Before we get to the Dodgers-Braves series, we have to talk about Monday’s breaking news: Julio Urías was arrested Sunday night for felony domestic battery. Bond was set at $50,000 and it was posted and he was released around 5 a.m. Monday morning.

The Dodgers released the following statement: “We are aware of an incident involving Julio Urías. While we attempt to learn all the facts, he will not be traveling with the team. The organization has no further comment at this time.”

This is not the first time he has been been in trouble for this. In May 2019, Urías was accused of pushing a woman he was with. The alleged victim told investigators she simply fell. Urías was not charged, but, after an investigation, was suspended 20 games by MLB for violating its domestic violence policy.

Urías has a Sept. 27 court date set. The postseason begins Oct. 3. If the Dodgers are one of the top two seeds, their first game would be Oct. 7.

Further details at the time this newsletter is written are sparse.

However, if Urías did commit domestic violence, then he has thrown his last pitch as a Dodger. He was already scheduled to be a free agent after the season, and it seems highly unlikely the Dodgers would even attempt to re-sign him, especially after what they went through with Trevor Bauer. It could also mean the end of his major league career overall.

What this means immediately (and forgive me if it is tacky to focus on what this means on the field when there’s a much larger issue at play) is that the Dodgers’ postseason rotation looks much different now. The four starters would be Clayton Kershaw, Bobby Miller, Lance Lynn and…. Ryan Pepiot? Emmett Sheehan? Or, does Walker Buehler arrive in the nick of time? The Dodgers have the rest of the month to hold auditions.

Dodgers vs. Braves

The Dodgers lost three of four to the Atlanta Braves, and frankly, the Braves looked like the better team. That of course caused an onslaught of reaction from concerned readers, convinced the Dodgers have no shot of reaching the World Series. Which, with all due respect, is nonsense.

Way back in May, the Dodgers won two of three from the Braves in Atlanta, dominating the first two games and losing in walk-off fashion in the final game. That didn’t mean the Dodgers were guaranteed to beat Atlanta in the postseason any more than losing three of four means the opposite.

Anything can happen in the postseason. Yes, that’s a cliché, but things become clichés because they happen so often. Look at last season. The Dodgers won 111 games and were supposed to cruise to a title. They lost to the Padres. The Dodgers have been the favorites to win almost every World Series in recent memory. They’ve won one. The Braves are favored to win it all this year. If there’s any fan base that should understand how meaningless that is, it’s the Dodger fan base. So, don’t live from game to game, series to series. You’ll just drive yourself crazy. Think of it this way: Almost every team in the majors is guaranteed to lose at least 60 games. If you get sad or depressed after every loss, then you are spending two months of your life sad and depressed. Not worth it.

This Dodger team has that intangible grit that previous teams were missing. They won’t be going into the postseason assuming they will waltz to a title. That counts for something. Heck, it’s even possible the Braves and Dodgers lose in the second round and don’t even reach the NLCS. So enjoy the ride.

But, here are some random thoughts about the four games:

—Bobby Miller made himself the No. 2 postseason starter with that performance in Sunday’s game: Seven innings, three hits, one run, one walk, five strikeouts. And he looked like a veteran.

—The two best teams in the NL are playing each other. There are four MVP candidates on the field. And none of the four games are on national TV? Once again, baseball shows it has no clue as to how to market the game.

—How the four MVP candidates did in the four games:

Mookie Betts: 5 for 15, 2 homers, 4 runs, 5 RBIs

Freddie Freeman: 3 for 14, no runs, no RBIs

Ronald Acuña Jr.: 6 for 17, 1 double, 3 homers, 4 runs, 6 RBIs

Matt Olson: 2 for 17, 1 home run, 1 run, 1 RBI

—Betts and Acuña are now the MVP favorites.

—The big key in the series: The Dodgers went five for 34 with runners in scoring position. The Braves went 10-26.

—The Dodgers played the Braves seven times this season. Atlanta won four games, the Dodgers three. Atlanta scored 30 runs, the Dodgers 34.

—The first game of this series, Thursday, was also James Outman–Miguel Vargas bobblehead night. If you got one and woke up the next morning to find the Vargas half had disappeared, don’t worry: It was shipped to Oklahoma City while you were asleep.

—Max Muncy had to leave Sunday’s game with an apparent shoulder injury, so that’s something to keep an eye on.

Walker Buehler update

Buehler pitched two perfect innings for triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday, striking out two. He hadn’t pitched in a game since June 10, 2022. Can he pitch well enough and return in time to join the rotation in the postseason?

“I think right now it’s about making sure you get the pitch count up, making sure the stuff’s there,” Dave Roberts said before Buehler’s start. “Sprinkle in some command then, most importantly, making sure after he comes out of it that he feels well.”

