He’s special when he’s right and feels good, manager Mike Matheny said. You can tell he’s in a good place.
Harvey is 1-2 in six starts for Cincinnati, which got him in a trade with the Mets on May 8. He also allowed Yairo Munoz’s solo homer, the fifth time in his career that he’s given up three in a game.
The Dodgers took the series from Atlanta and have won seven of their last nine games. The NL champions moved to 33-32 they have not been more than one game over .500 this season.
Ross Stripling (5-1) has been the Dodgers’ most consistent and healthy part of the rotation. He allowed home runs by Ozzie Albies, his 15th, and Freddie Freeman, his 12th, in the fourth inning. Stripling gave up four hits in 6 2/3 innings.
Stripling also had a sacrifice bunt and a stolen base to complete an all-around day of solid work.
I was able to get off to a good start, going through the lineup once in less than 30 pitches so I was in a good spot, Stripling said. Then I had a 33-pitch fourth, the two homers and I was able to limit it to that. After that, you just try to get through that inning and settle back down. I was able to do that and gave us a chance to win, which is what I was trying to do when I went out there.
In the three years prior to signing that deal, Shields averaged 15 wins, 34 starts, 228 innings, 200 strikeouts and posted a 3.29 ERA and a 121 ERA+, per baseball-reference.com. In the three years after signing the pact, he averaged 8 wins, 29 starts, 167 innings, 151 strikeouts and put up a 4.92 ERA with an 80 ERA+. His deal was a classic example of a team doling out a free-agent contract based on what a player had done, not what he was going to do.
Shields landed with Chicago just over two years ago and has toiled in relative anonymity since, while emerging as a veteran clubhouse leader and a go-to voice for the local media. The Padres have picked up a little over half of Shields’ tab since dealing him to the White Sox, so if Chicago were to deal him now, the team acquiring him would be on the hook for only a prorated portion of $10 million, plus the $2 million buyout. Those numbers could be even less if the White Sox were to take on some of the remaining cash.