After completing a sweep of the Miami Marlins over the weekend, the Los Angeles Dodgers return to action on Tuesday and host the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for the first of two matchups at Dodger Stadium.
The crosstown rivals last faced off in a two-game series at Angel Stadium from June 10-11. The Dodgers lost both contests by a score of 5-3 and were subsequently swept on the road for only the second time all season.
The Dodgers enter the second half of the Freeway Series with the best record in all of baseball at 67-35 and hold a 1.5 game advantage over the New York Yankees. Winners of three consecutive games, L.A. additionally boasts a commanding 15.5 game lead over the second-place Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League West.
The Angels, meanwhile, are on a bit of a hot streak themselves, having won seven of their last 10 contests. At 52-49, they currently reside in third place in the American League West and trail the Oakland Athletics by five games for the AL’s second Wild Card spot.
Kenta Maeda makes his 20th start of the season and first appearance since tossing a scoreless inning out of the bullpen against the Miami Marlins on July 19.
The right-hander got the extra work in after his most recent start against the Philadelphia Phillies was cut short due to a lengthy rain delay just two days prior. Maeda lasted only two innings in the contest and did not allow a hit while recording three strikeouts.
The 31-year-old last faced the Angels on June 11 and was tabbed with his third loss of the season. He yielded seven baserunners and five runs over 4.1 innings of work in what amounted to his second-shortest outing of the season at the time.
Maeda overall enters with a 7-6 record, 3.71 ERA, 4.25 FIP and 1.05 WHIP in 104.1 innings pitched. Against the Angels, he owns a lifetime 2-2 record, 4.22 ERA and 1.03 WHIP with 25 strikeouts in 21.1 frames (five games, four starts).
Opposing Maeda is right-hander Taylor Cole, who will serve as an opener for Felix Peña. For the Angels, it’s the same duo that combined for a no-hitter against Seattle Mariners just a couple of weeks ago.
In 16 games (three starts) this season, Cole has pitched to a 3.33 ERA, 2.70 FIP and 1.30 WHIP with 25 strikeouts and 11 walks in 27 innings.
Peña has compiled a 7-3 record, 4.92 ERA, 4.71 FIP and 1.19 WHIP in 86 innings this season (19 games). He piggybacked Angels opener Cam Bedrosian on July 11 against the Dodgers and picked up his fourth win of the year, yielding six hits and two runs in 3.2 innings pitched.
Fans in attendance for Tuesday’s matchup between the Dodgers and Angels can help contribute to a good cause. Half of the proceeds from the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation 50/50 raffle held at Dodger Stadium during the Freeway Series opener will benefit the Tyler Skaggs Baseball Foundation.
Dodgers lineup:
1B: Joc Pederson
LF: Alex Verdugo
3B: Justin Turner
RF: Cody Bellinger
2B: Max Muncy
CF: A.J. Pollock
SS: Corey Seager
C: Russell Martin
P: Kenta Maeda
Angels lineup:
3B: David Fletcher
CF: Mike Trout
LF: Justin Upton
RF: Kole Calhoun
SS: Andrelton Simmons
1B: Albert Pujols
2B: Luis Rengifo
C: Dustin Garneau
P: Taylor Cole
