -Billy F. from Hermosa Beach, California.
Alex Vesia has been the Dodgers' most stable high-leverage reliefer (even after Wednesday's playoff). But he's more of a firefighter, so I don't want him to stay for the ninth inning.
Frankly speaking, given these parameters, it is not actually a clear choice. Bobby Miller moved to the Bobby Miller with Triple-A Oklahoma City, and I was interested, but I wanted to see a bigger sample before I came to any conclusions about his long-term success in this role. At best, Treinen shakes rust, Scott gets healthy and figures things out.
Are Shohei Ohtani's strikeouts all? The Dodgers have always been called a team that is highly conscious about the strike zone, but Ohtani doesn't seem to be suitable for molds. Are they willing to be in the danger of making him a player rather than losing a part of the “sport” of the game? -Tani S. from Houston, Texas
The Dodgers tend to benefit when Ohtani swings. But swaying may be a side effect.
Ohtani hits this year with a 26.9% cut, which is a 25.6% increase in his career. When asked about the difference between this year and the final year, Roberts noticed that in some cases Ohtani did not shorten his swing to expand the bat.
It should also be said that Ohtani has been hitting at a higher speed since he returned to pitching, so his adjustment to becoming a two-way player again may have something to do with it. I think it can be said that this is a short-term concern, but it may not be a long-term issue.
Want to check out some of the injured players we haven't heard of late to see how they've improved and the possibility of seeing them on the mound before the season ends. People like Brusdar Graterol, Ryan River, Kyle Hurt. Even Tony Gonsolin. – Steven W. From Auburn, Washington.
There is not much information about Arizona’s recovery players, but Gretroll, Ryan and Hurt are all working to improve. Graterol is expected to return by the end of the season, but I would be surprised if Ryan and Hurt return this year. They are all about 12 months after the surgery, which will be a relatively fast timeline.
My guess is that Gundolin won't be back this season. He has little time to build a starter, even if he is going to take a short-term role, as far as we can see, he hasn't thrown.