After going 4-3 on their road trip, the Los Angeles Dodgers are back home for the start of a three-game series against the Miami Marlins.
The Dodgers enter play with the best record in all of baseball at 81-36. The Marlins, at 52-66, are in fourth place in the National League East.
Tyler Anderson makes his 21st start and 23rd overall appearance of the season. He brings with him into Friday’s outing a 13-2 record, 2.81 ERA, 3.31 FIP and 1.01 WHIP over 128.1 innings pitched.
Anderson looks to get back on track after taking a loss in his last start against the Kansas City Royals. He allowed three runs on seven hits in six innings of work and collected four strikeouts.
Anderson is 1-3 with a 4.15 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in six career starts against the Marlins.
Miami counters with Jesús Luzardo, who also hopes to bounce back from a loss in his last start against the Atlanta Braves.
Luzardo gave up four runs on seven hits and collected six strikeouts in five innings pitched. He fell to 3-5 with a 3.72 ERA, 3.25 FIP and 1.07 WHIP in 46 innings pitched this season (nine starts).
Luzardo has faced the Dodgers only twice in his career, yielding five runs and eight hits across 8.1 frames (5.40 ERA).
The Dodgers are going with a right-handed heavy lineup against the Marlins’ young southpaw as Mookie Betts returns after getting a day off on Thursday’s series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers.
In addition to Betts, Hanser Alberto is also getting a start as he has hit left-handers well both in his career and this season.
The veteran infielder is batting .246/.252/.373 with seven doubles, one triple, two home runs and 14 RBI over 55 games, and he has also been a spark plug for the team with his energy.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
SS: Trea Turner
1B: Freddie Freeman
C: Will Smith
DH: Justin Turner
LF: Chris Taylor
3B: Hanser Alberto
CF: Trayce Thompson
2B: Gavin Lux
Marlins lineup
3B: Jon Berti
SS: Miguel Rojas
1B: Jesús Aguilar
RF: Brian Anderson
DH: Nick Fortes
C: Jacob Stallings
2B: Charles Leblanc
CF: Peyton Burdick
LF: Jerar Encarnacion
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