As the Los Angeles Dodgers continue their march toward another National League West title, their homestand continues against Cody Bellinger and the Chicago Cubs, who have cooled off after surging into the Wild Card picture.
The Cubs are 6-4 in their last 10 games but sit five back of the red-hot New York Mets for the final Wild Card spot in the NL postseason bracket.
This week’s series is not Bellinger’s first visit to Dodger Stadium since leaving the Dodgers in free agency, so he doesn’t figure to get another tribute video. However, Dodgers fans are likely to give Bellinger a warm reception.
Former Dodgers prospect Michael Busch is back in Los Angeles for the first time since the offseason trade. Busch put together a big series when the Dodgers visited Wrigley Field earlier in the year.
Kyle Hendricks is on the mound for Chicago in his 26th game (21st start) of the year. The right-hander has struggled to the tune of a 3-11 record, 6.60 ERA and 1.51 WHIP.
Hendricks was part of the Cubs’ Opening Day rotation but got moved into the bullpen from late May to the middle of June. He’s remained in the Cubs’ rotation since starting on June 19.
Although Hendricks as a whole has not pitched particularly well this season, he is coming off allowing just two runs over five innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
For the Dodgers, Walker Buehler is aiming to continue what’s been incremental progress toward improvement. He held the Los Angeles Angels to two runs and pitched five innings last week while finishing with six strikeouts, his second-highest total of the season.
Overall this year, Buehler is 1-4 with a 5.67 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in 12 starts. Buehler is optimistic of the direction he’s headed in and remains hopeful of being a positive contributor for the Dodgers.
Teoscar Hernández remains out of the Dodgers lineup as he continues to recover from a left foot contusion. Monday was the earliest day he was projected to return, but Tuesday or Wednesday had appeared more likely.
Andy Pages started back-to-back games in left field, but Chris Taylor now gets his opportunity with Hernández still out.
Dodgers lineup
DH: Shohei Ohtani
RF: Mookie Betts
1B: Freddie Freeman
3B: Max Muncy
C: Will Smith
CF: Tommy Edman
2B: Gavin Lux
SS: Miguel Rojas
LF: Chris Taylor
Cubs lineup
LF: Ian Happ
SS: Dansby Swanson
DH: Seiya Suzuki
RF: Cody Bellinger
3B: Isaac Paredes
1B: Michael Busch
2B: Nico Hoerner
CF: Pete Crow-Armstrong
C: Miguel Amaya
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