The Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim conclude their annual Freeway Series on Thursday night. The Dodgers need a win to earn a series split in the home-and-home set, while the Angels can take three of four games a second consecutive year.
Corey Seager returns to the lineup after missing the past five games with a Grade 1 hamstring strain. He’s gone through multiple days of testing his injury with batting practice and fielding drills, and is said to be 100 percent.
While Seager is starting at shortstop against the Angels, he’s already earmarked for a night off in the series opener against the San Diego Padres.
As for the mound, Clayton Kershaw gets the ball on his normal turn, whereas others in the rotation are receiving an extra day of rest. Kershaw currently leads the National league in wins, as he boasts an 11-2 record to go along with a 2.47 ERA, 3.40 FIP and 0.92 WHIP.
He has struck out 123 and walked 18 in 109.1 innings of work. In nine career starts against the Angels, Kershaw is 5-2 with a 2.69 ERA and 0.99 WHIP.
Kershaw is coming off a solid outing against the Colorado Rockies, as he tossed six shutout innings, striking out eight.
He’s opposed by J.C. Ramirez, who has been one of the Angels better starters this season. Ramirez enters 7-5 with a 4.38 ERA, 4.48 FIP and 1.29 WHIP in 17 games (14 starts). He has 72 strikeouts against 22 walks in 86.1 innings pitched.
The journeyman has played for five different teams in four MLB seasons, and in two career appearances against the Dodgers, he has tossed 3.2 shutout innings.
Ramirez has struggled a bit at home this season, yielding a 5.10 ERA in 42.1 innings at Angel Stadium compared to 3.68 ERA in 44 road innings.
Despite the poor throw that cost the Dodgers the game Wednesday night, Grandal has been heating up at the plate. In his last six games he is hitting .375/.423/.917 with a double and four home runs.
Joc Pederson has also swung the bat well since coming off the disabled list earlier this month. In 16 games he has slashed .294/.438/.686 with five home runs and 10 RBIs.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Chase Utley
SS: Corey Seager
DH: Justin Turner
1B: Cody Bellinger
C: Yasmani Grandal
CF: Joc Pederson
3B: Logan Forsythe
RF: Yasiel Puig
LF: Trayce Thompson
Angels lineup:
CF: Cameron Maybin
RF: Kole Calhoun
DH: Albert Pujols
3B: Yunel Escobar
1B: Jefry Marte
C: Martin Maldonado
2B: Danny Espinosa
LF: Eric Young Jr.
SS: Cliff Pennington
