Mired in a five-game losing streak and dealing with an assortment of injuries, the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Seattle Mariners at Camelback Ranch on Monday afternoon. Seattle enters having lost their three games, including both split-squad contests on Saturday.
Kenta Maeda is on the hill for his fourth start of the spring. The Japanese native has impressed thus far, as he’s 1-0 and allowed only two runs (both unearned) over 8.2 innings pitched. What’s more, Maeda has notched eight strikeouts to four walks.
He’s opposed by fellow Japanese starter Hisashi Iwakuma. The right-hander had a three-year, $45 million contract agreement in place to sign with the Dodgers at one point during the offseason.
However, the deal came undone as Iwakuma failed a physical. He quickly reversed course and re-signed with the Mariners on a one-year contract with vesting options for 2017 and 2018.
Iwakuma is 2-0 with a 5.87 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in three starts. He tossed a combined five shutout innings over his first two outings, then allowed five runs on seven hits over 2.2 innings pitched against the San Francisco Giants on March 16.
The Dodgers see the return of first baseman Adrian Gonzalez after he spent the weekend playing for Team Mexico, aiding them in clinching a spot in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Gonzalez bats in the cleanup spot for the Dodgers.
First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. PT and can be watched via the live stream below:
