There are only a couple of days remaining before Major League Baseball’s trade deadline. Most teams with a legitimate shot to make a run in October are vying for the same small pool of players and pitchers. The Dodgers dropped their most recent series against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium, which highlighted some of the glaring gaps in their current roster.

They will have just one day off before an upcoming thirteen-game streak of home and away games with only two days off during the entire month of August. With their starting pitching already taxed and a couple of injuries resulting from play on Sunday in their ugly 9-0 shutout loss against the Reds, there is definitely some cause for concern.

Rookie starting pitcher Michael Grove went six innings, but not before giving up eight of Cincinnati’s nine runs on ten hits with one walk. Unfortunately, three of those eight runs were the result of the long ball. To his credit, the 26-year-old Wheeling, WV native and Dodgers second round draft pick in 2018 out of West Virginia University had a career-high ten strikeouts, and 65 of his career-high 96 pitches were strikes.

Grove shared his thoughts on his outing with the media after the matchup.

“Yeah, I mean I think that in spurts there were some good pitches today,” the rookie pitcher said. “You know, the slider was good, but you know cutter wasn’t. I got punished because I was leaving pitches over the plate. So trying to take the good with the bad every time. But yeah, just got to get back to the drawing board on it.”

Amid the onslaught, catcher Will Smith was hit by a pitch in the first inning. He would later exit the game in the bottom of the third inning with what was called a left elbow contusion. He expanded on the extent of the injury afterward with SportsNet LA’s Kirsten Watson.

“Yeah, I mean right when it happened, you know, it didn’t feel good,” the catcher shared. “Just kind of like nerve-y feeling, sore and stuff. Yeah just, you know, swinging was a little tough, so before that next at-bat, yeah, I had to come out.”

Smith continued matter-of-factly, “Yeah, X-rays are negative, so got some treatment and got an off-day tomorrow…so hopefully back in there Tuesday.”

To add insult to, well, injury, J.D. Martinez was removed from the game in the top of the second inning with left hamstring tightness. Manager Dave Roberts gave an update after the game, but they are still awaiting test results.

“With JD, it’s kind of the thing that he had maybe a week ago before the day game where he couldn’t go,” Roberts explained. “Something with the groin area. So I’m sure the back is connected, hips, all that kind of stuff where he couldn’t run. So I don’t know the answer, he’s getting tests right now and should know something later this afternoon.”

Not for lack of trying, the Boys in Blue had six hits across their offense Sunday afternoon. Sadly, four runners were left on base. They were just not able to get anything across the plate.

There were, however, a couple of bright spots during the matchup. During Reds’ designated hitter Joey Votto’s third at-bat in the top of the fifth inning, Dodgers centerfielder James Outman robbed the six-time All-Star and former NL MVP of a home run at the centerfield wall.

The other highlight (so to speak) was a move by Roberts to save his overused bullpen. Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas made his first career pitching appearance in the top of the ninth inning. He would face six Reds batters making thirteen pitches, seven for strikes. And he would successfully back up first base to get the second out of the inning. He did, however, exited the inning with a less-than-ideal 9.00 ERA in front of a crowd of 45,936, having saved at least one bullpen arm.

As it stands now, players are getting some rest with the off-day as the team gets reorganized for the next series.

Recently acquired starting pitcher Lance Lynn is scheduled tentatively to make a start on Tuesday after arriving at the stadium on Sunday morning. Lynn did not have a chance before the game to talk strategy with the coaching staff. He was more focused on learning the names and faces of everyone before getting ready to throw a bullpen.

Prior to the game, Roberts told reporters that All-Star infielder/outfielder Mookie Betts is progressing quickly from his right ankle soreness and is “day-to-day” from being activated from their injured list. The Dodgers skipper added that although Betts could certainly play now, they thought it best to give him an extra day off, with Monday being a scheduled day off.

Starting pitching ace Clayton Kershaw is the other big roster piece with questions surrounding his eventual return. Doc was waiting to talk to Kershaw before the game and told reporters that the southpaw would likely throw to hitters on Thursday and potentially be activated to make a start in the upcoming series against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on August 8 or 9 if all goes to plan.

The Dodgers have managed to make it this far and maintain their first-place lead in the NL West, which is no small feat. However, the San Francisco Giants are just two games back and Los Angeles cannot afford to give up their lead.

The Boys in Blue have a lot of fire still and will not go down without a fight. They will get a much-needed day off on Monday. With any hope, we will all have some good news before the end of the trade deadline to bolster some of the holes in the roster.

Let’s go Dodgers!

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