The Los Angeles Dodgers dropped their first two games against the Pittsburgh Pirates and now hope to salvage the series with a win when the teams meet in the finale at PNC Park on Thursday.
Walker Buehler looks to get back on track after an inconsistent start against the Colorado Rockies that saw him allow three runs on six hits in six innings of work.
The right-hander enters at 1-3 with 4.32 ERA, 5.41 FIP and 1.32 WHIP in 25 innings pitched since returning from a nearly two-year hiatus after undergoing a second Tommy John surgery and flexor tendon repair.
“Physically, I’m probably exceeding where I thought I was going to be. But performance-wise, I feel like [expletive],” Buehler said. “I think my expectations of myself, I think I’m not anywhere close to where I want to be.
“I think if you take a layoff like that, you’re going to have the same expectations you always have. But you start tallying these starts, I think it’s kind of ‘put up or shut up’ time for me, at least mentally. And these last few, obviously, haven’t been good enough.”
Buehler has fared well against the Pirates in his career as he owns a 2-0 record, 2.37 ERA and 0.90 WHIP over 19 innings pitched (three starts).
Pittsburgh counters with Bailey Falter, who is coming off an excellent start against the Toronto Blue Jays. He allowed just two hits and collected five strikeouts in six scoreless innings.
The left-hander carries with him a 3-2 record, 3.22 ERA, 4.52 FIP and 0.95 WHIP in 64.1 innings across 11 starts this year. Falter threw three scoreless innings in his only appearance against the Dodgers during the 2021 season.
With the lefty on the mound, the Dodgers are getting some platoon matchups and backups in, giving starts to Miguel Rojas, Kiké Hernández, Miguel Vargas and Austin Barnes. Gavin Lux, Jason Heyward and Will Smith all get a day of rest.
Dodgers lineup
SS: Mookie Betts
DH: Shohei Ohtani
1B: Freddie Freeman
RF: Teoscar Hernández
CF: Andy Pages
2B: Miguel Rojas
3B: Kiké Hernández
LF: Miguel Vargas
C: Austin Barnes
Pirates lineup
DH: Andrew McCutchen
LF: Bryan Reynolds
3B: Ke’Bryan Hayes
SS: Oneil Cruz
RF: Edward Olivares
2B: Nick Gonzales
1B: Rowdy Tellez
C: Henry Davis
CF: Jack Suwinski
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