
The Dodgers (64-46) opened their series against the Tampa Bay Rays (54-57) with a dominant 5-0 win last night, marking their first shutout since April 20—a clear reflection of the pitching staff’s struggles in recent months. Clayton Kershaw and Justin Wrobleski combined to cover all nine innings, giving the bullpen a much-needed rest heading into the final stretch of the season. This morning, Blake Snell returns from a four-month absence due to left shoulder inflammation, aiming to bolster the rotation. The Rays will counter with right-hander Drew Rasmussen, who looks to help his team bounce back.
Dodgers | Position | Rays | Position | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mookie Betts | SS | Yandy Díaz | 1B | |
Shohei Ohtani (L) | DH | Ha-Seong Kim | 2B | |
Freddie Freeman (L) | 1B | Brandon Lowe (L) | DH | |
Teoscar Hernández | RF | Junior Caminero | 3B | |
Michael Conforto (L) | LF | Christopher Morel | LF | |
Andy Pages | CF | Josh Lowe (L) | RF | |
Alex Freeland (S) | 3B | Jonny DeLuca | CF | |
Dalton Rushing (L) | C | Taylor Walls (S) | SS | |
Miguel Rojas | 2B | Hunter Feduccia (L) | C | |
Blake Snell (L) | P | Drew Rasmussen (R) | P |
The Rays will roll out a nearly identical lineup to yesterday, when they managed just six baserunners in total. They’ll need a stronger showing today, though facing Blake Snell makes that a tough task. Behind the plate, former Dodger Hunter Feduccia gets the start—a well-earned MLB opportunity after a long wait. As with any pitcher coming off a lengthy injury layoff, there’s some uncertainty with Snell, so the Dodgers will hope the offense gives him some early support to ease him back into action.
“Blake Snell Returns from IL to Face Former Team, Dodgers Hope for Second-Half Surge”
Tommy Edman gets the day off as Miguel Rojas slots in at second base, while Alex Freeland stays at third. Freeland, who hits better from the left side, has made the most of his limited opportunities, including two hits and his first career RBI in last night’s win. Behind the plate, Dalton Rushing gets the nod over Will Smith—likely a strategic move, given the demanding task of catching Snell and managing his movement-heavy arsenal.
Blake Snell made just two starts for the Dodgers before landing on the injured list, and neither outing was up to his usual standards. He later admitted to trying to pitch through shoulder inflammation, hoping it would resolve on its own—likely explaining his uncharacteristic struggles. In those nine innings, he allowed 10 hits, issued eight walks, and struck out just four.
Snell now returns to face his former team, with whom he spent the first five years of his career. During his time with the Rays, he threw 556.0 innings, posting a 3.24 ERA, 3.54 FIP, and 1.24 WHIP, highlighted by a Cy Young Award in 2018. As Dustin noted back in November when the Dodgers signed Snell to a five-year deal, the club was betting on his elite upside—something they’ll hope to finally see take shape today.
Blake Snell has developed a reputation for being a second-half pitcher, a trait that helped power his 2023 campaign to a second Cy Young Award—and ultimately earned him a five-year deal with the Dodgers this past offseason. Last year, after overcoming an early-season groin injury, Snell was nearly untouchable down the stretch. He posted a 1.23 ERA, 1.77 FIP, 0.78 WHIP, held opponents to a .123 batting average, and racked up 114 strikeouts against just 30 walks over 80.1 innings. The Dodgers will be hoping he can find that same gear again as they push toward October.
“Rasmussen Rebounds from Injury with Strong 2025 Return, Maintains Form Amid Managed Workload”
Drew Rasmussen missed most of the 2024 season while recovering from an internal brace procedure following a July 2023 injury. He returned that August and impressed across 28.2 innings, posting a 2.83 ERA while splitting time between the bullpen and rotation. Now back to a full-time starting role in 2025, he’s continued that strong form with a 2.96 ERA, 3.53 FIP, and 1.04 WHIP—excellent numbers, especially considering the hitter-friendly environment he pitches in. His current ERA is right in line with the consistency he’s shown since joining the Rays in 2021.
There’s nothing wrong with the Dodgers team other than getting healthy and our stars performing.
Let me spin zone this. We picked up Blake Snell at the trade deadline and he’s slated to start Saturday. We didn’t even have to give up top prospects to get him either. https://t.co/xdPsN3uBzr
— Mitch (@JustCover1029) August 1, 2025
Rasmussen features an over-the-top delivery and relies heavily on fastball variations to generate weak contact and whiffs. His arsenal is led by a four-seam fastball and a sinker, both sitting around 95 mph, complemented by a 90 mph cutter that rounds out his primary mix. The four-seamer has more ride and cut than typical, the sinker doesn’t drop as much as expected, and the cutter gets more movement than you’d anticipate. He also mixes in a sweeper, curveball, and changeup—making up about 10% of his usage—mainly to keep hitters off balance.
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Rasmussen earned his eighth win in his most recent outing, holding the Yankees to two runs on four hits and two walks over five innings. He threw 81 pitches—his highest total since June 19—as the Rays have been carefully managing his workload following two injury-plagued seasons in which he totaled just 73.1 innings. While it’s possible he’s now being stretched out to a full workload, it’s worth noting that his previous four appearances were all limited to four innings or fewer—not due to performance, but rather strict pitch limits.
Bruce broke down the Dodgers’ approach at the trade deadline, analyzing its impact on the current roster, the long-term outlook, and fan perception. One of the new additions, reliever Paul Gervase, is expected to contribute eventually but will head to Triple-A OKC for now.
With Dustin May traded to the Red Sox, the Dodgers appear to have solidified their six-man rotation, with Emmet Sheehan securing the final spot.