MIAMI — The way right-handed starter Tyler Glasnow has pitched this year when healthy made him an obvious choice for the Dodgers’ postseason rotation. But during the Dodgers’ 4-3 loss to the Marlins on Saturday, with the team on the cusp of clinching a playoff berth, he didn’t look like that version of himself.
The Dodgers could have punched their ticket Saturday with a win and losses by the Diamondbacks and Padres. The Dodgers’ loss ended an eight-game winning streak.
The Dodgers (90-58) got off to a good start Saturday, as shortstop Mookie Betts and third baseman Max Muncy hit back-to-back solo home runs in the first inning. But Glasnow quickly gave up that lead.
He showed signs of command issues in the first inning. With two outs, Glasnow hung a curveball to Griffin Conine, who drove it to center field. Dodgers center fielder Tommy Edman tracked it back to the warning track, but a step or two in front of the wall, he failed to secure it, and Conine trotted to second base.
Glasnow hit the next batter, Otto Lopez, on the hand and then walked Jakob Marsee to load the bases. But he escaped the jam by getting Javier Sanoja to line out to left field.
The next inning, Glasnow wasn’t so fortunate.
Glasnow issued a leadoff walk before Graham Pauley hit a fastball for a two-run homer. The Marlins (73-76) tacked on another run after straight singles.
Glasnow settled in for the third and fourth innings, retiring six straight. But his pitch count was high. So when he walked the first two batters of the fifth, manager Dave Roberts pulled him. Glasnow threw 91 pitches.
Reliever Jack Dreyer hit the first batter he faced. Another run scored when a high toss by Betts to Alex Freeland pulled the second baseman off the bag. But Dreyer eventually got out of the inning with a double play started by Betts.
Though the bullpen held the Marlins scoreless the rest of the way, the Dodgers’ offense fell quiet until the ninth, when rookie Josue De Paula drew a walk, advanced to second on defensive indifference, and then scored on a single by Hunter Feduccia. Will Smith lined out to third to end the game.
Over the past week, the Dodgers have taken advantage of a soft September schedule as they compete for playoff seeding.
Although Shohei Ohtani is on the injured list and Freddie Freeman is managing a sore right knee, the rest of the Dodgers lineup, aside from Saturday’s low-scoring effort, seems to be clicking at the right time.
Teoscar Hernández went on a tear during the last homestand. Right fielder Kyle Tucker fixed his bat path and was rewarded with a three-hit, five-RBI performance Friday that included a grand slam. Now add in Betts and Muncy’s home runs.
But they still have work to do to clinch a playoff berth.
Freeman returns to lineup
Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman returned to the lineup Saturday after two games off to rest his sore right knee.
“He’s in a much better spot today,” Roberts said. “I think it’s one of those things where we’ve got to manage it.”
So, Roberts plans to pick spots in the coming weeks to give him days off.
“We’ve just got to make sure he’s at optimal health when we finish the season,” Roberts said. “So I think that he might not love it, but giving him a day off here or there might be beneficial.”
Rotation schedule
The Dodgers are set to have right-hander Emmett Sheehan serve in a bulk role Sunday, possibly with an opener. They had not finalized their plans as of Saturday afternoon.
That means Tarik Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Blake Snell are lined up to start the first three games of the Cincinnati series, which starts Monday. There’s an opportunity for right-hander Roki Sasaki (right middle finger blister) to return from the IL to start Thursday in Cincinnati, but the Dodgers are still monitoring his progress.
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