Baseball

As they opened the roof ahead of Game 4 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays, the faint sounds of screams could be heard in the distance. The source of the screams came from the nearby Six Flags amusement park that is now open on the weekends during the pandemic. Little did anyone know,…

Major League Baseball’s postseason bubble succeeded as a defense against the novel coronavirus. MLB players extended their streak of consecutive days with no new COVID-19 tests to 54 through Thursday during a time of rising cases in the United States. Players did not have positive tests in 62 of the previous 63 days, the commissioner’s office said Friday. There were…

Justin Turner trotted around the bases, his long red beard bouncing back and forth, the back of his uniform stained by a pine-tar infused backswing. Before touching home plate Turner looked up at the Dodgers dugout and mouthed something inaudible for the 11,447 in attendance, but that resonated clearly with his teammates: “We can beat this guy.” To fully understand…

Austin Barnes was back behind the plate to catch Los Angeles Dodgers ace Walker Buehler in Game 3 of the World Series on Friday night. Will Smith moved from catcher to designated hitter in place of A.J. Pollock, who was out of the lineup. Joc Pederson was inserted in left field, Chris Taylor shifted from left field to second base…

The roof at Globe Field will be closed for Game 3 of the World Series on Friday night between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays. The commissioner’s office said in a statement it made the decision “given Friday’s forecasted temperatures, wind chill and the possibility of rain.” The game-time temperature is forecast at about 51 degrees. The roof…

In a whirlwind World Series, where each pressure-packed moment under the glaring lights feels like the weight of the universe is falling upon you, it’s important to take a second to soak in the moment and just breathe. That’s what Tampa Bay Rays ace Blake Snell did when he walked two of the first three batters he faced in...

During every game this postseason Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts scribbles frantically on a little notepad he keeps on him in the team’s dugout. He writes down things he sees, matchups he likes, and future scenarios late in games he might find himself in. Now more than ever does that notepad come in handy. It is of course Game 1 of…

Andrew Friedman isn’t quite torn. The Dodgers’ president of baseball operations since October 2014, he helped build Los Angeles into a power that reached the World Series for the third time in four seasons. He had been Tampa Bay’s executive vice president of baseball operations since 2006, building a team that reached the World Series in 2008 and overseeing the…

Cody Bellinger knocked his right shoulder out of whack with a celebration after his home run that sent the Los Angeles Dodgers to the World Series. The reigning NL MVP said Monday he was “feeling pretty good” and manager Dave Roberts said he expects Bellinger to start in center field for Game 1 against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday…

Clayton Kershaw has pitched in the final game of the season for the Los Angeles Dodgers six of the last seven years. None of those were followed by lifting the World Series trophy. There are his three National League Cy Young Awards, even an MVP during one of his 21-win seasons, and the current streak of eight consecutive NL West…

The World Series matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays is a rare meeting of baseball’s best for the title, and a matchup of organizations with Andrew Friedman’s imprint. Friedman was the Rays’ director of baseball operations from 2004-05 and then general manager from until he left in October 2014 to become the Dodgers’ president of...

In a most unpredictable season, the teams with the best records in each league are set to meet in the World Series. The Dodgers and Rays will open in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday night after each finished memorable League Championship Series matchups this weekend. Neither team has announced its starting pitcher for Game 1, but aces Clayton Kershaw of the…

Game 7 of the National League Championship did not disappoint for Dodgers fans. Enrique Hernandez and Cody Bellinger both homered as Los Angeles came from behind in the series to beat the Atlanta Braves, 4-3, advancing to the World Series for the third time in four years.

Game 7 of the National League Championship became MLB’s first winner-take-all postseason game matching rookie starters when the Los Angeles Dodgers chose Dustin May to start against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday night. The Braves had previously announced that Ian Anderson, the 22-year-old right-hander who had pitched 15 2-3 scoreless innings in his first three postseason starts, would start with…

His fist was raised high in the air in triumph. The ball hadn’t even landed yet, but it was as if Walker Buehler already knew what was about to happen. Over 300 feet away Mookie Betts was hastily backpedaling before leaping up at the last second. His eyes closed as he crashed into the wall. He had just made the…

The sign read: “HIT IT HERE.” Will Smith obliged. With his bat in hand and his teammates jumping over the dugout railing and pouring onto the field, Smith ran halfway down the first base line before he finally threw his bat and turned to them in exultation. He had just hit the biggest home run of his young career, and…

It started with a light breeze, but by the time first pitch rolled around, the robust wind had whipped the large American flag into a horizontal flurry of red and white stripes. Perhaps the grey clouds overhead and the uncomfortably chilling conditions were an ominous sign from above that tonight would not be the best of nights for the Los…

Austin Barnes is back in the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup to catch lefty ace Clayton Kershaw in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves. It was the third start this postseason, all the games started by Kershaw. Barnes was 4-for-5 at the plate in the previews two starts that the Dodgers both won. Kershaw was…

It was only a matter of time. Before the seventh inning of Game 2 of the NLCS the Los Angeles Dodgers had gone 10 innings without scoring a run. Then a sleeping giant was awakened. Corey Seager hit a three-run homer, and the Dodgers scored four more runs in the bottom of the ninth to nearly pull off a miraculous…

Atlanta’s historic run of impressive pitching performances continued, as the Braves beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 8-7, to take a 2-0 series lead in the NLCS on Tuesday night.