Tuesday’s loss to the Miami Marlins extended the Los Angeles Dodgers’ losing streak to a season-worst five games and marked a third defeat in four head-to-head meetings between the two clubs this season.
Walker Buehler is next in line to attempt playing the role as stopper, as the young right-hander makes his fifth start of the season. Buehler enters 2-1 with a 1.64 ERA, 1.64 FIP and 1.00 WHIP, while setting and then matching a career high with eight strikeouts in his last two outings.
Buehler made his first MLB start against the Marlins, in which he scattered four hits and tossed five shutout innings to help the Dodgers win the lone game of that series at Dodger Stadium.
After only going five innings in each of his last two starts, Buehler has completed six frames in consecutive games.
The Marlins initially listed Caleb Smith as their probable starter but he instead will start Wednesday, and Elieser Hernandez now takes the ball in the second game of the series.
The start is Hernandez’s first of his career and third overall game with the Marlins. He last pitched Sunday, throwing one inning of relief and allowing a run to the Atlanta Braves. Hernandez made his MLB debut against the Braves three days prior, with two shutout innings.
During his time with High-A Jupiter and Double-A Jacksonville this season, Hernandez went a combined 0-1 with a 4.80 ERA and 1.60 WHIP in four starts. The rookie right-hander had 15 strikeouts but issued eight walks and allowed five home runs in 15 innings.
Albeit in an extremely small sample size (three innings), Hernandez has yet to issue a walk or surrender a home run with the Marlins. By that same token, he has just one strikeout.
The Dodgers look a little different on defense in this game, with Joc Pederson moving over to left field, Max Muncy starting at third and Cody Bellinger making his first start of the season in center field. Bellinger played four games in center and 43 games in the outfield total in 2017.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Chase Utley
LF: Joc Pederson
3B: Justin Turner
C: Yasmani Grandal
CF: Cody Bellinger
SS: Chris Taylor
1B: Max Muncy
RF: Yasiel Puig
P: Walker Buehler
Marlins lineup:
3B: Martin Prado
C: J.T. Realmuto
2B: Starlin Castro
1B: Justin Bour
RF: Brian Anderson
LF: Derek Dietrich
SS: Miguel Rojas
CF: Lewis Brinson
P: Elieser Hernandez
