The Dodgers (83-65) won the second game of this series against the San Francisco Giants (75-73) last night in a high-scoring 13-7 victory. After logging just four hits across ten innings against the 42 year-old Justin Verlander and a depleted Giants’ bullpen, the Dodgers proceeded to compile 17 hits and 6 walks against Logan Webb and the remainder of the San Francisco relief staff. I don’t really know what to say about the inconsistency that plagues the Dodger’s offense, other than that it’s an issue that needs to get ironed out before October. No-shows like Friday are deadly in October, while performances like last night will fast track them back to the World Series. Today, Tyler Glasnow will be on the mound looking to secure the series win, while the veteran lefty Robbie Ray looks to keep San Francisco in the Wild Card race.
1:05 P.M.
San Francisco
DH
Ohtani (L)
LF
Ramos
SS
Betts
DH
Devers (L)
RF
T. Hernández
SS
Adames
1B
Freeman (L)
3B
Chapman
CF
Edman (S)
CF
Lee (L)
LF
Call
1B
Flores
2B
Rojas
C
Bailey (S)
3B
K. Hernández
2B
Schmitt
C
Rortvedt (L)
RF
Gilbert (L)
P
Glasnow (R)
P
Ray (L)
The Dodgers will make a few changes in this getaway game against the left-handed Ray. Max Muncy is out of the game, at least partially due to getting hit in the head and wrist in back-to-back games. It seems like he’s fine, but it’s as good a time as any to get him some rest. Alex Call and Tommy Edman are in the game against Ray while Andy Pages gets the day off. It’ll be interesting to see how that situation unfolds, as the Dodgers clearly and publicly like both Edman and Call predominantly against left-handed pitchers. Miguel Rojas has a 142 wRC+ and .874 OPS against lefties, so he needs to start every game against left-handed pitching.
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Here’s how Glasnow and Ray compare.
Glasnow is coming off his best start of the year, throwing seven no-hit innings with two walks and eleven strikeouts against the Rockies last Monday. It was the Rockies, but it was still a fantastic outing from Glasnow who is attempting to make it to October healthy. He has the lowest batting average allowed among all starting pitchers with at least 70 innings pitched at .165, and is allowing just 5.2 hits per nine innings. Yoshinobu Yamamoto leads baseball in that category among qualified starters at 6.0 hits per nine innings, so Glasnow is limiting hits better than anyone in the sport. Since returning from injury on July 9, Glasnow has been great, with a a 2.81 ERA, 3.35 FIP, and a 0.95 WHIP over 57.2 innings. If he can limit the walks a bit like his last time out, it’s nearly impossible for opposing teams to string hits together against him.
Ray allowed two runs on three hits and two walks with five strikeouts over five innings to earn his eleventh win his last time out. He’s had a rough go of it lately, so it was an encouraging outing for Ray who has been struggling for the majority of the second half. He has a 4.77 ERA in the second half, including a 7.11 ERA over his last four starts. He had a quality start against the Dodgers back in the beginning of July, allowing two runs over six innings with six strikeouts and will look to replicate that performance today.
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In other news,
Between Brock Stewart likely returning soon and Roki Sasaki looking improved, Kirby Yates is unfortunately probably pitching himself out of a roster spot with a 5.31 ERA.
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First pitch is at 1:05 PT on SNLA.