It will be difficult to build Buehler up to where he can pitch 5-6 innings in the playoffs, but not impossible. Pitching in the bullpen is also possible, but that can be more stressful on a recovering arm, and it would be unlikely that he could pitch on consecutive days.

What have you done for me lately?

How the Dodgers have done the last two weeks.

Batters

Mookie Betts, .481/.550/.789, 4 doubles, 4 homers, 13 RBIs
Freddie Freeman, .359/.414/.585, 6 doubles, 2 homers, 6 RBIs
Jason Heyward, .343/.361/.543, 1 double, 2 homers, 6 RBIs
Kolten Wong, .333/.333/1.333, 1 for 3, 1 homer, 3 RBIs
Austin Barnes, .313/.353/.438, 2 doubles
Chris Taylor, .304/.467/.391, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs
Miguel Rojas, .303/.361/.394, 3 doubles, 2 RBIs
Max Muncy, .294/.351/.588, 6 doubles, 3 homers, 14 RBIs
James Outman, .275/.412/.425, 2 homers, 8 RBIs
Will Smith, .262/.319/.452, 2 doubles, 2 homers, 5 RBIs
Amed Rosario, .261/.370/.391, 1 double, 1 triple, 2 RBIs
David Peralta, .235/.290/.324, 3 doubles, 4 RBIs
Kiké Hernández, .177/.263/.353, 3 doubles, 1 homer, 5 RBIs
Michael Busch, .125/.185/.375, 2 homers, 3 RBIs
Team, .300/.373/.499, 33 doubles, 1 triple, 19 homers, 5.77 runs per game

Pitching

Rotation

Emmett Sheehan, 2.25 ERA, 4 IP, 3 hits, 3 walks, 6 K’s
Clayton Kershaw, 1-0, 2.57 ERA, 7 IP, 4 hits, 3 walks, 9 K’s
Bobby Miller, 2-1, 4.19 ERA, 19.1 IP, 16 hits, 4 walks, 14 K’s
Lance Lynn, 1-1, 8.71 ERA, 10.1 IP, 17 hits, 3 walks, 2 K’s
Julio Urías, 0-2, 9.00 ERA, 11 IP, 17 hits, 3 walks, 13 K’s

Rotation/Bullpen

Ryan Pepiot, 1-0, 1.00 ERA, 9 IP, 5 hits, 1 walk, 9 K’s

Bullpen

Ryan Brasier, 0.00 ERA, 6 IP, 2 hits, 0 walks, 6 K’s
Brusdar Graterol, 0.00 ERA, 1 save, 5.2 IP, 4 hits, 2 walks, 5 K’s
Evan Phillips, 0.00 ERA, 2 saves, 4.2 IP, 2 hits, 0 walks, 4 K’s
Victor González, 0.00 ERA, 2.2 IP, 0 hits, 2 walks, 2 K’s
Shelby Miller, 0.00 ERA, 3 IP, 1 hit, 0 walks, 2 K’s
Tyson Miller, 0.00 ERA, 2 IP, 1 hit, 0 walks, 2 K’s
Gus Varland, 1.69 ERA, 5.1 IP, 8 hits, 4 walks, 8 K’s
Ryan Yarbrough, 1-0, 2.57 ERA, 1 save, 7 IP, 10 hits, 1 walk, 6 K’s
Alex Vesia, 0-1, 3.38 ERA, 5.1 IP, 5 hits, 2 walks, 3 K’s
Caleb Ferguson, 5.79 ERA, 4.2 IP, 6 hits, 1 walk, 2 K’s
Bryan Hudson, 6.00 ERA, 3 IP, 4 hits, 2 walks, 3 K’s
Gavin Stone, 6.00 ERA, 6 IP, 5 hits, 0 walks, 2 K’s
Team, 8-5, 3.72 ERA, 5 saves, 116 IP, 110 hits, 31 walks, 98 K’s

Up next

Tuesday: Dodgers (*Clayton Kershaw, 124, 2.48 ERA) at Miami (*Jesus Luzardo, 9-8, 3.62 ERA), 3:40 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Wednesday: Dodgers (Lance Lynn, 10-10, 5.81 ERA) at Miami (TBD), 3:40 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Thursday: Dodgers (TBD) at Miami (*Braxton Garrett, 8-5, 3.86 ERA, 3:40 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

*-left-handed

In case you missed it

Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías arrested

Plaschke: Julio Urías simply can not be allowed to pitch again for the Dodgers

Plaschke: The Dodgers need a postseason ace. Give the job to Bobby Miller

And finally

Tommy Lasorda sings “My Way.” Watch and listen here.