The Los Angeles Dodgers could not muster any offense outside of Shohei Ohtani to get past the Los Angeles Angels in the Freeway Series opener on Friday night and now look to avoid being swept at Dodger Stadium.
Ohtani made MLB history by becoming the first player in the last 25 years to record multiple hits, RBI and walks while no other teammate had a one hit, RBI or walk. That effort simply cannot be repeated if the Dodgers want to avoid a Freeway Series sweep at the hands of the 30-win Angels.
The Dodgers are at a significant advantage, as they have their ace — Tyler Glasnow — on the mound while the Angels ask for length out of a starter who is making only his second appearance of 2024 in Zach Plesac.
Plesac was called up from Triple-A Salt Lake on Monday to start for the injured Jose Soriano. Soriano has since been placed on IL and manager Ron Washington appears to be rolling with Plesac for the foreseeable future. His first start with the Angels saw him give up three earned runs over six innings.
But after the Angels lost starter Patrick Sandoval early on Friday night, they have a bullpen stretched very thin and a brand new starter on the mound. The Dodgers should be able to take that and run with it, even with the injuries plaguing their offense.
Glasnow, meanwhile, continues to have an excellent season. He has an ERA of 3.00 through 15 starts (93 innings) and leads Major League Baseball in strikeouts with 125. The Angels are around the league average in chase rate (13th), but Glasnow has been effective against teams from all over those rankings.
While it is only a two-game set, the Dodgers have been swept once this season and would certainly like to keep it that way.
Will Smith is back in the Dodgers lineup after receiving yet another night of rest. Manager Dave Roberts said Smith will additionally start all three road games against the Chicago White Sox next week.
Dodgers Lineup
DH: Shohei Ohtani
C: Will Smith
1B: Freddie Freeman
LF: Teoscar Hernández
CF: Andy Pages
RF: Jason Heyward
SS: Miguel Rojas
2B: Gavin Lux
3B: Cavan Biggio
Angels Linuep
1B: Nolan Schanuel
3B: Luis Rengifo
LF: Taylor Ward
DH: Willie Calhoun
C: Logan O’Hoppe
SS: Zach Neto
CF: Mickey Moniak
RF: Jo Adell
2B: Luis Guillorme
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