After salvaging a disappointing homestand with a win on Sunday afternoon behind a dominant performance from Clayton Kershaw, the Los Angeles Dodgers begin Interleague play with a quick-two game series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.
Tuesday marks the 10th meeting between the Dodgers and Rays, with Los Angeles holding a slight edge at 5-4. However, Tampa Bay is 4-2 at home. The last meeting between the two clubs resulted in the Dodgers sweeping a three-game series at Dodger Stadium in 2013.
Scott Kazmir takes the mound to face a team he spent parts of six seasons with, during which he was twice named to the American League All-Star team. The southpaw is a lifetime 27-18 in 73 starts at Tropicana Field, with a 3.64 ERA and 1.34 WHIP.
Kazmir is 1-1 with a 2.53 ERA in the Rays home ballpark since being traded in 2009. He earned a win with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2010, and took the loss with the Oakland Athletics in 2015.
Kazmir on the season is 1-2 with a 5.76 ERA, 5.07 WHIP, 1.40 WHIP, 21 strikeouts and seven walks in 25 innings pitched over five starts. He’s been affected by a sore left wrist, and shook off a rough first inning in his last outing to throw six strong frames.
The Dodgers face Matt Moore, who makes his sixth start of the season. On the year, he’s 1-2 with a 3.66 ERA, 3.36 FIP and 1.03 WHIP. Moore has pitched into the seventh inning in each of his last four starts after only going five innings in his 2016 debut.
Moore has notched at least five strikeouts in each outing, but has also given up one home run in four of his five starts. The left-hander is 17-12 in 40 starts at Tropicana Field, with a 3.80 ERA and 1.28 WHIP. Moore has yet to face the Dodgers in his six-year career.
As Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said would be the case, Joc Pederson starts on Tuesday despite a left-handed starter being on the mound. Lefties are batting .318/.348/.455 off Moore, with one home run, one walk and six strikeouts in 23 plate appearances this season.
Pederson is 0-for-6 with one walk against same-side pitching in 2016. Trayce Thompson is expected to be in Wednesday’s lineup when the Dodgers face another lefty in Drew Smyly. Charlie Culberson starts in place of Corey Seager at shortstop, and Kiké Hernandez fills the designated hitter role and is in the leadoff spot.
The Dodgers enter 8-5 on the road this season, while the Rays are 8-8 at home. Both clubs have struggled offensively in recent games.
Dodgers lineup:
DH: Kiké Hernandez
RF: Yasiel Puig
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
3B: Justin Turner
2B: Howie Kendrick
LF: Trayce Thompson
C: A.J. Ellis
CF: Joc Pederson
SS: Charlie Culberson
Rays lineup:
2B: Logan Forsythe
DH: Brandon Guyer
3B: Evan Longoria
1B: Steve Pearce
RF: Steven Souza Jr.
LF: Desmond Jennings
SS: Tim Beckham
CF: Kevin Kiermaier
C: Curt Casali
