Dodgers Dugout: Why is Trayce Thompson batting against left-handers?

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. The Padres made a terrible mistake putting the “Cryin’ Kershaw” meme on their scoreboard after the first game of the three-game series. Let’s hope the Dodgers don’t retaliate and save their message for the field of play. This is why the Padres come across as a bunch of whiners. I’ll take the rivalry with the Giants any time.

This is going to be one of those newsletters that focuses heavily on stats. I know some of you hate that, so you may want to skip the next couple of sections.

The Dodgers began the season 13-13 and looking very much like a mediocre team. Since then, they have gone 10-2 and look very much like a playoff team. Getting Will Smith back in the lineup helped. Better relief pitching helped. Let’s take a look at some numbers during those 12 games:

Batting average

Jason Heyward: .333/.455/.722, 4 doubles, 1 homer, 3 RBIs
Michael Busch: .333/.500/.333, 3 for 9, 1 RBI
Will Smith: .317/.423/.610, 3 doubles, 3 homers, 7 RBIs
Freddie Freeman: .294/.339/.529, 6 doubles, 2 homers, 8 RBIs
Miguel Rojas: .280/.333/.280, 1 RBI
Mookie Betts: .271/.346/.583, 3 doubles, 4 homers, 11 RBIs
James Outman: .268/.388/.439, 4 doubles, 1 homer, 4 RBIs
David Peralta: .261/.320/.435, 1 double, 1 homer, 7 RBIs
Chris Taylor: .257/.333/.571, 3 doubles, 1 triple, 2 homers, 7 RBIs
Miguel Vargas: .222/.286/.622, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 4 homers, 13 RBIs
Austin Barnes: .188/.381/.250, 1 double, 4 RBIs
Max Muncy: .128/.236/.231, 1 double, 1 homer, 8 RBIs
Trayce Thompson: .000/.235/.000, 0 for 13

It looks like Taylor is finally emerging from his lengthy slump. Vargas isn’t hitting for average but is hitting for power, while Busch is doing the opposite. As usual, Smith, Freeman and Betts are the big three. Muncy is slumping again, but he has been battling flu, so we’ll cut him some slack. J.D. Martinez has been on the injured list the whole time. More on Thompson later.

Now a look at pitching the last 12 games:

Dustin May, 2-0, 1.64 ERA, 11 IP, 6 hits, 5 walks, 10 K’s
Julio Urías, 1-0, 2.13 ERA, 12.2 IP, 9 hits, 2 walks, 13 K’s
Clayton Kershaw, 2-1, 2.41 ERA, 18.2 IP, 15 hits, 5 walks, 24 K’s
Tony Gonsolin, 0-1, 2.53 ERA, 10.2 IP, 8 hits, 2 walks, 9 K’s
Noah Syndergaard, 1-0, 4.26 ERA, 6.1 IP, 9 hits, 1 walk, 0 K’s

Relievers

Evan Phillips, 0.00 ERA, 4 saves, 4.1 IP, 1 hit, 2 walks, 7 K’s
Yency Almonte, 0.00 ERA, 4.2 IP, 0 hits, 1 walk, 5 K’s
Caleb Ferguson, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 5 IP, 0 hits, 1 walk, 6 K’s
Victor González, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 5.2 IP, 3 hits, 1 walk, 6 K’s
Justin Bruihl, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.2 IP, 0 hits, 0 walks, 2 K’s
Shelby Miller, 3.38 ERA, 5.1 IP, 2 hits, 6 walks, 5 K’s
Alex Vesia, 3.38 ERA, 2.2 IP, 4 hits, 2 walks, 5 K’s
Brusdar Graterol, 1-0, 4.16 ERA, 1 save, 1 blown save, 4.1 IP, 6 hits, 2 walks, 3 K’s
Wander Suero, 5.79 ERA, 4.2 IP, 1 hit, 4 walks, 4 K’s
Phil Bickford, 8.44 ERA, 5.1 IP, 8 hits, 0 walks, 6 K’s

The pitching has been very effective and the bullpen has kept the Dodgers in games when they fall behind early allowing them to comeback and win a couple. The batter who gets the game-winning hit gets all the glory, and the strong bullpen pitching that kept them in the game gets overlooked.

