The Los Angeles Dodgers try to rebound after Craig Kimbrel blew his first save of the season that led to the team’s four-game winning streak being snapped.
The Dodgers nevertheless enter play with the best record in the National League at 33-15 and a still an MLB-best run differential of +118. Even with dropping the series opener at Dodger Stadium, L.A. is 7-3 in their last 10 games.
The Pirates are 3-1 against the Dodgers this season and sit in third place in the NL Central and have the worst run differential in MLB at -83.
Julio Urías makes his 10th start of the year and Tuesday’s outing at Dodger Stadium is only his fourth at home in 2022. It also happens to be Urías’ bobblehead night that will feature the left-hander in the Dodgers City Connect uniform that Nike unveiled last season.
Urías is 3-4 on the season with a 2.49 ERA in 47 innings and has allowed a .225 batting average to opposing hitters. After his disastrous outing at home against the Philadelphia Phillies, Urías has rebounded with 11 innings of one-run baseball in his prior two starts.
Manager Dave Roberts has previously said the Dodgers don’t have a pitch count on Urías, but his starts have generally averaged between five and six innings.
The Pirates counter with Mitch Keller, who comes into the Tuesday’s game with a 1-5 record and a 6.05 ERA in 38.2 innings. The 26-year-old has allowed a .293 batting average and in five outings in May, Keller has given up 13 earned runs in 21 innings.
He currently sits in the 30th percentile in chase rate and 16th in whiff percentage, both of which will be points to highlight against a Dodgers lineup that ranks at the top of MLB in chase rate.
In Monday’s loss, Mookie Betts passed Jackie Robinson for the most extra-base hits in Dodgers history during the month of May. Betts has raised his on-base plus slugging percentage to 1.006 and currently leads the NL in home runs and total bases, and leads all of MLB in runs scored with 50.
The Dodgers getting back into the win column will give Roberts added reason to enjoy and celebrate his 50th birthday.
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