The Los Angeles Dodgers continue their homestand with a four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, looking to build on momentum from their walk-off win on Sunday that followed a stretch of four straight losses.
At 21-12, the Dodgers enter with the best record in the National League West and the top run differential in baseball at +70. The Diamondbacks enter at 18-17, sitting fourth in the NL West with a -15 run differential.
The two clubs previously met at the end of April, with the Dodgers taking the series opener at Chase Field, only for the D-Backs to win the final two games.
Tony Gonsolin takes the ball for L.A. in his seventh start of the season. In his previous six outings, the right-hander has posted a 1.33 and 3.44 FIP across 27 innings. While he has found overall effective results, Gonsolin has seen his strikeouts per nine drop to 7.67 from his career mark of 9.09, and walks per nine has risen to 4.33 from 3.67.
Gonsolin will need to improve upon both of those marks to keep finding success. However, he has remained effective by limiting hard-hit balls (96th percentile among pitchers) and avoiding the barrel of the bat (98th percentile).
Gonsolin has faced the Diamondbacks 10 times (nine starts) previously, including earlier this season when he allowed two earned runs over four innings against them. In his 31.1 career innings versus Arizona, he owns a 3.70 ERA.
The Diamondbacks turn to baseball’s sheriff, Maddison Bumgarner, who the Dodgers are quite familiar with.
Bumgarner has had a surprisingly strong year to this point, posting a 1.78 ERA across 30.1 innings pitched in seven starts, but a FIP of 4.69 suggests he is likely to face regression soon. Like Gonsolin, Bumgarner has also seen his strikeout numbers decrease (8.58 to 5.93 per nine) while his walk numbers have risen (2.15 to 3.56 per nine).
Bumgarner has previously faced L.A. 38 times (37 starts) in his career and holds a 2.77 ERA against them. But since the 2020 season, he has only pitched nine innings in two starts facing the Dodgers and he has given up four runs.
Cody Bellinger gets a day off against the southpaw after starting in each of the Dodgers’ previous 33 games. The 26-year-old is batting .202/.261/.419 this season with five home runs while playing Gold Glove-caliber defense in center field.
As a team, the Dodgers are hitting .240/.328/.399 with 32 home runs and a 112 wRC+ while the Diamondbacks are hitting .204/.291/.354 with 35 home runs and an 84 wRC+. Against left-handers, the Dodgers have been much worse than their overall line, hitting just .228/.309/.358 with a 95 wRC+. The D-Backs have posted about the same level of production regardless of the pitcher’s handedness.
Prior to the game the Dodgers activated Caleb Ferguson off the 10-day injured list and optioned Michael Grove. Ferguson is on the roster for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery in September 2020.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
1B: Freddie Freeman
SS: Trea Turner
DH: Will Smith
3B: Justin Turner
2B: Max Muncy
CF: Chris Taylor
C: Austin Barnes
LF: Gavin Lux
Diamondbacks lineup
DH: Daulton Varsho
RF: Pavin Smith
2B: Ketel Marte
1B: Christian Walker
3B: Josh Rojas
LF: David Peralta
SS: Geraldo Perdomo
CF: Alek Thomas
C: Jose Herrera
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