DSL Dodgers — DSL (Rookie)

A split day in the Dominican Summer League. Our DSL Dodgers dropped the first game 3-5 against DSL Astros Orange but bounced back with a clean 5-1 win over DSL Brewers Blue in the nightcap. The second game was the far more interesting one from a development standpoint, so let’s start there.

Jose Acevedo was the story of the day. He came in for a 2.1-inning save and was completely dominant — four strikeouts, no walks, no earned runs. That’s the kind of outing that gets noticed regardless of level. When a young arm can work multiple innings in a save situation and command the zone like that, you’re watching someone who understands how to pitch, not just throw. He earned his first save of the season, and it was well-deserved. Francisco Tavarez picked up the win with two scoreless innings of his own (one strikeout, no walks), giving the pitching staff a combined effort that held the Brewers to just one run.

At the plate, Luis Luna provided the pop with a two-run homer — his line was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. That home run was the difference in a game where the offense didn’t need to do a whole lot thanks to the pitching, but Luna made sure the cushion was there early. Jose Rivas didn’t record a hit but showed excellent plate discipline, drawing two walks and scoring a run. For a catcher at this level, that kind of selectivity matters more than the box score might suggest. Brayan Holguin went 1-for-3 with a run and a stolen base, while Rafy Peguero chipped in a hit, a stolen base, and took one off the body with a hit-by-pitch, though two strikeouts tempered the outing a bit.

Now, the first game. A 3-5 loss to the Astros Orange isn’t ideal, but there were some positives to pull out of the box score. Rubel Arias had the best day at the plate across both games — 2-for-4 with a double and a walk. That’s a quality offensive game from the center fielder, getting on base three times. Haram Hernandez went 2-for-4 with a double and drove in both of his team’s meaningful runs (2 RBI), though a strikeout was mixed in. Moises Rangel also collected two hits including a double, but was caught stealing — and at this level, learning when to run is just as important as the raw speed. Three runs weren’t enough to overcome the Astros’ five, and the pitching staff didn’t get the job done in this one, but that’s the nature of a doubleheader split. You take the lessons and move forward.