The Los Angeles Dodgers outfield has a new look in the middle game of the series with the Detroit Tigers, as newcomer Curtis Granderson makes his debut in left field. The start is just Granderson’s fifth at the position this season.
Chris Taylor slides over to center field, and Cody Bellinger makes only his third start in right field this season. As planned, Adrian Gonzalez once again is playing first base. He’s expected to serve as the designated hitter in Sunday’s series finale.
Gonzalez went 1-for-4 with a run scored and RBI in his return from the 60-day disabled list. He’s batting seventh for a second consecutive game.
Granderson hit .228/.334/.481 with 22 doubles, three triples, 19 home runs and 52 RBI in 111 games with the Mets this season. He overcame a career-worst start to the season, and is batting .276/.399/.603 13 doubles, two triples, 16 home runs and 38 RBI in 71 games since May 21.
Granderson’s start in the fifth spot is his 26th this season, second only to the 30 starts he made for the Mets as the leadoff hitter.
He’s part of a Dodgers defense that looks to back Hyun-Jin Ryu against a Tigers team that’s feasted on left-handed pitching. Ryu enters 4-6 with one save, a 3.63 ERA, 4.34 FIP and 1.30 WHIP in 18 games (17 starts) this season.
After back-to-back outings in which he completed seven innings without allowing a run, Ryu was knocked around a bit by the San Diego Padres, who pushed across three runs on five hits in five innings against the southpaw.
Ryu allowed seven runs on 10 hits in just 2.1 innings his lone time facing the Tigers, which came in 2014 at Comerica Park. He’s a lifetime 3-3 with a 4.47 ERA in 10 Interleague starts.
The Tigers counter with reigning American League Rookie of the Year and 2017 All-Star Michael Fulmer. The right-hander is 10-10 this season, with a 3.78 ERA, 3.54 FIP and 1.16 WHIP.
The second half has been unkind to Fulmer, who’s 1-4 with 6.07 ERA and allowed a home run in each of his past four starts. He’s surrendered seven homers in the last seven starts but went 10 games (70.2 innings pitched) without allowing a home run prior to the rocky stretch.
At 15-3 the Dodgers have already clinched the best single-season Interleague record in team history. Los Angeles’ best mark against the AL prior to this year was 12-6 in 2002. The Dodgers enter Saturday with a 12-game winning streak in Interleague play, which is a franchise record.
Dodgers lineup:
CF: Chris Taylor
SS: Corey Seager
DH: Justin Turner
RF: Cody Bellinger
LF: Curtis Granderson
C: Yasmani Grandal
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
3B: Logan Forsythe
2B: Chase Utley
Tigers lineup:
2B: Ian Kinsler
RF: Mikie Mahtook
LF: Justin Upton
1B: Miguel Cabrera
3B: Nicholas Castellanos
DH: Victor Martinez
C: James McCann
CF: JaCoby Jones
SS: Jose Iglesias
