Friday marked a special day for the Los Angeles Dodgers and throughout Major League Baseball as it kicked off Vin Scully Weekend at Dodger Stadium. The Hall of Famer was honored during a special on-field ceremony prior to first pitch.
While Vin Scully Appreciation Day is the headline, the Dodgers and Colorado Rockies have a game to play. And with that Los Angeles sees the return of Scott Kazmir. He last pitched in a Major League game on Aug. 22.
Kazmir was put on the DL with neck inflammation, later diagnosed with thoracic spinal inflammation, and also developed a blister after throwing a simulated game.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts nonetheless expressed confidence this week in the southpaw being healthy. Roberts added the club needs to “see what we have” with Kazmir as the search continues for a fourth starter to assemble a potential postseason rotation.
Kazmir this season is 10-6 with a 4.59 ERA, 4.47 FIP 1.35 WHIP in 135.1 innings pitched across 25 starts. He’s 1-0 with a 3.27 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 11 innings over two starts against the Rockies in 2016.
Colorado counters with Jon Gray, who is 2-1 with a 4.67 ERA in four outings against the Dodgers this season. Only one of the four starts has come at Dodger Stadium. Gray allowed three runs on six hits over six innings and suffered the loss.
He turned in five shutout innings at Coors Field when he last faced Los Angeles. Overall, the young right-hander is 10-8 with a 4.42 ERA, 3.48 FIP and 1.23 WHIP.
Adrian Gonzalez is a career 4-for-13 with one home run and three RBI off Gray, Corey Seager is 5-for-9 with one home run and two RBI, and Justin Turner is 4-for-11 with two doubles and two RBI. Turner appeared as a pinch-hitter Thursday night after starting 10 consecutive games.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Chaes Utley
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
C: Yasmani Grandal
RF: Josh Reddick
LF: Andrew Toles
CF: Joc Pederson
P: Scott Kazmir
Rockies lineup:
CF: Charlie Blackmon
2B: DJ LeMahieu
3B: Nolan Arenado
RF: Carlos Gonzalez
LF: Ryan Raburn
C: Tom Murphy
1B: Stephen Cardullo
SS: Cristhian Adames
P: Jon Gra
