Los Angeles Dodgers

How do you make a 6'2", 240-pound man look SMALL?

Stand him next to Joel Embiid ... because that's exactly what happened when Yasiel Puig ran into the 76ers star in Beverly Hills and TMZ Sports cameras caught the whole thing.

Embiid was eating a meal at Il Pastaio in Beverly Hills when we got Puig walking up to him to say hi. But, it was when Embiid stood up to take a picture that the size became an issue.

To be fair to Puig, Embiid is 7'0" tall, so it would basically take Yao Ming to make him look small -- but still, it's pretty funny when you see the two guys next to each other.

BTW ... Puig's car is ridiculous ... and he showed it to the cameras after he was done making a new friend ... it's a Dodger blue Lambo, which now that he's been traded to Cincy, makes us all sad.

The Dodgers DON'T need to make a splash and re-sign Manny Machado ... so says their ex-GM, Ned Colletti, who tells TMZ Sports the team already has enough talent!!

Ned -- who oversaw the Dodgers' baseball ops from 2006 through 2014 -- says with Corey Seager at shortstop and Justin Turner at third base -- Manny ain't necessary.

"It's not like the team is missing great players. They've got great players in the same spot."

Of course ... the new Dodgers' leadership seemed to try anyway -- they were reportedly in at least SOME talks with the superstar about a new deal earlier this offseason.

But, after L.A. signed outfielder A.J. Pollock to a monster $55 MILLION deal last week ... Manny seems destined for a new team -- perhaps even to the rival Padres.

BTW ... we also spoke with Seager about his elbow AND hip surgeries and if they're healed enough for him to be ready for Opening Day -- and he says he "hopes" so.

Walker Buehler got the best welcome-back-to-L.A. surprise at the airport Thursday ... he learned from our camera guy his Dodgers squad signed A.J. Pollock!!!

"We signed him today?! We signed him while I was on the plane?!"

The 24-year-old pitching phenom took the breaking news with a smile ... and said he was stoked to have yet another All-Star on the team.

"That's cool, man. He's a good player. That's cool, man. I'm excited!"

As for if Pollock is the missing piece the Dodgers need to finally get them a World Series ring ... ya gotta hear what Buehler has to say about that.

BTW ... Walker's been away from L.A. for the past couple months -- and says he's done nothing but relax with his girlfriend (who he introduced us to!) since the World Series.

But, pitchers and catchers report to spring training on Feb. 12 ... sooo, time to get back to work!!!

Don't need any more stress in your life heading into the holiday season??

Neither did we ... but thanks to Justin Turner -- we now have it.

The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar attempted the Buzz Wire Challenge on Tuesday ... and the video of him going through it couldn't cause us more anxiety.

Turner's first attempt is pretty painless ... dude barely gets a few inches before he taps out.

But, his next attempt?? That's when the white knuckles start forming.

Turner goes through the electrical maze in a painstaking 40 seconds ... nearly tapping the wire MULTIPLE times as he got through the twists and turns.

J.T. finally made it to the end (of course he did, dude hits 100 MPH heaters with steady hands for a living) ... and we all exhaled with him as he celebrated.

Christian Yelich REALLY hated Manny Machado when the two played in the NLCS this fall ... but the MVP says he's willing to squash the beef under one condition.

IF MANNY SIGNS WITH THE BREWERS!!!

You'll remember ... Christian went off on Manny after the Dodgers star banged into Yelich's teammate at first base while running out a grounder in the October series ... callin' Manny "a dirty player."

"It's a dirty play by a dirty player," Yelich said at the time ... "That's what it is."

Fast forward to this week -- with the sweepstakes to land Manny in free agency at an all-time high -- and Christian was singin' a little bit of a different tune to TMZ Sports.

"Listen, emotions run high in those series, things happen," Yelich said at the Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year ceremony at The Beverly Hilton in L.A.

"If we ended up crossing paths -- being on the same team again -- I'm sure we'd be able to work that out no problem."

Bad news for Yelich, Milwaukee and fans of beef-squashers?? Machado reportedly ain't interested in playin' for the Brew Crew.

