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Final: Dodgers beat Giants 8-2 to enter deadline day with MLB’s best record
By a matter of percentage points, the Dodgers will enter trade deadline day with the best record in the majors.
They secured that honor with an 8-2 win over the San Francisco Giants on Monday.
Max Muncy hit an early two-run home run. Trea Turner, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith all drove in two runs. James Outman collected two hits, a walk and a hit by pitch, becoming the first Dodger player to reach base three times or more in each of his first two career games since Bernie Neis from April 14-15, 1920.
And the team improved to 69-33 on the season.
Final: Dodgers 8, Giants 2
Andrew Heaney exits after reaching max pitch count; Chris Martin gives up homer in Dodgers debut
Andrew Heaney settled down nicely after his bases-loaded walk in the first, working three straight scoreless innings after in which he retired nine of 12 batters.
However, operating with what manager Dave Roberts said pregame would be a 75-80 pitch limit, Heaney exited after four innings and 74 pitches, making way for reliever Chris Martin in his Dodgers debut.
Martin, who was acquired from the Chicago Cubs in a trade on Saturday, gave up a solo home run in the fifth — continuing his issues with the long ball this year.
End 5th: Dodgers lead 6-2
Dodgers extend lead with third-inning rally
So far, James Outman’s second career MLB game is looking like the first.
A day after collecting three hits, three RBIs and a home run in his MLB debut, Outman helped spark a Dodgers rally in the third, lining a leadoff single to turn the lineup back over.
After his hit, Mookie Betts doubled, Trea Turner hit a sacrifice fly, Freddie Freeman with the other way for an RBI single and Will Smith banged an RBI double off the wall.
End 3rd: Dodgers lead 5-1
Dodgers take early lead on Max Muncy’s home run
After showing some subtle signs of life in Denver this weekend, where he started making more consistent hard contact amid a disappointing season, Max Muncy started this week’s series in San Francisco with a bang.
After the Dodgers fell in the first behind on a bases-loaded walk by Andrew Heaney, Muncy crushed a two-run home run to straightaway center with two outs in the top of the second.
It was Muncy’s 10th home run this year, and gives him a hit in six of his last eight games.
Mid 2nd: Dodgers lead 2-1
Dodgers trade reliever Garrett Cleavinger to Rays for young outfield prospect, clearing space on 40-man roster
On the eve of Major League Baseball’s trade deadline, the Dodgers made a minor move Monday morning to free up some space on their 40-man roster, sending left-handed reliever Garrett Cleavinger to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for 18-year-old outfield prospect German Tapia.
Cleavinger, 28, had made only four appearances for the Dodgers this year, giving up five earned runs in 4 ⅓ innings.
At the time of the deal, he was with triple A Oklahoma City, where he had performed better with a 2.79 ERA in 22 outings.
Still, Cleavinger was well down the team’s reliever depth chart. Moving him helps clear roster space for the Dodgers, who are expecting to get several players on the 60-day injured list back before the end of the season and still have until 3 p.m. on Tuesday to try and execute a trade.
In Tapia, the team got something in return, as well. An 18-year-old from the Dominican Republic, Tapia is batting .329 this year with the Rays’ Dominican Summer League team.
ICYMI: James Outman makes mesmerizing MLB debut in Dodgers’ win over Rockies
DENVER — The Dodgers still have a couple of days to try to win the Juan Soto sweepstakes.
In the meantime, however, they are already benefitting from the addition of another left-handed hitting right fielder.
In a mesmerizing major league debut Sunday, rookie James Outman had three hits and three RBIs, including a home run in his very first at-bat, to help the Dodger beat the Colorado Rockies 7-3 at Coors Field.
The victory gave the Dodgers (68-33) a series win in Denver this weekend, and an MLB-best 21-5 mark in July — matching the most wins the club has ever had in the month and the fourth-highest July winning percentage (.808) by any major league team since 1900.
On Sunday, Outman left his own mark on team history.
How to watch and stream the Dodgers this season
Here’s a look at the Dodgers broadcast and streaming schedule for the remainder of the 2022 regular season: