The Los Angeles Dodgers have a chance to clinch a series win against the Chicago White Sox in the rubber match at Guaranteed Rate Field as Tyler Anderson looks to build upon his run of 26 consecutive scoreless innings and Max Muncy returns from the 10-day injured list.
The Dodgers enter the game with a record of 36-20, good for first in the National League West, and with an MLB-best +112 run differential. The White sox enter third in the American League Central at 26-28 along with a -55 run differential.
With Anderson on the mound, the Dodgers have to like their chances of picking up another win. This season, Anderson is 7-0 with a 2.59 ERA, 3.12 FIP, 24.2% strikeout rate and 2.7% walk rate in 55.2 innings.
After throwing six shutout innings against the high-powered New York Mets offense in his last outing, Anderson became the only MLB pitcher in the modern era to go 7-0 or better with fewer than seven walks over his first 10 appearances of a season.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised Anderson for his consistency and described his last start as “another outstanding outing.”
The White Sox give the ball to Dylan Cease, who has posted a 3.39 ERA, 3.07 FIP, 32.5% strikeout percentage and 12% walk rate in 58.1 innings this season.
He has been more effective than not in his outings this year, but was beaten for six runs and seven runs in two of his outings in May. In his previous start, the right-hander gave up two runs (zero earned) but only pitched 4.2 innings.
The Dodgers lineup gets reinforcement for the series finale with the return of Muncy. He appeared in four games for Triple-A Oklahoma City, and although he hit just .143/.294/.357 in 14 at-bats, Muncy did deliver a towering walk-off home run.
Roberts previously said the Dodgers would activate Muncy based on how he feels rather than results. The Dodgers’ slugger has had a slow start as he recovers from a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his left elbow that was suffered at the end of last year.
Offensively, the Dodgers have been one of the most productive units in baseball, scoring 290 runs (second in MLB) while batting .249/.332/.423 with a .332 wOBA and 115 wRC+. Chicago has scored just 194 runs (27th in MLB) while batting .240/.294/.362 with a .291 and 91 wRC+.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
1B: Freddie Freeman
SS: Trea Turner
2B: Max Muncy
DH: Will Smith
3B: Justin Turner
CF: Cody Bellinger
LF: Gavin Lux
C: Austin Barnes
White Sox lineup
SS: Danny Mendick
1B: Andrew Vaughn
CF: Luis Robert
DH: José Abreu
3B: Jake Burger
LF: AJ Pollock
C: Yasmani Grandal
RF: Adam Engel
2B: Josh Harrison
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