Closing out their homestand on a strong note with a sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Los Angeles Dodgers now hit the road and take on the rival San Francisco Giants in the opener of a three-game series at Oracle Park.
Monday’s game also marks the beginning of a six-game road trip in which the Dodgers will face National League West opponents as three contests with the San Diego Padres looms this weekend.
Kenta Maeda makes his sixth start of the season and looks to bounce bounce back from a rocky outing against the Chicago Cubs. In just four innings pitched, he allowed six runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and three walks.
Maeda enters with a 3-2 record, 5.20 ERA, 5.09 FIP and 1.45 WHIP over 27.2 innings. Some of his struggles this season likely coincide with career-highs in hits per nine (8.8), home runs per nine (1.6) and walks per nine (4.2).
In his career against the Giants, Maeda is 4-3 with a 4.58 ERA and 1.55 WHIP across 37.1 innings of work (11 games, seven starts). At Oracle Park, the right-hander is 0-2 with an 8.16 ERA and 1.88 WHIP in 14.1 innings pitched (six appearances, three starts).
San Francisco counters with Jeff Samardzija, who earned a win in his last start against the Toronto Blue Jays. In 5.2 innings pitched, the right-hander allowed six baserunners and two runs with four strikeouts.
Samardzija has enjoyed a solid first month of the regular season, compiling a 2-1 record with a 3.00 ERA, 3.48 FIP and 1.15 WHIP in 27 innings pitched (five starts).
A 12-year veteran, Samardzija owns a lifetime 1-4 record against the Dodgers, having posted a 4.06 ERA and 1.27 WHIP with 38 strikeouts and 12 walks over 37.2 innings (eight games, six starts).
With a right-hander on the mound, Alex Verdugo is receiving another start in place of A.J. Pollock in center field. Verdugo has now started three of the past four games, including two of the last three in center.
The Dodgers took two of three from the Giants at Dodger Stadium earlier this season, but it was a series in which they did not face Samardzija. San Francisco enters play coming off a sweep at the hands of the New York Yankees and having lost six of their last 10.
Dodgers lineup:
LF: Joc Pederson
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
RF: Cody Bellinger
1B: Max Muncy
2B: Kiké Hernandez
CF: Alex Verdugo
C: Austin Barnes
P: Kenta Maeda
Giants lineup:
2B: Joe Panik
LF: Yangervis Solarte
1B: Brandon Belt
C: Buster Posey
3B: Pablo Sandoval
SS: Brandon Crawford
CF: Kevin Pillar
RF: Gerardo Parra
P: Jeff Samardzija
