Tony Gonsolin takes the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers as they host the Los Angeles Angels at Dodger Stadium for a short two-game Freeway Series before the All-Star break.
The Dodgers are looking to continue their momentum and stay perfect against the Angels in 2023, as they shut them out in two straight games at Angel Stadium back in June.
The Dodgers are 6-4 over their last 10 games and have now moved to within a half-game of the Arizona Diamondbacks for first place in the National League West standings.
Gonsolin has had a tough time in his last few starts, giving up 15 earned runs over 14.1 innings. He was only able to get through 3.2 innings in his last start against the Kansas City Royals.
For the season, Gonsolin is 4-3 with a 3.69 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. Gonsolin is walking more batters this season than he did last year, and his split-finger is getting fewer whiffs as well.
The Angels counter with Griffin Canning, who is 6-3 with a 4.29 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. He strikes out a lot of batters, compiling 21 in his last three outings over 18 innings. In his last start against the Diamondbacks, Canning struck nine over six innings while also giving up five earned runs.
Canning’s average exit velocity of 91.3 mph is in the bottom 9% of the league, but he also gets a lot of swings and misses, averaging one strikeout per inning. Canning throws his fastball 32.9% of the time, his slider 31.9%, and his changeup at 22.1%, and a curveball he throws 12.5%.
His curveball is a hit-and-miss pitch in that it avoids a lot of bats but also gives up plenty of hard contact as well.
The Dodgers lineup features Mookie Betts at second base in what’s his fourth consecutive game playing the infield. That’s been a byproduct of Jason Heyward and David Peralta performing well in their respective platoons, and Miguel Vargas’ ongoing struggles.
Dodgers lineup
2B: Mookie Betts
1B: Freddie Freeman
C: Will Smith
3B: Max Muncy
DH: J.D. Martinez
LF: David Peralta
RF: Jason Heyward
CF: James Outman
SS: Miguel Rojas
Angels lineup
DH: Shohei Ohtani
LF: Taylor Ward
RF: Mickey Moniak
2B: Eduardo Escobar
CF: Jo Adell
3B: Mike Moustakas
1B: Hunter Renfroe
C: Matt Thais
SS: Andrew Velasquez
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