The Los Angeles Dodgers fell to the Arizona Diamondbacks in a 7-3 loss in the middle game, with an opportunity to take the series finale on Wednesday.
Entering play on May 22, the Dodgers hold an eight game lead in the National League West. They’ve gone 19-10 at Dodger Stadium this season, the second-best home record of any team in Major League Baseball.
Their +83 run differential speaks to how good the pitching staff has been at limiting runs, and where the offense is as a whole.
Tyler Glasnow gets the ball for his 11th start of the year, carrying a 2.90 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, with 81 strikeouts in 62 innings pitched. The 30-year-old is the ace of the Dodgers staff, providing them with bulk innings and elite strikeout production.
Glasnow had a rough outing in his previous start against the Cincinnati Reds on May 16, allowing four earned runs on six hits. Still, he managed to rack up eight strikeouts over five innings.
In seven of his 12 starts this season, Glasnow has completed at-least six innings.
He’ll be opposed by Diamondbacks right-hander Ryne Nelson, making his eighth start of the season.
The 26-year-old enters the finale with a 7.06 ERA, 1.88 WHIP, with 23 strikeouts over 29.1 innings. Over his last 13.2 innings (three starts), Nelson has allowed 15 runs on 29 hits.
Nelson faces a difficult task against the Dodgers, seeing as he’s allowed an opposing batting average of .366 on the season.
The Dodgers will pencil in their best lineup, with left-hander Jason Heyward in right field. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts’ offense still has three of the best bats against right-handed pitching, even with Max Muncy on the injured list.
Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman should have chances to impact the game in a big way, with their on-base ability providing the rest of the lineup with spots to drive in runs.
Dodgers lineup
SS: Mookie Betts
DH: Shohei Ohtani
1B: Freddie Freeman
C: Will Smith
LF: Teoscar Hernández
2B: Gavin Lux
CF: Andy Pages
RF: Jason Heyward
3B: Kiké Hernández
Diamondbacks lineup
CF: Corbin Carroll
2B: Ketel Marte
DH: Joc Pederson
1B: Christian Walker
LF: Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
RF: Randal Grichuk
3B: Eugenio Suárez
C: Gabriel Moreno
SS: Kevin Newman
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