Finally, let’s take a look at the Dodgers’ overall numbers and where they rank among the 30 teams, through Wednesday:

Record: 23-15, .605, third-best record in baseball, on pace to win 98 games.
Runs per game: 5.47 (4th)
Batting average: .232 (26th)
On-base percentage: .327 (12th)
Slugging: .450 (3rd)
Home runs: 64 (2nd)
Batter strikeouts: 353 (3rd-worst)
Walks: 171 (1st)
Stolen bases: 24 (Tied for 16th)
ERA: 4.10 (14th)
WHIP: 1.240 (9th)
K’s per 9 IP: 8.5 (22nd)
Starters’ ERA: 3.93 (10th)
Bullpen ERA: 4.35 (23rd)
Inherited runners to score %: 24.6% (7th).

The bad start to the season by the bullpen has really buried their overall number. The Dodgers have had only 17 of 69 inherited runners to score. The worst in the majors is the Chicago White Sox at 53.3% (32 of 60).

Why is Trayce Thompson batting against lefties?

I touched upon this briefly in the last newsletter, but let’s expand upon it a bit.

The Dodgers continue to start Trayce Thompson against left-handed pitching, and bring him in to pinch-hit late against lefties. And inevitably Thompson goes 0 for 4 with a couple of strikeouts, or makes an out when pinch-hitting.

If you have watched Thompson play for any length of time, especially this season, it is obvious he is much more comfortable against right-handed pitching. He hits the ball hard and makes contact more often.

The Dodgers are a team that prides itself on analytics. They are the envy of the majors in some regards. Yet they continue to ignore years of evidence in Thompson’s case, instead just blindly following the old “Right-handed batters hit better against lefties” trope. And that’s usually correct. But some batters are different. Let’s look at Thompson through the years:

2015
vs. lefties: .327/.362/.636
vs. righties: .269/.364/.448

2016
vs. lefties: .219/.286/.422
vs. righties: .227/.307/.442

2017
vs. lefties: .080/.179/.160
vs. righties: .167/.259/.375

2018
vs. lefties: .125/.177/.250
vs. righties: .113/.153/.188

2022
vs. lefties: .174/.260/.361
vs. righties: .308/.409/.602

2023
vs. lefties: .065/.237/.161
vs. righties: .217/.333/.609

Lifetime
vs. lefties: .196/.277/.404 (358 plate appearances)
vs. righties: .228/.316/.444 (586 plate appearances)

Thompson was not in the majors from 2019 to 2020 and was in only a handful of games in 2021. He was great against lefties in his first season, but word must have spread about a weakness in his swing against southpaws, because results haven’t been too good since then.

Most of Thompson’s success last season came against righties. The job of any team is to put their players in the best position to succeed. The Dodgers are not doing that with Thompson.

Book giveaway

My new book on the Dodgers, “If These Walls Could Talk: Stories from the Dodgers Dugout, Locker Room, and Press Box” is available now online and in most bookstores. However, I have some copies available for a free giveaway to readers of this newsletter. Just email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com and put in the subject: Free Book. I will conduct a random drawing and giveaway five signed books (or not signed, if you prefer). Also include what you would like the inscription to say and who it should be signed to. If I get enough entries, I might expand it to 10 books, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself.

Gondola Poll

We asked our newsletter readers, Would you park at Union Station and ride a gondola to Dodger Stadium? After 17,110 votes, the results:

Yes, 40.2%
No, not for any reason, 34.6%
No, because Frank McCourt is involved, 16.4%
Yes, but only if Frank McCourt isn’t involved, 8.8%

Injury report

Pitcher Noah Syndergaard left his last start after one inning because of a cut on the index finger on his pitching hand. A decision on whether to put him on the IL should come today.

10-day IL

DH J.D. Martinez (back tightness). He is expected to be activated today. Who do they send down? Busch or Thompson? Probably Busch, who isn’t getting enough playing time in L.A.

