The Dodgers (16-6) escaped Coors Field with a series split and only one player on the IL, which I consider a win. After dropping the two middle games of the series, the Dodgers ran out the most B lineup they could and put up 12 runs behind another strong 7-inning outing by Justin Wrobleski for a 12-3 win. The Dodgers now end this NL West road trip with three games in San Francisco and their first look at the Tony Vitello Giants. It’s been a rough start for the Giants, who are only a half game up on the Rockies for the worst record in the NL West at 9-13. They’re coming off their third series win of the season, as they took the first two games against the Nats before being shut out on Sunday. They’ve scored the second-fewest runs in baseball this season (75, only three runs more than the Mets and their 11-game losing streak) and only have four regulars with an OPS over .700. Three of their five starters have an ERA over 5.00 including ace Logan Webb, but the Dodgers get a look at their best starter through four starts this season.
6:45 P.M.
San Francisco
DH
Ohtani (L)
SS
Adames
RF
Tucker (L)
2B
Arraez (L)
1B
Freeman (L)
3B
Chapman
LF
T. Hernández
1B
Devers (L)
3B
Muncy (L)
DH
Schmitt
C
Rushing (L)
RF
Lee (L)
SS
Kim (L)
LF
Ramos
CF
Call
CF
Gilbert (L)
2B
Freeland (S)
C
Bailey (S)
P
Yamamoto (R)
P
Roupp (R)
Yoshinobu Yamamoto makes his fifth start of the season and is coming off his best outing of the year against the Mets. Yamamoto had topped out at 6+ innings in his first three starts, but went 7 2/3 with four hits and one run allowed against the Mets with seven strikeouts and only one walk. Yoshi also threw over 100 pitches in a game for the first time this season his last time out, but failed to get out of the eighth after allowing two two-out singles. Blake Treinen got the final out to strand Yamamoto’s two runners and preserve the tie game, setting the Dodgers up for a Kyle Tucker bloop single for the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth. Yamamoto saw the Giants four times last season and after a rough first start against them, was dominant in the other three. He failed to get through five innings in his first look at the Giants last season, allowing five runs and six hits with five walks in 4 2/3 innings. He was much better a month later in San Francisco, tossing seven shutout with only three hits and no walks in a no-decision game that the Dodgers won in 11 innings. Yamamoto faced the Giants in consecutive starts in September, allowing one run in seven innings in SF and throwing 5 1/3 shutout in LA a week later. Yamamoto only allowed one hit in each of those two games after the tragic no-hitter-turned-walkoff-loss in Baltimore giving him a grand total of three hits allowed in 21 innings over those three starts. His final start against the Giants was a bit rougher than that line would suggest as he didn’t allow a run and only allowed one hit, but needed 108 pitches to get through 5 1/3 and issued a career-high six walks. Yamamoto has a 7.8 percent walk rate in his career, but in 29 2/3 innings against the Giants he has a 13.4 percent walk rate.
Landen Roupp makes his fifth start of the season and has been pretty dominant so far. Roupp has a team-best 2.38 ERA and 2.20 FIP in 22 2/3 innings and has been pretty untouchable in three of his four starts. Roupp started his season in San Diego, where he allowed two hits over six shutout with seven strikeouts and two walks. He followed that up with his only start in SF so far this season against the Mets, and he got lit up. The Mets offense, which again has the fewest runs scored this season, put up five runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. He bounced back with a nice start in Baltimore, allowing five hits and one run over six innings. Last time out in Cincinnati, he only allowed one hit over six shutout innings but did walk two batters and hit two batters. The Dodgers saw Roupp twice last season and handed him his worst career start in the first game. Shohei Ohtani took Roupp deep for a leadoff homer, and Roupp failed to get out of the second inning after allowing three hits, four walks (one intentional) and five runs while only recording two outs. Roupp was much better against the Dodgers in SF on July 12, allowing two runs (one unearned) over six innings but took the loss thanks to only three hits and one run by the offense.
Roupp has 24 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings despite not being a huge whiff guy (23.8 percent). His calling card this season has been the quality of contact he’s allowed. Roupp is one of two pitchers with over 40 batted balls against that has yet to allow a barrel along with Dylan Cease (EV of at least 98 MPH, launch angle between 26-30 degrees with an added degree for each additional MPH). Among qualified pitchers, Roupp has the lowest average exit velocity and hard-hit rate in baseball at 85.4 MPH and 26.3 percent, respectively. He generates just over 50 percent ground balls and has yet to allow a homer this season after only allowing 11 in 22 starts and 106 2/3 innings last season. Roupp leads with a sinker (93.4 percent) and also throws a curve (28.4 percent), change (19.3 percent), cutter (12.9 percent) and four seamer (1.9 percent).
Andy Pages and Will Smith sit today, with Alex Call getting his first start in center and Dalton Rushing starting behind the plate. Freddie Freeman returns for the Dodgers after two days on the paternity list.
The Freemans announced the birth of their daughter, London Rosemary Joy Freeman, earlier today. https://t.co/0Cunp80xTP pic.twitter.com/OeRYbT7Ezg
— Sonja Chen (@SonjaMChen) April 21, 2026
Ryan Ward is back in OKC after his first cup of coffee in the Majors.
The Giants lineup takes a hit, as breakout catcher Daniel Susac hit the IL with an elbow injury. Susac’s started his Major League career with a .478/.500/.652 OPS in 24 plate appearances over 11 games, but Patrick Bailey and his elite defense (but .361 OPS) start.
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Blake Snell is scheduled to start a rehab assignment tomorrow.
Some good news for Dodgers pitchers today: Blake Snell (shoulder) is scheduled to start a rehab assignment with Class A Ontario in San Jose on Wednesday, weather permitting.
— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) April 21, 2026
Snell is expected to start in San Jose to begin his rehab assignment. As someone whose gone to Coachella on the second weekend twice in the past, I cannot fathom playing baseball three days later (that dust is no joke).
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First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 PM PT and will be on SportsNet LA.
