The Los Angeles Dodgers had their three-game winning streak snapped and face the Colorado Rockies for an afternoon rubber match at Coors Field. L.A. needs a win to avoid falling further behind the San Francisco Giants, who now the National League West by two games.
Max Scherzer is on the mound and brings with him a 7-0 record, 0.78 ERA, 0.66 WHIP, 79 strikeouts and .150 batting average against in nine starts for the Dodgers. They additionally won both games Scherzer didn’t receive a decision for.
The performance has been historic and vaulted the future Hall of Famer to the front of the NL Cy Young Award race. It’s also come at an opportune time for Scherzer as he is due to be a free agent this offseason, but the 37-year-old has said his focus squarely is on the field.
Coors Field has been a bit of a landmine for Scherzer — albeit over a small sample size. In five starts at the Rockies’ home ballpark, he is 0-3 with a 5.88 ERA and 1.65 WHIP. Scherzer last pitched there in 2016.
The Dodgers have a bit of a different alignment behind Scherzer as Gavin Lux makes his first Major League start in center field. He previously played the position once for Triple-A Oklahoma City, which marked Lux’s first ever foray into the outfield.
“Like, even in Little League or travel ball, and everything, I’ve always either played short or second,” Lux said this week.
He’s started in left field since being recalled earlier this month and continued to gain confidence with more experience. That has carried over to the plate, as Lux is 14-for-32 with two doubles, one triple, one home run and nine RBI this month.
He and the Dodgers will look to find success against Kyle Freeland, who is 6-8 with a 4.50 ERA this season. However, the southpaw is coming off six shutout innings against the Washington Nationals and held the Dodgers to just two runs and had seven strikeouts when he last faced them on Aug. 27.
AJ Pollock is back in the Dodgers lineup one day after getting reinstated off the 10-day injured list and making a pinch-hit appearance. Pollock initially was scheduled to return Friday, then moved up to the series finale at Coors Field.
However, Cody Bellinger needing to go on the IL because of a left rib fracture and Chris Taylor dealing with an ongoing neck issue prompted the Dodgers to make another change and activate Pollock on Wednesday.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
SS: Corey Seager
2B: Trea Turner
3B: Justin Turner
1B: Max Muncy
LF: AJ Pollock
C: Austin Barnes
CF: Gavin Lux
P: Max Scherzer
Rockies lineup
LF: Raimel Tapia
2B: Brendan Rodgers
3B: Ryan McMahon
SS: Trevor Story
1B: C.J. Cron
RF: Sam Hilliard
CF: Garrett Hampson
C: Dom Nuñez
P: Kyle Freeland
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!
