After finishing with a 12-14-2 Cactus League record, the Los Angeles Dodgers are back in California to begin their annual exhibition Freeway Series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Ross Stripling takes the mound for his final tuneup for the regular season. He is scheduled to start the second game of the season on Friday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Stripling has put together a solid spring to earn that spot in the rotation with Clayton Kershaw and Rich Hill beginning the year on the 10-day injured list. In four Cactus League starts, Stripling pitched to a 2.70 ERA with 11 strikeouts and three walks in 13.1 innings.
Opposing Stripling in right-hander Felix Peña, who also won a spot in his team’s rotation to begin the season after a solid spring and injuries to other starters.
Peña yielded a 3.18 ERA with 16 strikeouts and six walks in 11.1 innings across four games (three starts) in Cactus League play. The 29-year-old has faced the Dodgers four times (two starts) in his three-year big league career with the Angels, posting a 2.19 ERA and 1.14 WHIP with 18 strikeouts and seven walks across 12.1 frames.
Corey Seager is back at shortstop to get more at-bats and defensive work to ensure he is ready for Opening Day. The Dodgers have taken things slowly with Seager this spring, but he proved that he is still his old self when he launched a towering home run to straightaway center field off Cole Hamels in his first game back.
Also back in the lineup is Joc Pederson, who was removed last Friday because of back spasms. Pederson deemed the case minor and expected to start Saturday, but ultimately was kept out for precautionary reasons.
Fresh off signing his monster extension, Mike Trout has been as good as advertised for the Angels. He hit .293/.356/.659 with three home runs and 11 RBI in 14 Cactus League games and will once again be the favorite to win the American League MVP Award.
Dodgers lineup:
LF: Joc Pederson
3B: Justin Turner
SS: Corey Seager
1B: Max Muncy
CF: A.J. Pollock
RF: Cody Bellinger
2B: Kiké Hernandez
C: Russell Martin
DH: Alex Verdugo
Angels lineup:
RF: Kole Calhoun
CF: Mike Trout
LF: Justin Upton
1B: Justin Bour
SS: Andrelton Simmons
DH: Albert Pujols
3B: Zack Cozart
C: Jonathan Lucroy
2B: Tommy La Stella
