After splitting a four-game set at Dodger Stadium and taking the opener on Tuesday at Citi Field, the Los Angeles Dodgers have a chance to clinch a season series victory against the New York Mets.
The Dodgers send All-Star Tyler Anderson to the mound in what will be the biggest test of his season as the club considers who will be in their postseason rotation come October.
Anderson has made 22 starts this season in 24 appearances, pitching to a 2.69 ERA and 3.26 FIP with a 19.9% strikeout rate and 5.4% walk rate in 140.2 innings. He faced the Mets on June 3 and threw six shutout innings while allowing just three hits and collecting five strikeouts without issuing any walks.
After a shaky start to begin August where the southpaw allowed five runs in five innings, Anderson has since allowed just five earned runs in his previous four starts over 25.1 innings.
The Dodgers’ offense is faced with a difficult task as they go up against Jacob deGrom, MLB’s best pitcher who returned from the injured list to make his first start of the season at the beginning of August.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner has continued to dominate through his five starts, posting a 2.15 ERA, 1.08 FIP, 44.7% strikeout rate and 1.9% walk rate in 29.1 innings.
deGrom has struck out 23 hitters for each batter he has walked, which is the highest ratio of any pitcher with at least 20 innings thrown and nearly 10 above the next pitcher on the list, Dodgers reliever Chris Martin, who is at 13.50.
deGrom has allowed three runs or fewer in all five of his starts while giving up no more than five hits, allowing an average against this season of .139 with a 0.55 WHIP.
With a tough task ahead, the Dodgers are going with a lineup that looks a lot like what they are expected to run out on a nightly basis in the postseason, which includes the return of Will Smith after he got a day off in the series opener.
Joey Gallo is also in the Dodgers lineup, starting over Trayce Thompson, despite the nearly opposite runs they have been on over the last week.
In his last seven games, Gallo is batting just .158 with a slugging percentage of .316, but he has still reached base at a 36% mark thanks to five walks and a hit by pitch. Thompson, meanwhile, is hitting .421/.500/.842 with two home runs in his past seven games, with most of the damage coming against right-handers.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
SS: Trea Turner
1B: Freddie Freeman
C: Will Smith
DH: Max Muncy
3B: Justin Turner
2B: Gavin Lux
LF: Joey Gallo
CF: Cody Bellinger
Mets lineup
CF: Brandon Nimmo
RF: Starling Marte
SS: Francisco Lindor
1B: Pete Alonso
DH: Darin Ruf
LF: Mark Canha
2B: Jeff McNeil
3B: Eduardo Escobar
C: Tomás Nido
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