15-day IL

RHP Michael Grove (groin). He is throwing to hitters at the Arizona training facility. Next stop would be a rehab assignment.

RHP Jimmy Nelson (right elbow inflammation). He made one appearance over a week ago at triple-A Oklahoma City and hasn’t pitched since. Not a good sign.

60-day IL

RHP Walker Buehler (Tommy John surgery). It’s possible he returns at the end of this season but 2024 is more likely.

RHP J.P. Feyereisen (right shoulder surgery). Signed in the offseason, he had surgery in December and the earliest he will play is August.

RHP Daniel Hudson (right knee). Hudson has soreness in his right knee but could be back in June.

SS Gavin Lux (right knee). Lux is out for the season after undergoing ACL surgery in March.

RHP Ryan Pepiot (left oblique strain). Pepiot has finally started to throw, but is not ready for a rehab assignment yet.

RHP Alex Reyes (right shoulder). Signed before the season, Reyes won’t join the team until after the All-Star break.

RHP Blake Treinen (right shoulder). Treinen had surgery in the offseason and if he returns this year, it probably won’t be until September.

What Vin Scully meant to me

Last season, after Vin Scully died, I asked readers to send in what he meant to them. I ran them the rest of the season and wanted to circle back and run the rest, which will take a few weeks at least. If you wish to contribute (if you sent it to me last season, I still have it, so no need to send again), please email it to houston.mitchell@latimes.com and put Vin Scully in the subject line.

From George Psaltis: I have never listened to another team’s baseball game on the radio. All my life, I have listened to Vin Scully and the Dodgers. I never went to a ballgame at Dodger Stadium except when my father and I would deliver the newspaper to the stadium gates in the early 1960s. I would spend evenings stuffing newspapers for delivery the next day, and would always listen to Vin and the Dodgers. For me, Vin is the Dodgers, always will be the Dodgers.

From Steve Keyzers of Mission Viejo: I am amazed at how many people have the same feelings I do. Vin Scully has to be one of the most revered people ever. The outpouring of love proves that. I felt the loss of my childhood (officially) when Vin died, even though I am a grandpa to four wonderful children. He was a great man. I had no idea he was such a big part of my life until he passed, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I even cried, because he meant so much to me. And I didn’t even know it.

From Larry Waggoner: Around 1990, a family member arrived at Vin’s home in the morning after a late Dodgers game, to assess property, Vin was insuring against theft or damage. Our relative expected a sleepy, rumpled Vin, but instead was greeted by the perfectly dressed redhead who greeted him warmly and spent time going around the house with an easy-going manner. Vin’s standards were ever-present. His sense of humanity was underscored on Sept. 11, 1959, when the Pirates’ Roy Face, a relief pitcher no less, was riding a season’s record of 17-0. Going for the all time undefeated season mark of 18-0, the Dodgers frustrated Face by scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth to beat him. Who but Vin would say “As the first loss sinks in, as he walks off the mound, there is the smallest of smiles.” I was listening on the radio and almost cried. I was 12.

Up next

Friday: San Diego (*Blake Snell, 1-5, 4.89 ERA) at Dodgers (Dustin May, 4-1, 2.68 ERA), 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Saturday: San Diego (Joe Musgrove, 1-0, 6.75 ERA) at Dodgers (*Julio Urías, 4-3, 3.77 ERA), 4:15 p.m., Fox, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Sunday: San Diego (Michael Wacha, 3-1, 4.82 ERA) at Dodgers (Tony Gonsolin, 0-1, 1.93 ERA), 1:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

*-left-handed

In case you missed it

A fitter Victor González is fitting in nicely in Dodgers’ bullpen

Shaikin: Sitting on the top of the Bay? Giants have a lot of work to do

Are the Dodgers staying at a haunted hotel? Mookie Betts won’t be there to find out

Hypnosis and mental hurdles: Dodgers’ Noah Syndergaard seeks answers amid poor start

Hernández: Dodgers still know how to win, and the Padres are still baseball’s Chargers

And finally

Tommy Lasorda talks about Yogi Berra. Watch and listen here.