With just 28 games left in the season, the Los Angeles Dodgers begin a three-game series with the division-rival San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Friday night.
Both teams hold a record of 85-49, which ties them for the top spot in the National League West and best record in all of MLB. Because they enter the series tied, the winner of the series will end up holding either a one- or three-game lead in a series and that could very well determine who wins the West and who is bound for the top Wild Card spot.
In their last 10 games, the Dodgers have gone 7-3 while the Giants have faltered a bit at 5-5. That gave the Dodgers a chance to catch up in the standings for the first time since April 28.
With the strong possibility that these two teams face off in the NL Division Series come October, this weekend could be a glimpse into the future and should provide an early playoff atmosphere.
However, the first game of the series will feature a pitching matchup that would be unlikely to be seen in the playoffs.
The Dodgers open with Corey Knebel, who again is primed to fill an opener role for what had been a scheduled start for David Price. The assumption was Price would be used to handle the bulk of the game, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts suggested he might be unavailable due to “arm stuff.”
Roberts added it’s possible Price winds up on the 10-day injured list, but that would only be for a short absence.
The Giants send Anthony DeSclafani to the mound, who has had a strong year overall but the Dodgers have given him a lot of starts he would love to forget.
In 135.2 innings, the 31-year-old right-hander has posted a 3.38 ERA and 3.85 FIP in what has been a bounce-back year for him.
However, in his five starts against L.A. this year, DeSclafani has thrown only 21 innings while allowing 22 earned runs on 31 hits, which gives him a 9.43 ERA in that time. He has also walked 12 and given up six home runs.
He does have one quality start against the Dodgers, which came on July 22 in a 5-3 Giants win, but in the other four outings he has gone an average of fewer than four innings while allowing three or more runs each time, including 10 runs in 2.2 innings on May 23.
Against righties this year, the Dodgers are hitting .246/.339/.422 with 124 home runs and a 110 wRC+, which gives them one of the best lineups in baseball against right-handers.
Before the series on Thursday, the Dodgers called up Andrew Vasquez from Triple-A Oklahoma City after he was acquired from the Minnesota Twins, and optioned Ryan Meisinger.
Dodgers lineup
2B: Trea Turner
1B: Max Muncy
RF: Mookie Betts
3B: Justin Turner
SS: Corey Seager
C: Will Smith
LF: Chris Taylor
CF: Cody Bellinger
P: Corey Knebel
Giants lineup
LF: Darin Ruf
1B: Brandon Belt
3B: Kris Bryant
RF: LaMonte Wade Jr.
C: Buster Posey
SS: Brandon Crawford
2B: Thairo Estrada
CF: Mike Yastrzemski
P: Anthony DeSclafani
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and more!
