Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivers during the first inning of a 3-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night. (Matt Rourke / Associated Press)
To many around the sport, the Dodgers have become villains for the way they’ve outspent the rest of the league, loaded their roster with international talent, and stockpiled depth at seemingly every position.
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To the Philadelphia Phillies, however, it makes them the standard; one with which their own big-money, star-studded roster is trying to compete.
“I don’t know if people will like this,” said the Phillies’ biggest star, two-time MVP Bryce Harper, when asked Friday about the Dodgers’ juggernaut status, “but I feel like only losers complain about what they’re doing. I think they’re a great team, they’re a great organization. That’s why guys want to go there and play.”
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In other words, Harper added, “they’re doing what the Dodgers do.”
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That’s why, on Friday night, there was a distinct buzz around Citizens Bank Park when the Dodgers came to town. Why, for the first week of April, this series had a litmus-test kind of feel.
“I think that both teams like to use each other as a barometer, or a benchmark,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
But right now, no team sets the bar higher than the Dodgers.
And for one night, at least, the first-place Phillies were able to measure up.
In a 3-2 defeat, the Phillies handed the defending World Series champions their first loss of the season; dropping the Dodgers to 8-1 in a game that, yes, proved this year’s $400 million team is, in fact, beatable.
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“Uncharted territory,” Roberts deadpanned of the team’s first loss.
“We were bound to lose eventually,” added Tommy Edman. “But still a tough loss for sure.”
Indeed, knocking off the Dodgers was no easy feat.
Over six innings against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Phillies had one unearned run. Yamamoto misfired on a pick-off throw to third that allowed Trea Turner to score.
“That was very regrettable,” Yamamoto, who was otherwise flawless in a three-hit, three-walk, five-strikeout start, said through interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda. “It was a very fundamental play.”
Philadelphia’s starter, burgeoning 27-year-old left-hander Jesús Luzardo, produced one of his best career starts, blanking the Dodgers over seven scoreless innings on two hits, two walks, eight strikeouts — and some help from a howling wind blowing in from center, which kept seemingly surefire home runs from Shohei Ohtani and Teoscar Hernández in the ballpark.
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“I thought Shohei’s ball, on any normal night, would’ve been a homer. I thought Teo’s ball, any normal night, would’ve been a homer,” Roberts said. “But you can’t take credit away from Luzardo. He pitched a heck of a ballgame.”
And the few times the Dodgers did have opportunities to erase the deficit — which grew to 3-0 after the Phillies scored twice in the seventh off reliever Kirby Yates — they squandered them with either empty at-bats (such as Kiké Hernández’s inning-ending strikeout with two aboard in the seventh) or, more frustratingly, miscues on the bases.
Andy Pages was caught stealing to end the sixth inning, getting stuck in a rundown after a premature jump that triggered a pick-off throw from Luzardo.
Philadelphia first baseman Bryce Harper, left, tags out Dodgers baserunner Andy Pages in a rundown during the sixth inning Friday. (Matt Rourke / Associated Press)
“As a young player, you still got to play the game the right way,” Roberts said. “He was doubled off a couple games ago. And this one, you go and you stop — you just can’t. … Gotta eliminate those outs on the bases.”
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Ohtani gambled with runners on the corners and two outs in the eighth, getting thrown out by star Phillies catcher JT Realmuto at second to end the inning with Mookie Betts at the plate.
“Realmuto is one of the best throwers in the game,” Roberts said, noting Ohtani had the green light to steal. “But when you’re down three with Mookie at the plate, you got to make sure you’re safe if you’re going to go.”
Then, after a two-run, ninth-inning homer from Edman (who is tied for the early National League lead with five long balls) cut the three-run deficit to one, Chris Taylor was thrown out trying to steal second as a pinch-runner, ending the game on a strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out double-play that also saw Max Muncy go down swinging.
“Giving those guys three outs on the bases,” Roberts said, “that’s something that we have to clean up.”
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As a result, the Dodgers’ perfect start to the season fell two wins shy of the all-time franchise record of 10-0, set by the 1955 “Boys of Summer” World Series squad.
And they got their first reminder that, in this year’s National League pennant race, they will still be tested by fellow contenders, from divisional rivals like the San Francisco Giants (who are 6-1) and San Diego Padres (who also lost their perfect record Friday, dropping to 7-1), to perhaps the World Series-starved Phillies (also 6-1) most of all.
“It’s hard to beat a good team,” Roberts said. “That’s what happened tonight.”
As for Harper’s “losers” comment about people who take issue with the Dodgers’ way of doing business?
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“I guess that’s probably why Bryce is one of my favorite players,” Roberts said with a laugh. “I agree.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
