True Blue La

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, the Dodgers punctuated their ninth consecutive win by living up to our podcast name, with Ryan Yarbrough collecting a three-inning save. Yarbrough, one of five players acquired by the Dodgers before the trade deadline, has impressed in a hybrid bulk relief role since joining Los Angeles, and has helped "save" the rest of the bullpen with his extended outings. For Yarbrough to get his three-inning save -- like Andre Jackson twice and Emmet Sheehan's four-inning save before him -- multiple factors played into the opportunity. First, starter Bobby Miller was fantastic in his six innings, retiring his final 18 batters faced. And the Dodgers offense had to cooperate with a five-run rally in the sixth inning to take the lead, just as Yarbrough entered. It was Yarbrough's first career save of any kind, and fourth save of at least three innings by a Dodgers pitcher in 2023. Also, a look at the current Dodgers bullpen, which added Gus Varland and could add Shelby Mille

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, hosts Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch discuss the juggernaut Dodgers, who have won eight straight games and now have a commanding 8½-game lead in the National League West. Clayton Kershaw returned for the first time in over six weeks, and Lance Lynn continued to ride his fastball to success since getting traded to the Dodgers. Fellow deadline acquisitions Kiké Hernández (131 wRC+) and Amed Rosario (130 wRC+) have boosted the offense as well, especially against right-handed pitching. The Dodgers have won 12 out of 13 games before their first off day of August, and after one of the worst starting pitching months in franchise history in July, the LA rotation has a 2.25 ERA in August, stabilizing the staff. In the bullpen, manager Dave Roberts introduced the term "trust tree" this week, to our delight. The Three-Inning Save is part of the Fans First Sports Network. Produced by Brian Salvatore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on The Three-Inning Save podcast, Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch look back at pitcher Ed Roebuck, the former Dodgers reliever who was a rookie on the 1955 Brooklyn team that won the first World Series in franchise history, and was used heavily down the stretch as the Dodgers lost the pennant to San Francisco in 1962. We talk about Roebuck’s 11-year major league career, his tirade about manager Walt Alston after getting traded to Washington, Roebuck’s legendary prowess with the fungo bat, how he overcame major shoulder injuries to last, plus his longtime scouting career. Sources include: SABR bio of Roebuck, written by Paul Hirsch; Roebuck’s obituary, by Bill Shaikin in the Los Angeles Times; Dodgers trade Roebuck to Washington, True Blue LA. The Three-Inning Save podcast is part of the Fans First Sports Network. Produced by Brian Salvatore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, hosts Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch give a final recap of the Dodgers trade deadline, including the deal for Eduardo Rodrigez that fell through and adding Ryan Yarbrough. Emmet Sheehan pitched a perfectly-timed four-inning save (no, we are not changing the podcast name), and the Dodgers won five out of six games against the A’s and Padres, losing only thanks to a nightmare eighth inning by the bullpen in San Diego on Saturday. The players the Dodgers did trade for factored in, with Lance Lynn winning both starts, Amed Rosario homering twice, and the Dodgers as a team tattooing left-handed pitchers of late, facing a ton of them in the last week and a half. Also, Clayton Kershaw is likely going to return to the rotation this week. The Three-Inning Save is part of the Fans First Sports Network. Produced by Brian Salvatore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, hosts Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch look back on last week’s plea that the Dodgers very clearly needed to trade for starting pitching, then they went out and proved it by having a terrible week on the mound. The Dodgers did get a head start on the MLB trade deadline by making three deals. They brought back Kiké Hernández and traded for Amed Rosario to bolster the right-handed options among position players. Plus they got Rosario for pitcher Noah Syndergaard, who was on the outs in Los Angeles. The Dodgers also got starting pitcher Lance Lynn and reliever Joe Kelly from the White Sox, a trade that on its surface doesn’t look like a huge upgrade. The team still needs pitching help, and have about a day and a half left until the trade deadline to make more deals. The Three-Inning Save is part of the Fans First Sports Network. Produced by Brian Salvatore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on The Three-Inning Save podcast, Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch look back at pitcher Mike Harkey, the former Cal State Fullerton pitcher who ended his playing career