With Opening Day of the 2016 season around the corner, the Los Angeles Dodgers play their final exhibition home game Friday night against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In the opener of the Freeway Series on Thursday, the Dodgers fell 2-1, but received a positive outing from Scott Kazmir heading into the regular season.
Los Angeles and Anaheim will conclude the three-game set on Saturday at Angel Stadium. Kenta Maeda gets the nod on Friday, making his final start of the spring and also his Dodger Stadium debut. Thus far, the Japanese right-hander has gotten effectively spun the arsenal of pitches of he’s lauded for.
In his last outing, Meada tossed 5.1 innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits, while collecting five strikeouts. The start is the longest turned in by a Dodgers pitcher this spring.
In 19 total innings pitched, Maeda has allowed seven runs, though only four of them have been earned. He’s expected to toss four innings or 60 pitches against the Angels. Taking the mound for the Anaheim is Hector Santiago.
The southpaw has faced the Dodgers three times in his career, with one relief appearance in 2012 and starts during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. In his 2015 start against the Dodgers, Santiago allowed five runs on nine hits, including two home runs, in just five innings pitched.
Santiago has been tagged for 11 runs (nine earned) over 23 innings pitched this spring. He’s been particularly susceptible to the long ball, surrendering five home runs, including two in his last outing against the San Diego Padres.
With a left-hander on the mound, the Dodgers again have Kiké Hernandez batting leadoff. However, whereas Hernandez was in center field on Thursday, he’s at second base in the middle game of the Freeway Series.
Joc Pederson returns in center and bats seventh. Corey Seager, who makes a second consecutive start since returning from knee sprain, hits eighth.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Kiké Hernandez
RF: Yasiel Puig
3B: Justin Turner
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
LF: Carl Crawford
C: A.J. Ellis
CF: Joc Pederson
SS: Corey Seager
P: Kenta Maeda
Angels lineup:
3B: Yunel Escobar
LF: Ji-Man Cho
1B: Albert Pujols
RF: Kole Calhoun
DH: C.J. Cron
SS: Andrelton Simmons
C: Geovany Soto
CF: Rafael Ortega
2B: Johnny Giavotella
