With trade rumors swirling throughout the league, there are games to be played, including the finale of a three-game series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday afternoon. The pitching matchup features two starters who dueled earlier this month.
Bud Norris, the Dodgers’ early answer to needing a starting pitcher, takes the mound for the sixth time since being traded. In what may have been his best start with the Dodgers, Norris held the Tampa Bay Rays to two hits over 6.1 scoreless innings in his last outing.
However, one of his worst outings came against the Diamondbacks. In a start at Chase Field, Norris struggled and allowed four runs on eight hits in just five innings pitched. He nonetheless earned a victory.
In Norris’ three starts at Dodger Stadium since joining the team, he has allowed just three runs in 17.1 innings pitched. Overall with the Dodgers, Norris is 3-2 with a 4.40 ERA, 4.01 FIP, and 1.19 WHIP.
His 2.2 walks per nine innings and 4.57 strikeout-to-walk ratio are on pace for career bests. In nine career starts against the Diamondbacks, the right-hander is 1-7 with a 12.65 ERA and 2.51 WHIP.
The Diamondbacks counter with Patrick Corbin, who has struggled of late. He’s allowed at least three earned runs in four of five July starts. In an April 12 start at Dodger Stadium, the southpaw allowed just one run on six hits in six innings pitched.
Corbin has allowed a combined nine runs on 14 hits over 10.1 innings pitched in two starts against the Dodgers since that April outing. On the season he’s 4-9, with a 5.31 ERA, 5.06 FIP, and 1.55 WHIP.
In 12 career games (11 starts) against the Dodgers, Corbin is 3-6 with a 4.48 ERA and 1.54 WHIP. He faces a lineup that sees the returns of Kiké Hernandez and Yasiel Puig. Hernandez was activated from the disabled list after missing 26 games due to left rib cage inflammation.
Puig had been limited to pinch-hit appearances over the last week as he battled right hamstring tightness. He’s a career 4-for-12 with one home run and three RBIs against Corbin. Howie Kendrick, perhaps the most consistent bat in the lineup of late, is 5-for-12 lifetime off Corbin, with three RBIs.
Dodgers lineup:
LF: Howie Kendrick
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
1B: Scott Van Slyke
C: Yasmani Grandal
RF: Yasiel Puig
CF: Kiké Hernandez
2B: Chris Taylor
P: Bud Norris
Diamondbacks lineup:
2B: Jean Segura
CF: Michael Bourn
1B: Paul Goldschmidt
3B: Jake Lamb
LF: Yasmany Thomas
RF: David Peralta
SS: Chris Owings
C: Tuffy Gosewisch
P: Patrick Corbin
