Saturday, March 2, 2024
Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2024
On a windy Saturday afternoon at Camelback Ranch, a split-squad Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs 8-to-5.
Ryan Yarbrough started against the Chicago Cubs and pitched a scoreless first inning. Originally with the Tampa Bay Rays, Yarbrough, a left-hander, is the rare pitcher who can either start or relieve. Last July, the Dodgers acquired Yarbrough from the Kansas City Royals. He is a soft-tossing lefty. This upcoming season, the Dodgers plan to use Yarbrough as a swingman, sometimes starting and sometimes relieving. In the second, he allowed a solo home run. Yarbrough uses a curveball to baffle the opposition. Usually, he has excellent control. Yarbrough pitched another third.
Andy Pages, a minor-league outfielder who is having an excellent spring training after having a labrum surgery, blasted a three-run homer in the second. Pages will make his major-league debut this upcoming season if he continues playing well.
Tanner Dodson ended the third with a double play.
Daniel Hudson, a non-roster invitee, allowed a solo home run to lead off the fourth inning. He has missed most of the 2022 and 2023 seasons with knee injuries. The Dodgers and Hudson hope he will be an integral part of the Dodger bullpen. Despite the solo home run, Hudson pitched well.
Max Muncy returned today from being hit in the left hand, and he singled and was hit in the shoulder. According to Dave Roberts, Muncy has newfound confidence defensively. The Dodgers and their fans hope and expect Muncy will have a great season both offensively and defensively.
Drew Avans’ double cleared the bases in the fourth.
Evan Phillips, expected to be the closer, hurled a perfect fifth.
Brusdar Graterol made his Cactus League debut in the 2024 spring training. Although he issued a walk, he performed well.
Ryan Brasier allowed a single and a stolen in the seventh in his third spring training outing. He walked. On another single, the Cubs scored two runs. At 36, Brasier can still field his position. Another run scored. Although Brasier didn’t pitch that badly, he couldn’t get out of the seventh. Sometimes, every pitcher will have a bad outing, and it is better to have a bad outing during spring training than during the regular season.
Michael Hobbs finished the seventh inning.
Justin Wilson allowed a double but nothing else in the eighth.
Kody Hosey led off the eighth with a triple. The Dodgers have scored the most runs in baseball during the eighth. Josue DePaula blasted a two-run homer.
Lucas Wepf allowed a single. Avens made a spectacular play in left field to save a run.
