Dodgers Smashed 12 Homers in Three Games, And One Pitcher's 'Grindy' Feeling Might Not Cut It

Alright, Seattle, what a night! Our M's just pulled off a sweet 7-6 win against the Diamondbacks, which always feels good in the Emerald City. But while we're celebrating our guys, you gotta peek around the league, and what the Los Angeles Dodgers are doing right now is straight up wild. They are on a rampage, hitting dingers like it's a video game, and they're about to face a pitcher who admits he's feeling "grindy." This matchup today? It's gonna be a must-watch, even if it's not our Mariners.

Luzardo's Hot Streak Meets a Power Surge

So, you've got Philadelphia's lefty Jesus Luzardo, who's been looking pretty sharp lately. He's had his best three-start stretch of the season, even tossing six scoreless innings against the Padres earlier this week in a 3-0 win. Over his last three outings, against the Red Sox, Reds, and Padres, his combined ERA was a ridiculous 1.00. He hasn't given up a single home run in those three games either, which is huge, especially since he'd already given up five in his 11 starts this season. But here's the kicker: Luzardo himself said, "I feel like I've had a lot of outings this year where it's felt pretty grindy, but I wouldn't have it any other way." He likes the challenge, which is good, because he's faced some tough days this year, including two starts where he gave up six runs, one where he allowed five, and another where he got shelled for nine. He's been working around trouble, but the Dodgers are a whole different beast.

The Dodgers Are Hitting Tanks and Not Slowing Down

And what a beast they are. The Dodgers are riding a six-game winning streak into this game, and their bats are just insane. Get this: they've hit a combined 12 home runs in just their *past three games*. That's not a typo, twelve dingers! Freddie Freeman has four homers in his last nine games, and Shohei Ohtani has three in his last eight. Max Muncy and Will Smith also went deep on Friday. These guys are on fire, with a 13-2 record since May 13. They're even dealing with some injuries, with Enrique Hernandez (oblique) and Teoscar Hernandez (hamstring) sidelined. But they just recalled Ryan Ward from Triple-A and re-signed Santiago Espinal, who manager Dave Roberts praised, saying Espinal "understands his value" and "I trust him defensively and I like him versus left-handed pitching." So, yeah, they're loaded and ready to keep crushing it.

Dodgers Go for Seven, Sasaki on the Bump

The Dodgers aren't just hitting, they're winning. They're chasing their first seven-game winning streak since way back on April 26 to May 3 last season. To do that, they're sending right-hander Roki Sasaki to the mound. Sasaki is 3-3 with a 4.93 ERA, but he's coming off his first back-to-back wins of the season. He dominated the Angels on May 17 and then gave up three runs (two earned) over five innings in an 11-3 win against Milwaukee. He's faced the Phillies before, even throwing three scoreless innings against them in the playoffs last year. This middle game against the Dodgers is a huge test for Luzardo and a chance for the Phillies to try and slow down an absolute juggernaut. Can Luzardo's "grindy" mentality stand up to a team that's hitting more homers than some teams get in a week? You bet your blue and green socks we'll be watching to find out. Go M's!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.