Welcome to the recap of the Dodgers’ week, where baseball writers Dylan Hernandez and Jack Harris review the happenings, hand out some distinct awards, and reflect on the season overall.
This week’s Future Dodger
This section speculates on potential Dodgers acquisitions, particularly focusing on the upcoming MLB Draft starting this Saturday.
Eric Becker, shortstop from the University of Virginia (Expected Pick: Saturday)
Draft weekend often marks a significant moment for many teams. Yet, for the Dodgers this year, it seems a bit different. Observers note they have only one pick (No. 40) among the top 130 selections, with just two choices in the first six rounds.
Due to luxury tax penalties from last season, the organization’s top pick dropped to the second round. Additionally, they lost four early picks to secure two players (Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz) who received qualifying offers this offseason. The Dodgers have the smallest signing bonus pool at $3.9 million, far less than the Toronto Blue Jays’ $5.5 million.
Andrew Friedman, the director of baseball operations, humorously remarked this winter about the Dodgers’ minimal resources: “Our food expenses for draft meetings might exceed our signing bonus.”
“It’s not ideal,” Friedman acknowledged, “but we are aiming to position ourselves for a championship by 2026.”
Given the circumstances, don’t expect anything extravagant during the draft. A prospect like Becker, who boasts a strong glove and an impressive .348 college batting average, could be a wise choice, especially since he’s not seeking a hefty contract like some high school players. He’s been linked to the team throughout the summer.
The primary goal this weekend will likely be to discover overlooked talent late in the draft, something the Dodgers have done well in past years, thus maintaining a strong farm system.
This week’s question
Will the Dodgers be involved in meaningful games for the rest of the season?
As discussed recently, the Dodgers are currently leading in the standings, almost setting the stage for their division championship t-shirts come October. However, the pressing question is whether they’ll face pressure in the playoff race.
Presently, they sit six games behind the Atlanta Braves for one of the top two seeds and have secured a valuable first-round bye. With the best record in the majors—two games ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers—they also enjoy home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Aiming for a first-round bye and evading a best-of-three wild-card series will be key objectives. This could add more weight to upcoming matchups against the Braves (August 25-27, Atlanta), the Phillies (July 20-22, Philadelphia), and the Cubs (August 3-5, Chicago), who are the only other teams competing for a top-two seed, albeit slim chances.
Aside from that, if the Dodgers can steer clear of the struggles they faced in the second half last season, the remaining regular season may very well serve as preparation for the playoffs.
Player of the Week
Andy Pages (First-time All-Star, .263 average, 16 HR, 64 RBIs, .791 OPS this season)
Pages hasn’t quite held onto his strong early-season performance, with his batting average slipping from .333 on May 10 to .263 over the following two months, and his OPS falling below .800 during that time frame.
Nevertheless, the 25-year-old, who has achieved 16 home runs, 64 RBIs, and the most defensive RBIs for a center fielder this season, received fan votes and earned his first All-Star selection.
This recognition was not only meaningful for him but for the club as a whole. For Pages, this selection was a redemption after the frustration he felt last year. He shared that while it was “worrisome” last year, it provided him with a new outlook.
“We realized that none of us control those factors,” Pages expressed in Spanish. “It all depends on the voters. So this year, I aimed to stay calm and focus on what I can control.”
Pages stands as the first player since catcher Will Smith to be named an All-Star for consecutive seasons, marking another success story in their development program.
Manager Dave Roberts highlighted how some doubted Pages’ ability to excel in center field. “He’s worked hard to become an elite center fielder for the best team in baseball,” Roberts praised during the announcement of Pages’ All-Star selection.
Pitcher of the Week
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (7 scoreless innings, 10 strikeouts this week; 9 wins, 5 losses this season, ERA 2.49)
While Pages was one of five All-Star selections for the Dodgers this year, Yamamoto was the standout pitcher making the trip to Philadelphia—at least for the time being, as conversations begin about Justin Roblewski potentially stepping in.
During his recent performance, Yamamoto pitched seven scoreless innings, striking out ten batters, and sustaining his remarkable form this season.
His excellent performance has positioned him in contention for the elusive Cy Young award, ranking in the top ten among National League pitchers for aspects like ERA (2.49, 4th), wins (9, tied for 8th), innings pitched (104 2/3, 9th), strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.76, 5th), FIP (3.22, 6th), and WAR (2.7, 7th).
Only Jacob Misiorowski and Christopher Sanchez can boast a similar level of achievement.
This week’s outlook
Easton Shelton (California League Player of the Month for June, .291 average, 23 HR, 76 RBIs in Single-A this year)
Not familiar with Shelton? You’re not alone.
This 20-year-old from Nevada burst onto the scene unexpectedly this year. After signing with the Dodgers as an undrafted free agent post-high school in 2023, he had a decent, if not remarkable, rookie season in the Arizona Complex League—recording a batting average of .255, 7 home runs, and 23 RBIs.
Fast forward to this year, and the 6-foot-4 first baseman has significantly improved, boasting nine home runs and leading in RBIs within the Single-A California League—ranked second in slugging percentage, fourth in OPS, and making the top 20 in batting average.
While he may not appear on the franchise’s top 30 list, Shelton symbolizes the organization’s ongoing success in identifying hidden talent, emerging as a formidable power threat unexpectedly.