down the stretch with the Dodgers in 1997, who came on our radar thanks to Immaculate Grid. The Three-Inning Save podcast is part of the Fans First Sports Network. Produced by Brian Salvatore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Dodgers made their first and almost certainly not last deal of trade deadline season, acquiring old friend Enrique Hernández from the Red Sox, trying to revitalize the utility man who is having a down year at the plate. Sent to Boston in the trade were Triple-A relievers Nick Robertson and Justin Hagenman, with the Red Sox paying $2.5 million of the roughly $3.7 million remaining on Hernández's salary in 2023. A look at what this means for the Dodgers in the short term -- Hernández will face lefties, provide more versatility -- and that it doesn't necessarily rule out the Dodgers from trading for another hitter. The Three-Inning Save podcast is part of the Fans First Sports Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, with hosts Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch, the Dodgers had a wildly successful road trip, winning all three series including taking four of six games against the Orioles and Rangers, two first-place teams among the top-five records in the majors. The Dodgers have a top-five record, too, and have cemented their usual perch atop the National League West. Freddie Freeman went supernova, which overshadowed a surreal week by catcher Will Smith and contributions from just about everyone on offense. But the starting pitching struggled, with nearly a 9.00 ERA this last week, and blow-up starts by Julio Urías and Emmet Sheehan, accentuating the Dodgers’ need to acquire starting pitching at the trade deadline, which is a little over a week away. The Three-Inning Save is part of the Fans First Sports Network. Produced by Brian Salvatore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on The Three-Inning Save podcast, Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch look back at third baseman Robin Ventura, who was acquired by the Dodgers at the 2003 trade deadline. In addition to his excellent years with the White Sox, the six-time Gold Glove winner Ventura also played with the Mets and Yankees. For the Mets, Ventura famously hit a walk-off grand slam single in Game 5 of the 1999 NLCS, on a ball he hit over the wall in right field but never actually rounded the bases during the celebration and only got credit for a single. The Dodgers acquired Ventura from the Yankees in 2003, and he played with Los Angeles for the final season and a half of his career. The Three-Inning Save podcast is part of the Fans First Sports Network. Produced by Brian Salvatore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, with hosts Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch, Clayton Kershaw is at front of mind, both regarding his shoulder injury and timing of his 2023 return, as well as his pending decision this offseason. Kershaw is on the injured list with shoulder soreness and has been prescribed rest, and won’t join the Dodgers rotation until at least the first week of August. But he also talked about his upcoming offseason in an interview with USA Today, at the very least retirement is on the table. After five days off during the All-Star break, Dodgers pitchers looked rested and allowed only three runs to the Mets, winning two of three games. Mookie Betts remains on fire at the plate, putting together what Dave Roberts is touting as an MVP campaign. The Three-Inning Save is part of the Fans First Sports Network. Produced by Brian Salvatore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, with hosts Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch, we talk the first-place Dodgers and the very busy All-Star and MLB Draft week. Clayton Kershaw is on the injured list but will be back soon, but the Dodgers got terrible pitching news last week. Dustin May will have elbow surgery, out until midseason 2024 at least. Daniel Hudson returned after missing a year for his left knee, then suffered an MCL sprain in his right knee. Still, the Dodgers won five out of six to move into first place in the National League West. The MLB Draft started Sunday and the Dodgers took four high school players in their first 10 rounds, an aggressiveness thanks to a larger signing bonus pool this year compared to recent years. Also, Mookie Betts’ mom was right about the Home Run Derby, and three Dodgers in a row batting in the National League All-Star lineup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, with hosts Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch, we talk about the Dodgers selected to the 2023 MLB All-Star Game in Seattle. Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and J.D. Martinez were voted by fans to start for the National League, the first time the Dodgers have had three starting position players in the All-Star Game since 1980. Clayton Kershaw made his 10th All-Star Game and catcher Will Smith made his first. The Three-Inning Save is part of the Fans First Sports Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on The Three-Inning Save podcast, Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch look back at infielder Billy Grabarkewitz, who was a surprise All-Star in 1970 at third base for the Dodgers, but injuries slowed him down in other years. The Three-Inning Save podcast is part of the Fans First Sports Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, hosts Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch catch up on a rollercoaster two weeks of Dodgers baseball. After getting swept at home by the Giants and a week of bullpen woes, Dodgers pitching was at the forefront in winning four of five against the Angels and Astros. We take stock of where the Dodgers roster stands, plus the pending returns of Julio Urías, Max Muncy, and Daniel Hudson from the injured list. Also, we pour one out for Andre Jackson, the patron saint of the three-inning save with the Dodgers, who was traded to the Pirates for cash. This week’s food topic is figuring out which pizza toppings work for us, and we find out why Jacob doesn’t really eat popcorn. The Three-Inning Save is part of the Fans First Sports Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the Three-Inning Save podcast, we look back at the longest save in Dodgers history, a five-inning save in 1970 by Charlie Hough, pitching in only the second game of what would be an illustrious 25-year career. Plus, Eric tells the story of his favorite spring training game ever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, hosts Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch celebrate yet another three-inning save by Andre Jackson, and try to navigate the tough road ahead for a Dodgers pitching staff taxed to its limit. In the last week alone, Noah Syndergaard reached the end of his rope, unable even to eat innings during his turn in the rotation. He was placed on the injured list, nominally for the blister in his finger, but also for a major reset to figure out how to recapture any of his former self on the mound. And just when Julio Urías was set to return, his left hamstring flared up again, pushing him back a few more weeks. The Dodgers are asking a lot of the starters they have, but the burden on the entire staff as a whole showed itself with three walk-off losses in four days, and the need of a bullpen game to finish off the series against the Phillies. We look ahead at how the Dodgers might manage their pitching staff for the remainder of June, which is helped somewhat by four off days in

A look back at left-handed pitcher Kemp Wicker, one of only eight players in major league history to play for only the Dodgers and Yankees. Wicker pitched four years in the majors and his teams made the World Series each time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, hosts Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch are amazed at how good Bobby Miller has been in his first three major league starts for the Dodgers. Miller, the Dodgers top pitching prospect, is the ninth different starting pitcher the Dodgers have used this season amid a season of injuries, and even his own year was delayed by shoulder soreness in spring training. But so far, Miller has allowed only two runs in 17 innings, including shutting out the Yankees for six innings. He’s been the best pitcher on the Dodgers since joining them two weeks ago. Also this week, Freddie Freeman won National League player of the month, J.D. Martinez has caught fire since returning from the injured list, a trio of relievers – Evan Phillips, Brusdar Graterol, and Caleb Ferguson – have emerged atop the bullpen hierarchy, and Jonny DeLuca is now in the major just three weeks after playing in Double-A. The Three-Inning Save is part of the Fans First Sports Network. Learn more about your ad ch

A look back at Wayne Belardi, a power-hitting first baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers in the early 1950s who was stuck behind Hall of Famer Gil Hodges on the depth chart. Belardi hit a memorable grand slam in 1953. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Three-Inning Save podcast, hosts Eric Stephen and Jacob Burch recap one of the most taxing weeks for Dodgers pitching in recent memory. Dustin May injured his elbow and will miss at least 4-6 weeks, Julio Urías is out two weeks with a strained hamstring, and the Dodgers had a spate of short starts for a full week plus a 12-inning game that put tremendous strain on the pitching staff. The Dodgers brought up four different pitchers in a four-day span, and jettisoned two of them the next day because they needed another fresh arm. And that doesn’t even include Justin Bruihl, who pitched three straight days, got optioned, but returned the next day. Also in the last week, The Phil Bickford Game, a walk-off walk by streaking Trayce Thompson, and Freddie Freeman reached the 300-home-run club. The Three-Inning Save is part of the Fans First Sports Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices