The Los Angeles Dodgers failed to complete a sweep of the Detroit Tigers and now press along on their road trip as they begin a four-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Monday’s series opener is a matchup is two of the National League’s best in Alex Wood and Gerrit Cole.
Wood is tied for second in the Majors in wins, and owns an impressive 14-1 record to go along with a 2.30 ERA, 2,70 FIP and 1.01 WHIP. He’s struck out 122 batters and walked 30 in 117.1 innings of work.
Wood last faced Pittsburgh on May 8, tossing five shutout innings, allowing just two hits, issuing one walk while striking out 11 in a win.
In seven games (six starts) against the Pirates in his career, Wood is 2-2 with a 2.61 ERA and 1.08 WHIP.
Andrew McCutchen is the only Pirates player who has homered off Wood in his career, going 4-for-16. McCutchen is having another MVP-caliber season, batting .288/.380/.509 with 23 home runs and 73 RBIs.
Since being drafted by the Pirates out of UCLA as the top overall pick in 2011, Cole has established himself as a true ace over his five-year career. This season has not been kind, though, as he currently owns career-worsts in ERA (4.04) and FIP (4.30).
Overall, Cole is 10-8 with a 1.24 WHIP, and 141 strikeouts to just 38 walks in 153.2 innings. In five career starts against the Dodgers, the Southern California native is 3-1 with a 5.22 ERA and 1.36 WHIP.
Yasiel Puig has worn out Cole a little bit in his career, going 5-for-9. Puig ranks second on the Dodgers with 21 home runs this season, and his 51 walks are on pace to set a career high.
The Dodgers welcomed two left-handed bats to their lineup this past weekend, as first baseman Adrian Gonzalez returned from a back injury and Curtis Granderson was acquired in a trade with the New York Mets.
Gonzalez went 2-for-12 with a double and two RBIs in three games against the Tigers, while Granderson went 1-for-8, homering off his former teammate Justin Verlander. Each are in the lineup Monday, with Granderson batting cleanup.
Cody Bellinger, who suffered a sprained ankle, is not yet in the lineup. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts projected the rookie would miss a few games with the minor injury.
Dodgers lineup:
CF: Chris Taylor
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
LF: Curtis Granderson
C: Yasmani Grandal
RF: Yasiel Puig
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
2B: Chase Utley
P: Alex Wood
Pirates lineup:
LF: Starling Marte
2B: Josh Harrison
CF: Andrew McCutchen
3B: David Freese
1B: Jose Osuna
RF: Sean Rodriguez
SS: Jordy Mercer
C: Chris Stewart
P: Gerrit Cole
