The Los Angeles Dodgers remained undefeated against the Chicago Cubs this season behind a second walk-off win on their current homestand and now are in position to take the series at Dodger Stadium.
Clayton Kershaw toes the rubber for his 11th start of the season, entering 5-2 with a 2.57 ERA and 1.05 WHIP. Kershaw doesn’t have the same number of innings pitched as other candidates due to spending time on the injured list, but there’s been a growing discussion in support of the left-hander starting the All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium.
When Kershaw last faced the Cubs at Wrigley Field on May 7, he scattered five hits over seven shutout innings. The performance was a bit of redemption as it was in 2021 that Kershaw suffered one of the worst starts of his career.
Through nine career outings against the Cubs at Dodger Stadium, Kershaw is 6-1 with a 2.44 ERA to go along with 79 strikeouts against 11 walks over 59 innings pitched.
With Kershaw on the mound, Austin Barnes is behind the plate, but Will Smith remains in the Dodgers lineup as well as the designated hitter.
The Cubs counter with Marcus Stroman, who returns for his first start since June. Stroman made one rehab start for Triple-A Iowa while recovering from a shoulder injury.
He’s 2-5 with a 5.32 ERA over nine starts, and has yet to face the Dodgers this season. Stroman allowed nine runs on 10 hits, including three home runs, in his last outing for the Cubs.
Stroman faces a streaking Dodgers team that has won five games in a row and are a National League-best 28-13 at home. L.A. is 13-5 overall against the NL Central this year.
Should Justin Turner appear, he is on seven-game hitting streak and is 15-for-31 with four home runs in his last nine.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
SS: Trea Turner
1B: Freddie Freeman
DH: Will Smith
3B: Justin Turner
LF: Jake Lamb
2B: Gavin Lux
CF: Cody Bellinger
C: Austin Barnes
Cubs lineup
2B: Christopher Morel
DH: Willson Contreras
3B: Patrick Widsom
RF: Seiya Suzuki
SS: Nico Hoerner
LF: Ian Happ
C: Yan Gomes
1B: P.J. Higgins
CF: Nelson Velázquez
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