MLB.com reports:
A.J. Pollock slugged three home runs on Friday night at Dodger Stadium, but a 5-4 loss to the Giants only underscored how the starting rotation is just as instrumental in the Dodgers’ success as all of those big flies.
And that rotation is in a slump. Clayton Kershaw made his shortest start of the year in the loss, the latest data point in a disturbing trend as the Dodgers straddle divergent goals of winning every game and preparing for the postseason.
The preparation includes moving Kenta Maeda from the rotation to the bullpen, moving Julio Urias from the bullpen to the rotation, skipping a turn for struggling Cy Young candidate Hyun-Jin Ryu, giving Walker Buehler extra rest and activating 39-year-old Rich Hill next week because he’s back in the picture.
“A lot of our momentum all year long has been starting pitching,” said manager Dave Roberts. “When you have good, consistent starting pitching, guys that go deep in games, that’s contagious and gives you a chance to win on a nightly basis. Look at the last two weeks -- the common factor is our starters haven’t been consistent.”
No Dodgers starter has reached the sixth inning since Buehler on Aug. 27. In the past 14 games, Dodgers starters have a 5.67 ERA and the team is 7-7, which included a four-game win streak snapped with Friday’s loss. Kershaw is 13-5, with a three-game losing streak for the first time since 2015. He said pitching, like hitting, can be contagious, good and bad.
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