Dodgers get final playoff tuneup against Angels
If there is anything the Los Angeles Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers can count on Sunday when they meet for a noon local start in the regular-season finale is that a power outage won't be able to wreak much havoc.
The teams went through a delay following the sixth inning in Saturday night's game but returned to play after more than 20 minutes.
After Sunday's game, the lights figuratively will go out on the Angels, who were eliminated from playoff contention when they lost the series opener to the Dodgers on Friday.
It is an entirely different story for the Dodgers, who will do their best Sunday just to stay healthy with their playoff opener coming Wednesday at home against a team to be determined.
That "stay healthy" mantra was put to the test Saturday when Dodgers leadoff hitter Mookie Betts was hit in the left hip by a 90 mph sinker from Angels right-hander Julio Teheran. Betts did not return to his position in right field for the second inning, with the Dodgers saying his removal was for precautionary reasons and there was no injury.
While Betts likely will sit on Sunday, manager Dave Roberts figures to test the limits of his 28-man roster over the final nine innings in a game that has no meaning for either team.
It will be just 60 games, counting Sunday's contest, but the Dodgers have learned just how valuable Betts is, and how vital he will be in the postseason. He is batting .292 this season with a .925 OPS and has 16 home runs and 39 RBIs.
"By bandwidth, I'm talking about a superstar player who has the ability to make the people around him better," Roberts said. "He makes the right plays on the field. He says the right things, especially to his teammates, and has the ability to help young players and to help veterans.
"But perhaps the thing that has impressed me the most about him is how present he is, in just about every situation. Present when he's on the bases. Present in right field. Present every single time he steps into the batter's box."
The Angels have a player in that realm as well with three-time American League MVP Mike Trout. He was not in the lineup Saturday after the Angels were eliminated and his status for Sunday is unknown.
Trout has batted .281 this season with 17 home runs and 46 RBIs in 53 games, but it was not enough to get the Angels to the postseason. Trout's only playoff experience came in three games at the end of the 2014 season.
"It seemed like in the offseason we made a lot of great moves," Trout said. "Obviously, this COVID thing messed it up. Instead of playing a full season to see what we're capable of doing, it obviously got shortened. But every team had to deal with this.
"The biggest thing is getting the playoffs. You guys see it. I see it. It sucks, being out of it. It's time. We got to get to the playoffs."
The Angels are expected to start left-hander Patrick Sandoval (1-4, 5.56 ERA) in Sunday's final game. He went six innings in a start against the Dodgers earlier this year, giving up five runs (four earned) in six hits over six innings while taking the loss.
The Dodgers have not named a starter, but are expected to go with an opener and then have rookie Dustin May (2-1, 2.77 ERA) pick up bulk innings. May started against the Angels back on Aug. 16 and went 4 1/3 innings, giving up two runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and no walks in receiving a no-decision in an 8-3 Dodgers win.
--Field Level Media
