The Los Angeles Dodgers dropped the final two games of their series against the Arizona Diamondbacks which resulted in their first series loss in the desert since 2019, but they now return home for a weekend set against the Detroit Tigers.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is expecting his club to play better and get back on track to snap a two-game losing streak filled with subpar performance all-around.
Sitting at 12-6, L.A. is a half-game behind the San Francisco Giants in the National League West standings but has played their best baseball at home by going 6-1. The Tigers are riding a five-game losing streak and currently sit last in the American League Central division.
The Interleague series is the first matchup between the two teams since 2017 and it’s the Tigers’ first to visit Dodger Stadium in eight years.
Tyler Anderson makes his fourth appearance and second start of the season after his April 23 outing against the San Diego Padres that resulted in 4.2 innings with two earned runs allowed on four hits.
It was Anderson’s longest outing of the year by only two-thirds of an inning, but stretching him out to go deeper into games is necessary with the loss of Andrew Heaney to the 10-day injured list.
“I just want to be part of a team that I think is going to win. I’ll have a chance to go out at some point and probably start, and sometimes I’ll be out of the ‘pen,” Anderson said of his role with the Dodgers. “Just try to do whatever I can to help us win on any night.”
The 32-year-old has been a bright spot for the Dodgers pitching staff in the first month with a 2.84 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, and a 135 ERA+. Anderson is 1-0 in his career against the Tigers, a start in which he went five innings, striking out seven and allowing two runs.
Tigers hitters haven’t fared well against left-handed starters this season. In four games, they have a collective on-base plus slugging of .538 with no home runs and only nine runs scored.
The Tigers counter with Tyler Alexander, making this a true battle of the Tylers. His prior start at home against the Colorado Rockies was his worst of the year. He only lasted 3.2 innings while allowing five earned runs on eight hits.
Alexander is 0-2 on the season with a 7.20 ERA and an ERA+ of 51. Alexander’s 2022 campaign shouldn’t get much easier Friday night against a potent Dodgers lineup, but they dealt with their fair share of struggles against lefties over the past few seasons, a trend that has continued early into 2022.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
1B: Freddie Freeman
SS: Trea Turner
3B: Justin Turner
DH: Max Muncy
C: Will Smith
CF: Cody Bellinger
LF: Chris Taylor
2B: Gavin Lux
Tigers lineup
CF: Derek Hill
LF: Robbie Grossman
SS: Javier Báez
DH: Miguel Cabrera
RF: Austin Meadows
1B: Spencer Torkelson
3B: Jeimer Candelario
2B: Jonathan School
C: Tucker Barnhart
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