No Kershaw, no problema, no Norris, no problema

Phil Gurnee ♦ July 31, 2016 ♦ Leave a comment

The Dodgers continue to see their rotation dwindle but it doesn’t slow the locomotive down one bit. When Bud Norris replaced Kershaw in the rotation the team was expected to take a hit when that spot in the rotation came up, but Bud Norris was able to at least tread water.  Today when Bud Norris went down after getting only one out in the first inning you had every right to expect the team to crumble, but once again someone plugged their finger into the breach to hold back the flood waters. This time, it was Ross Stripling and a host of other relief pitchers. The great relief job was bolstered by the hottest bats in July, led by Grandal, Turner, and Seager as the Dodgers blasted the Diamondbacks back to Phoenix.

The Dodgers were 14 – 2 in Kershaw starts before he got hurt. They have gone 4 -2 in starts not made by Kershaw in that spot in the rotation.  That isn’t Kershaw level but it is way better than anyone had the right to expect given they were replacing the best pitcher in baseball.