The Los Angeles Dodgers went an MLB-best 20-3 during the month of July, which includes a 17-2 stretch since July 4, and a current eight-game winning streak. Two losses came in back-to-back fashion and at the hands of the Atlanta Braves in a split of a four-game series.
On Tuesday, the Dodgers begin a three-game set with the Braves at SunTrust Park. The contest is the Dodgers’ first since making a splash at the trade deadline by acquiring Yu Darvish from the Texas Rangers. Los Angeles also completed deals for left-handed relievers Tony Cingrani and Tony Watson.
Watson was activated Tuesday, while Edward Paredes was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Before the southpaw potentially makes his Dodgers debut out of the bullpen, Kenta Maeda will first step foot on the mound.
Maeda has earned a win in each of his last three starts, and is 7-2 with one save and a 3.16 ERA in 12 games (10 starts) since May 10. His lone start against the Braves came last season at Dodger Stadium, in which Maeda allowed two runs (one earned) in 6.1 innings.
Overall this season, the right-hander is 9-4 with a 4.02 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. Since setting a career-high with 8.1 innings pitched on May 10, Maeda has exceeded five innings only once in his last 11 games (nine starts).
Lucas Sims takes the hill for the Braves in his MLB debut. The right-hander went 7-4 with a 3.75 ERA and averaged 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings in 20 games (19 starts) with Triple-A Gwinnett.
Sims was selected No. 21 overall by the Braves in the 2012 Draft. He faces a potent Dodgers lineup that’s once again spearheaded by Chris Taylor. The super-utility man hit a blistering .394/.412/.660 with 10 doubles, three triples, three home runs and 15 RBI during 23 games (22 starts) during July.
Kyle Farmer, who delivered the walk-off, two-run double in his MLB debut to complete a sweep of the San Francisco Giants, will play in front of his home town should he appear in any of the three games against the Braves.
Atlanta’s recipe for success this season has been scoring six runs in a game, as they are 27-1 in such contests. Their only loss came Monday, as the Braves fell to the Philadelphia Phillies, 7-6, to conclude an 11-game road trip.
Dodgers lineup:
LF: Chris Taylor
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
1B: Cody Bellinger
CF: Joc Pederson
2B: Logan Forsythe
C: Yasmani Grandal
RF: Yasiel Puig
P: Kenta Maeda
Braves lineup:
CF: Ender Inciarte
3B: Danny Santana
1B: Freddie Freeman
LF: Matt Adams
C: Tyler Flowers
RF: Nick Markakis
2B: Ozzie Albies
SS: Johan Camargo
P: Lucas Sims
