After taking two of three from the San Diego Padres, the Los Angeles Dodgers continue their road trip with a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
With an 11-4 record, the Dodgers have the best winning percentage in baseball (.733) entering Monday’s matchup. The Diamondbacks have not been as successful as they are at the bottom of the National League West standings with a 6-10 record.
The Dodgers went 16-3 against the Diamondbacks last season, including a 7-2 showing at Chase Field.
Walker Buehler makes his fourth start of the season and looks to bounce back from another inconsistent outing against the Atlanta Braves. He was tabbed with his first loss of the season after allowing three runs and eight hits in five innings of work.
“Just not a very good outing against a pretty good team,” Buehler said after the game. “Obviously they had some success last year, so I just need to be a little bit sharper and make some better pitches in count.”
Buehler made multiple adjustments throughout the night in search of improved results, including a mechanical change to stop raising his hands above his head during his windup.
The right-hander is 1-1 with a 4.02 ERA, 4.49 FIP and 1.47 WHIP in 15.2 innings pitched this season (three starts). He owns a perfect 4-0 record with a 2.24 ERA and 0.87 WHIP in four career starts against the Diamondbacks.
Arizona counters with Merrill Kelly, who earned his first win of the season in his last start against the Washington Nationals. He allowed only one run on six hits and collected five strikeouts in six innings of work.
In three starts this season, Kelly is 1-0 with a minuscule 0.59 ERA, 1.72 FIP and 1.17 WHIP in 15.1 innings pitched. Although the 33-year-old has been one of baseball’s best pitchers through the first three weeks of the 2022 season, he will have his work cut out for him in Monday’s series opener. Kelly is 0-4 with a 4.58 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in seven career starts against the Dodgers.
The Dodgers lineup features the usual nine regulars, but with Gavin Lux making a fourth start of the season in left field. It’s also Lux’s first time playing the outfield since he missed consecutive games because of back tightness.
Fresh off being named National League Player of the Week for games played April 18-24, Cody Bellinger is batting seventh.
Meanwhile, Freddie Freeman enters play with the highest on-base plus slugging percentage (1.044) by any visiting player in Chase Field history. Of his 53 hits in the Diamondbacks’ home ballpark, 25 have gone for extra bases (15 doubles, one triple and nine home runs).
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
1B: Freddie Freeman
SS: Trea Turner
2B: Max Muncy
3B: Justin Turner
C: Will Smith
CF: Cody Bellinger
DH: Chris Taylor
LF: Gavin Lux
Diamondbacks lineup
CF: Daulton Varsho
2B: Ketel Marte
LF: David Peralta
1B: Christian Walker
DH: Seth Beer
RF: Pavin Smith
C: Carson Kelly
SS: Nick Ahmed
3B: Geraldo Perdomo
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