Less than two weeks ago a three-game series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Colorado Rockies figured to have significant implications in the National League West standings. However, the teams head into the weekend on vastly different trajectories.
The Rockies got off to hot start this season and were perched atop the NL West. The Dodgers and San Diego Padres worked to keep pace before the three teams rotated places. L.A. enters play Friday with an MLB-best 19-8 record.
It has them four games up on the Padres, and five on the Rockies, who have lost four in a row and eight of their last 10. Strangely, however, if there has been an Achilles heel for the Dodgers this season, it’s their pedestrian 8-5 record at Dodger Stadium.
Friday’s series opener represents an opportunity for the team to improve on that mark and for Walker Buehler to shake free of his struggles. Buehler has yet to earn a decision and sports a 5.20 ERA through four starts.
“I feel better about where I am physically and throwing the baseball,” Buehler said after allowing five runs (four earned) in 4.2 innings to the L.A. Angels his last time out. “Now it’s time to try and go get results. There’s a time to trust the process and a time to kind of hunt results. I think I need to kind of make that flip.”
Buehler is opposed by Jon Gray, who is 1-2 with a 5.74 ERA in five starts. Gray is coming off his longest outing of the season when he allowed three runs on three hits over seven innings of a win against the Texas Rangers.
Gray is lifetime 5-5 with a 4.36 ERA in 14 starts against the Dodgers. He’s 1-4 with a 6.35 ERA in five games at Dodger Stadium. Gray faces a Dodgers lineup that leads the Majors in home runs (50), runs scored (151) and run differential (plus-66).
Although the Rockies are on a skid, Charlie Blackmon continues to be a significant force in their lineup. He’s on a six-game hitting streak and leads the Majors with a .424 batting average.
Corey Seager returns for the Dodgers as it’s Mookie Betts’ turn to get a night off. L.A. is entering the final stretch of playing 17 consecutive games.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers see a familiar face in Matt Kemp, who is starting at designated hitter for the Rockies and batting sixth.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Joc Pederson
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
DH: Cody Bellinger
2B: Max Muncy
CF: AJ Pollock
1B: Matt Beaty
LF: Chris Taylor
C: Austin Barnes
Rockies lineup
LF: Raimel Tapia
SS: Trevor Story
RF: Charlie Blackmon
3B: Nolan Arenado
1B: Daniel Murphy
DH: Matt Kemp
2B: Ryan McMahon
CF: Sam Hilliard
C: Drew Butera
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