L.A. Dodgers pitcher Kenley Jansen says he's "fine" after undergoing heart surgery on Monday -- and even posted woozy post-procedure video from the hospital to prove it!

"Guys, I'm fine," Jansen said from his hospital bed alongside his wife, Gianni ... "The anesthesia is finally out of my system. I'm doing good. Enjoying the Christmas spirit. We'll see you guys soon in 2019, stronger than ever."

The 31-year-old was previously diagnosed with a condition that essentially put him at a higher risk for an irregular heartbeat at high altitudes ... not ideal when you fly all the time and play the Rockies in Colorado several times a year.

In fact, Jansen suffered an atrial fibrillation back in Denver in August after he was told he was at "high risk" for another medical incident.

So, on Monday he went under the knife for an "ablation procedure" to correct the condition -- and the surgery was a success. He should be ready to pitch again by Spring Training.

Joc Pederson is gonna have to rent scooters by the minute like the rest of us normies now ... 'cause the Dodgers star had his personal Bird jacked -- TMZ Sports has learned.

Sources tell us the outfielder had his electric wheels stolen outta his car recently near his San Fernando Valley home.

We're told Joc woke up and saw his car's window smashed out and his scooter taken ... and he reported the crime to the LAPD.

Sources say no arrests have been made ... but cops are investigating the whole thing.

The Bird is only valued at around $500 -- and Joc just made $2.6 MILLION this year -- but we're told the wheels were a gift from the company, so there's some sentimental value there.

We reached out to Joc for comment -- but no word back yet.

The wife of L.A. Dodgers star Justin Turner claims her beloved miniature pinscher was savagely murdered by a neighbor's German shepherd ... and now she's suing the guy for letting it happen.

Kourtney Turner -- aka Kourtney Pogue -- claims her pet, Dior, was chillin' at her L.A. home on Nov. 7, 2016, when a "vicious and aggressive" dog named Sonny got onto the property and attacked.

Kourtney claims the dog's owner knew Sonny got violent with other dogs -- and when he went after Dior, the man did nothing to stop it.

In the lawsuit, Kourtney claims she was too paralyzed by fear to jump in and save her 11-year-old pet ... and by the time the mauling was over, Dior had suffered fatal injuries.

Kourtney is not only suing for vet bills and other costs associated with Dior's death -- she also wants damages for pain and suffering, claiming she "relied upon the emotional support of Dior for her well-being."

After Dior passed away, Kourtney posted an emotional tribute to her friend ... saying, "Eleven years wasn't long enough, and to be honest, forever wouldn't have been either."

She added, "You taught me unconditional love & we will never ever forget you."

Kourtney now has a new dog, Moonshine -- who was born 1 month after Dior's passing.

Here it is ... this is what Justin Turner's face looks like without his glorious red beard.

Drink it in.

The Los Angeles Dodgers star was grubbin' with his wife Kourtney Turner at Vivian’s Millennium Cafe in Studio City on Friday afternoon (that place is delicious, BTW) ... and he was basically unrecognizable.

It's kinda weird, right?

Of course, the Dodgers are still reeling from that World Series loss to the Boston Red Sox ... and maybe JT felt like it was time to change things up a bit.

Turner had toyed with the idea of losing his face-warmer last year -- but only if the Dodgers won the World Series. They didn't, so he didn't.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers are already putting the pieces together to try and make another run in 2019 -- resigning Clayton Kershaw to a 3-year $93 million contract.

Plus, L.A. also resigned David Freese -- and they're working on deals with pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu and Yasmani Grandal.

So ... how long will it take for Turner to grow his beard back?

NAKED CANNONBALLLLLLL!!!!

It was MADNESS in the Boston Red Sox locker room after the World Series on Sunday night -- with the team dousing manager Alex Cora in beer ... and Rick Porcello shedding all his clothes to jump buck nekkid in the beer tub!!

There was country music. There were cigars. Everyone popped bottles of Beau Joie champagne. It was awesome.

Unless you're a Dodgers fan.

But, even Los Angelinos had to appreciate the turnup -- Brock Holt showed off his country music singing skills. Mitch Moreland threw Alex Cora into a beer bucket (where he was doused in beer by the entire team).

