LOS ANGELES, CA — There is nothing like a Dodgers-Giants game in baseball. Sorry, but as far as I’m concerned, no other rivalry has the long history of meaningful conflicts over a 156 or 162-game schedule year-after-year, going way back before automobiles, TV, and jet planes. The rivalry began in 1890 when Brooklyn joined the National League, and then they moved it to the other coast in 1958.
Today, the Giants are three games behind the Cubs, two and a half games behind Miami, and two behind the Reds for the third spot in the NL Wild Card with 10 games to go in the season. The big problem is that they will have to face their Western Division champion rival Dodgers in seven of those ten games.
Dodgers-Giants rivalry from New York to the West Coast – Image Credit: MLB
Unfortunately for the Giants, unlike last year when LA took their foot off the gas and were flat when they faced the Padres after they again clinched the NL West Division early. Today, the Dodgers are showing a fierce competitive side like they are in a tight pennant race. The chance of the Giants catching any of those ahead of them will be like trying to get safely to shore in a rowboat during a hurricane! I don’t see that happening…
The fact that San Francisco has called up several minor leaguers and have been frolicking barefoot in the grass at Dodger Stadium and throwing frisbees and footballs tells me they have thrown in the towel for 2023. Nonetheless, the stadium will be close to capacity with a few sellouts because of the great rivalry between these two storied franchises.
Giants starter, 22-year-old lefty Kyle Harrison, San Jose, CA, will get his sixth start this season, where he has a 1-1 record and is averaging five innings per game. San Francisco just called him up from AAA today and will be able to get a good look at what he can do against a powerhouse lineup like these Dodgers.
Giants southpaw Kyle Harrison – Image Credit: USA Today
Los Angeles will start their 23-year-old rookie Emmet Sheehan, New York, NY, who is averaging less than five innings over nine starts. Sheehan is looking to secure a spot on this roster for the postseason. He looked great the first four innings facing the minimum of twelve batters. In that span he recorded nine strikeouts and at one point struck out six Giants in a row.
Emmet Sheehan's 2Ks in the 3rd.
7Ks thru 3. pic.twitter.com/JFzM43hnIw
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 22, 2023
His nine strikeouts on the night were a career-high. But then in the fourth inning he retired the first two batters and then hit a batter and walked the next three to force in a run and was removed after 90 pitches and no hits. He has averaged 4.2 innings in his starts this year and that is exactly what he did tonight. I would look at it as a plus outing for Sheehan and keep him on the postseason roster.
J.D. Martinez, recipient of 2018 American League LatinoMVP Award, finished the night 2-3 with one HR and three RBI – Image Credit: Emma Sharon/Latino Sports
The other takeaway from this game was the electric atmosphere of the crowd of 43,942 who came to do the wave and see these long time foes battle it out for bragging rights. The final score was 7-2 Dodgers.
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