Dodgers Way Quick Hits: Wood, Taylor, Rios, Kiké

The Dodgers will begin a three-game series with the New York Mets on Friday.  After an off day on Thursday, the Dodgers will resume play 2.5 games back of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Dodgers will start the end of their road trip on Friday as they play the New York Mets for three games.   The Mets have struggled mightily lately as they are 3-7 in their last ten games and are missing slugger Yoenis Cespedes.  The Mets signed Jose Bautista although he has gotten off to a slow start in New York.

The Mets are also without the man known as Thor, Noah Syndergaard but the Dodgers will face Jacob DeGrom on Saturday, and he has been pitching as well as any pitcher in the National League.  The Dodgers will look to start a new series win streak after their unbeaten series streak was ended by the Chicago Cubs.  The Dodgers offense has been awful lately, so this will be a battle of two struggling offenses.

Other news…

More from LA Dodgers News

• Kevin Kiermaier being ‘top target’ to replace Cody Bellinger is bad sign for Dodgers
• Giants laughably sign pitcher that Dodgers absolutely own
• Dave Roberts’ quote about Padres in NLDS should motivate Dodgers
• Former Astro seemingly takes uncalled for shot at Cody Bellinger after Cubs deal
• Dodgers’ 2023 lineup without Trea Turner isn’t as impressive as it should be

• The Dodgers will send Alex Wood to the mound today, and Wood will look to put his leg ailments behind him and start pitching like 2017 again.  Wood has struggled this season posting an ERA over four, but he was better in his last start that saw him take a no-hitter into the fifth inning against Madison Bumgarner and the San Francisco Giants.  Alex ended up pitching 5 2/3 innings allowing just one earned run.  If he struggles on Friday the Dodgers may send him to the DL with Clayton Kershaw potentially returning next week.
• Edwin Rios is a forgotten man in Triple-A after he missed the beginning of the season due to injuries. Rios homered last night and in only 83 at-bats for the Oklahoma City Dodgers, Rios has hit four home runs and is hitting .313.  Rios is not going to be promoted to the majors anytime soon with Max Muncy having a breakout season, but he could prove to be a valuable bat off the bench when he gets called up in September.
• Chris Taylor is hoping to return to the lineup tonight after leaving Wednesday’s game with a tight hamstring, but the Dodgers would be rise to rest CT3.  Last game Taylor hit a foul ball off his ankle and also left with the hamstring issue so the Dodgers would be wise to let him heal.  Taylor has been struggling at the plate lately hitting just .208 with ten strikeouts in twenty-four at-bats in the last seven games.  On the season, Taylor is now hitting .249.

Next: The Dodgers have a problem scoring runs again

• On the opposite side of the spectrum, Kiké Hernandez has hit the ball well lately posting a .304 average in the last seven games with two home runs.  Hernandez has also struck out just three times in his last twenty-four at-bats so in addition to hitting the ball well he has been avoiding the strikeout.  Kiké now has ten home runs on the season and is turning into a must-start for slumping Dodger offense.