Mookie Betts showed off his fancy championship champagne bottle.

The culmination was the crazy dance party to "California Love" by 2Pac and Dr. Dre.

The Red Sox beat the Dodgers 5-1 in Game 5 at Dodgers Stadium. Next, it's back to Beantown where the Sox will get their victory parade.

Start stocking up the beer ...

Danny Trejo was amped-up big time after biting his nails for 7 hours, Friday night at Dodgers Stadium.

We got the "Machete" star as he was leaving the Stadium, and the way Danny sees it ... he got 2 games for the price of 1.

It took the Dodgers 18 innings, but Max Muncy showed everyone what's up and the crowd went nuts. The Sox now lead by 2 -1 with another game tonight in L.A.

Disappointed in this year's World Series games?? Here's something that'll cheer you up ... the players' smokin' hot WAGS!!!

Boston and L.A. haven't played the most competitive W.S. so far ... but they've hit plenty of home runs off the diamond -- just look at their wives and girlfriends!!!

Justin Turner's wife, Kourtney Turner, steals the show ... but Kike Hernandez's fiance, Mariana Vicente, and Alex Wood's wife, Suzanna Villarreal, came to play too.

In Boston's lineup, Catherine Rodríguez is as hot as an Eduardo Rodríguez fastball ... and Matt Barnes' fiance, Chelsea Zara, rocks the hell out of a bikini.

Ozzie Guillen tells TMZ Sports ... he REALLY believes the Dodgers can come back and beat the Boston Red Sox even though they're down 0-2.

But, they're gonna need to take his advice ...

Of course, Ozzie knows how to win in the World Series -- he managed the Chicago White Sox when they won it all in 2005.

So, how would Ozzie do things if he was in Dave Roberts' shoes? Ozzie breaks it down for us and tells us why everyone counting out the Dodgers is straight-up wrong.

One big point ... Ozzie says L.A. needs to take a page from Bill Belichick and remember to do their jobs!

"Don't be a hero," Ozzie says ... noting that sometimes "players want to be the hero, try to do too much."

Fresh off getting destroyed by the Red Sox ... Astros superstar Alex Bregman is ridin' with Boston in Game 3 Friday night ... predicting a road win over the Dodgers!!

Of course ... Bregman knows both teams well -- the 'Stros beat the Dodgers in last year's World Series and just got knocked out by Chris Sale's boys in the ALCS last week.

So, listen up if you're trying to make a buck off tonight's game.

But ... Alex tells us he ain't so sure about the Red Sox in Game 4 on Saturday -- saying a sweep ain't easy!!!

As for advice for the Dodgers ... Alex doesn't exactly have a Herb Brooks speech for them, saying, "They know how to do it, they're a good team."

Rae Sremmurd wants to sing the national anthem at the World Series so badly, they're auditioning RIGHT OUTSIDE IN L.A. ... while smoking a bunch of weed.

... and it's actually pretty good (aside from skipping a bunch of the words).

Slim Jxmmi and Swae Lee tell TMZ Sports ... they REALLY want the Dodgers to come back and take down the Red Sox and if they can sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" before one of the home games, it would energize the hell out of the Blue Crew.

"Home runs out the ass!"

That's when Swae put his pipes on display and gave us a taste of what the Rae Sremmurd anthem would sound like ... after a few drags from a blunt.

Hey, at this point ... Dodgers might wanna consider bringin' 'em in!!!

BTW -- the rap superstars just inked a $20 MILLION deal with Belaire ... so if the Dodgers turn things around to win the Series and need some bubbly, they know who to call.

The Boys in Blue were looking out for the Boys in Blue during Game 1 of the World Series -- check out the heavy LAPD presence in front of Yasiel Puig's home on Tuesday!

As we previously reported, cops had reached out to several Dodgers players to help make sure their homes were protected during the series -- unlike last year when Puig's home was burglarized during Game 7.

Cops believe Puig -- and several other high-profile people -- were targeted by a burglary ring that knew when Yasiel (and others) would be out of their homes.

So, this time ... with Puig and the Dodgers in Boston, the LAPD sent a few units to Yasiel's house to make sure the bad guys know they ain't playin' around this time!