Country music star stumps for Cody, Joc
PHOENIX -- The new day job for Brad Paisley (who moonlights as a country music superstar) is All-Star vote campaign manager for Dodgers Cody Bellinger and Joc Pederson.
Paisley spread the word to his 4 million-plus followers on social media during the Starters Election voting period on Wednesday afternoon.
The Dodgers also offered a special enticement for voters, giving them a chance to meet Bellinger and Pederson.
The 28-hour Starters Election voting period ended on Thursday at 1 p.m. PT, and the winners will be announced at 4 p.m. PT on Thursday on ESPN. The leading vote-getters at each position (top three in each outfield) will start the All-Star Game for their respective leagues.
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Gonsolin officially called up
The Dodgers on Wednesday officially promoted pitcher Tony Gonsolin to start against Arizona in his MLB debut, and they made room by optioning catcher Will Smith to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
To make room on the 40-man roster, Los Angeles transferred left-hander Tony Cingrani to the 60-day injured list. The moves temporarily gave the Dodgers a 14-man pitching staff and a three-man bench for the series finale against the D-backs.
Gonsolin is effectively the sixth starter as the Dodgers committed to providing their other starters an extra day of rest during a stretch of 18 consecutive days of games that runs through Sunday.
HBP frenzy
Dodgers batters need to wear their armor when they face the D-backs.
Through Tuesday night’s game, Los Angeles batters have been hit by Arizona pitchers 20 times since the start of 2018 and 29 times since the start of '17. Both are the most by any Dodgers opponent. The 20 since the start of '18 are nine more than any other opponent.
“I’m going for the record,” said Justin Turner, who was hit Monday and Tuesday for a total of four times by Arizona since the start of 2017, the most of any Dodger.
Turner was hit by a pitch in the top of the fourth inning Tuesday night, the 68th time he has been hit while playing for the Dodgers (83 overall), which tied him with legendary Brooklyn Hall of Famer Zack Wheat for second on the franchise hit by pitch list, trailing only Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson (72).