After splitting their first six matchups of the season, including the two games in this series, the Los Angeles Dodgers host the San Francisco Giants on Sunday afternoon in the rubber match and the rivals’ final game at Dodger Stadium this season.
The Dodgers send one of their best to the mound in Walker Buehler, although he is looking to get on track after a rough start to the year. In two starts, Buehler has pitched to a 5.19 ERA, 8.97 FIP and 1.15 WHIP with six strikeouts and four walks in 8.2 innings.
Buehler was a bit behind the other starters on the team as far as getting built up in Summer Camp, so he is still essentially in Spring Training mode.
The Giants are the perfect opponent to get things going against though as Buehler is undefeated against them in his career, going 4-0 with a 2.96 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in six outings (four starts).
While the Giants don’t figure to be in the postseason picture this season, they do have a pair of players swinging as hot of bats as anyone in the league. After homering on Saturday night, Mike Yastrzemski is now hitting .321/.449/.679 with four home runs and 10 RBI in 16 games this season.
Donovan Solano, who spent some time in the Dodgers organization, is also slashing an incredible .462/.473/.654 with one home run and 14 RBI to go along with a 13-game hit streak.
The Giants also send a right-hander to the mound in Kevin Gausman, who they took a chance on in free agency although to this point has not panned out. In three games (two starts) this season, Gausman is 0-1 with a 5.27 ERA, 2.82 FIP and 1.39 WHIP with 17 strikeouts and two walks in 13.2 innings.
In 13 career innings for the Dodgers, Gausman has yielded a 6.08 ERA and 2.03 WHIP, so L.A. has seen the ball well against him.
Mookie Betts is familiar with Gausman dating back to their days in the American League East with the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles, respectively. Betts is slashing .405/.463/.676 with three home runs in 37 career at-bats against him.
Justin Turner and Max Muncy have both also homered off Gausman and look to do so again to help get out of their early-season funks. Turner did homer in Saturday night’s loss, however, for his first of the year.
Corey Seager is out of the Dodgers’ lineup for the second consecutive game after hurting his back in Friday night’s series opener. He is believed to be day-to-day, but Kiké Hernandez will man the shortstop position in Sunday’s series finale.
Dodgers lineup
LF: Joc Pederson
RF: Mookie Betts
CF: Cody Bellinger
3B: Justin Turner
2B: Max Muncy
DH: AJ Pollock
1B: Matt Beaty
C: Will Smith
SS: Kiké Hernandez
Giants lineup
CF: Mike Yastrzemski
LF: Alex Dickerson
2B: Donovan Solano
1B: Brandon Belt
3B: Evan Longoria
DH: Pablo Sandoval
SS: Brandon Crawford
RF: Austin Slater
C: Tyler Heineman
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