The Los Angeles Dodgers enter play Saturday on a three-game winning streak and with a chance to clinch a series victory against the Boston Red Sox.
Julio Urías takes the mound with some momentum after struggling through much of the first half of the season. Urías has gone 4-0 with a 2.63 ERA and .184 batting average against in his past four outings.
The Dodgers won each of those starts and seven of Urías’ last 10. He’s completed seven innings in consecutive outings.
Overall this season, Urías is 11-6 with a 4.15 ERA and 1.06 WHIP. When asked if his recent turnaround was fueled by motivation to cement himself as a Game 1 starter for the Dodgers in the postseason, Urías instead cited being healthy and no longer consumed with mechanics during each start.
“It’s that time of the season,” Urías added. “Body feels good, my mind is really strong and feels good. Like I said before, it’s just attacking hitters, going with that mentality and getting after guys. … We’re trying to achieve great things together.
“Whether I’m one or five, it doesn’t really matter. Just trying to go out there and do my job. Do the job for my teammates is my focus.”
The Red Sox counter with James Paxton, who is 7-4 with a 3.79 ERA and 1.22 WHIP across 17 starts. The veteran left-hander is coming off a rough outing in which he allowed seven runs (six earned) to the Houston Astros in just four innings.
Prior to that, Paxton allowed two earned runs or fewer in four of five start.
He faces a Dodgers lineup that only includes three left-handed hitters in Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy and James Outman. Freeman is coming off a four-hit performance while Outman is the designated hitter with Kiké Hernández starting in center field.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
1B: Freddie Freeman
C: Will Smith
3B: Max Muncy
2B: Amed Rosario
CF: Kiké Hernández
DH: James Outman
LF: Chris Taylor
SS: Miguel Rojas
Red Sox lineup
RF: Alex Verdugo
1B: Justin Turner
LF: Rob Refsnyder
3B: Rafael Devers
CF: Adam Duvall
DH: Trevor Story
SS: Pablo Reyes
2B: Luis Urías
C: Connor Wong
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