CHICAGO — Via Spring Coaching, the largest query mark surrounding the Dodgers was about their infield protection. For a lot of the first two weeks of the common season, that very same infield protection hasn’t been practically as massive of a priority as initially anticipated.
However for maybe the primary time, these questions crept again up for the Dodgers, who dedicated three errors within the 8-1 loss to the Cubs at a moist Wrigley Discipline on Sunday. After dropping two of three in Chicago, this was the primary sequence loss for Los Angeles this season.
“You by no means like three errors in a ballgame,” mentioned Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts. “I feel it’s been significantly higher than it was a month in the past, and I feel it’s solely going to get higher. At this time was simply a type of days, like I mentioned, we want to wash. However I don’t assume it was the infield protection in the present day.”
As Roberts mentioned and in equity to the protection, the taking part in situations in Chicago worsened as the sport wore on. There was finally a two-hour and 51-minute rain delay within the backside of the fourth. However even with the poor situations, the Dodgers didn’t do right-hander Gavin Stone any favors because the Cubs jumped forward early.
The errors began on the primary hitter Los Angeles confronted as Freddie Freeman couldn’t deal with a grounder hit by Ian Happ to start out the sport. Initially Happ was credited with successful, but it surely was modified to an error regardless of the ball having an exit velocity of 108.3 mph, per Statcast. That finally opened the door for the Cubs, who scored three runs within the opening body on a bases-clearing double by former Dodger Michael Busch.
Within the third, it was Mookie Betts who misplayed a ball at shortstop. Betts, after all, made the transfer to shortstop from second base in the midst of Spring Coaching. For probably the most half, Betts has regarded snug at his new place, however his error on Sunday allowed the Cubs to attain the fifth run of the sport on a Mike Tauchman RBI double.
Earlier than the rain delay, Miguel Rojas was additionally charged with a throwing error. After the play, the umpires known as for the tarp as a result of deteriorating subject situations. Rojas, who was beginning his first recreation of the season at third base, is without doubt one of the greatest defenders within the league.
“I feel Miguel’s on the throw,” Roberts mentioned when requested if the climate situations affected a number of the misplays. “Mookie’s ball, he simply hasn’t performed in situations like this at quick earlier than, and it was a ball that simply stayed down. After which the Freddie error, that’s a troublesome error. That’s an in-between hop. To me that’s a troublesome error. However clearly if we make that play, doubtlessly it’s a distinct inning.”
Outdoors of the protection, Stone additionally didn’t have his greatest stuff and command on Sunday. The younger right-hander, who was stellar in Cactus League play, has gotten off to a little bit of a gradual begin this season. Towards the Cubs, he allowed 5 runs (one earned) on 4 hits and walked three. Maybe the one encouraging half for the Dodgers and Stone is that the speed on all his pitches was up as soon as once more from his season averages in 2023.
General, there weren’t many positives for Los Angeles exterior of Shohei Ohtani persevering with his mini-hitting streak with a double and a triple. In an extended season, video games like these will occur. The Dodgers have been in a position to keep away from it over their first 11 contests. However that is the primary one they’ll have to scrub away.
“No excuses,” Rojas mentioned. “They performed higher baseball than us in the present day.”
