After going 7-2 on their road trip, the Los Angeles Dodgers are back at Dodger Stadium for the start of a rare five-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Dodgers are 11-3 against the Diamondbacks this season and most recently took two of three at Chase Field last week. L.A. clinched their ninth National League West title in the past 10 seasons with a 4-0 win last Tuesday.
Clayton Kershaw was on the mound and improved to 4-0 when starting a game in which the Dodgers could clinch the division. The left-hander allowed just two hits over seven shutout innings and collected five strikeouts.
Kershaw enters at 8-3 with a 2.44 ERA, 2.65 FIP and 0.93 WHIP in 103.1 innings on the year (18 starts). He owns a 19-11 record with a 2.73 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in 40 career starts against the Diamondbacks.
Kershaw has been particularly dominant when facing the Diamondbacks at home, going 11-1 with a 1.83 ERA in 19 starts (postseason included). The Diamondbacks have not won a game at Dodger Stadium in which Kershaw has started since June 2013.
Arizona counters with Merrill Kelly, who was on the losing end of the Dodgers’ NL West-clinching victory last week. He gave up three runs on five hits in five innings of work with eight strikeouts against five walks.
Kelly fell to 12-6 with a 3.01 ERA, 3.41 FIP and 1.11 WHIP in 176.2 innings pitched this season (29 starts). He is 0-8 with a 5.81 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in 11 career starts against the Dodgers.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
SS: Trea Turner
1B: Freddie Freeman
C: Will Smith
3B: Max Muncy
LF: Joey Gallo
2B: Gavin Lux
DH: Chris Taylor
CF: Cody Bellinger
Diamondbacks lineup
DH: Stone Garrett
2B: Ketel Marte
LF: Jake McCarthy
1B: Christian Walker
3B: Emmanuel Rivera
C: Carson Kelly
RF: Jordan Luplow
CF: Daulton Varsho
SS: Geraldo Perdomo
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