The Los Angeles Dodgers have started the 2016 season in dominant fashion as they swept a three-game series against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.
The Dodgers joined the 1963 St. Louis Cardinals as the only teams in Major League Baseball history to record three consecutive shutouts to start the season. What’s more, it left the Padres with the longest scoreless streak (27 innings) to begin a season.
Now the Dodgers face another National League West opponent as they face longtime rival San Francisco Giants in their 2016 home opener. Taking the hill for Los Angeles is southpaw Alex Wood.
After originally competing for the fifth spot in the starting rotation at the beginning of Spring Training, Wood now finds himself locked in as the No. 4 starter and has a tough act to follow.
Wood has made three career games appearances the Giants, with all of them coming during his tenure with the Atlanta Braves. In his lone appearance at AT&T Park, Wood managed to pitch just 2.2 innings, allowing three runs on five hits.
However, in another start against the Giants, he allowed only two runs and seven hits, while striking out seven batters over five innings. Five shutout innings from Wood and/or the Dodgers pitching staff will tie the Cardinals for the longest scoreless streak to start a season.
Making the start for the Giants is Jake Peavy. The 34-year-old righty faces the Dodgers a 30th time in his career. In those starts, Peavy has a dominant record of 14-3, to go with a 2.38 ERA and 0.95 WHIP.
In 12.2 innings pitched over two starts against the Dodgers last season, Peavy allowed a combined five runs on nine hits. Peavy is a lifetime 17-9 with a 3.15 ERA and 1.19 WHIP at AT&T Park.
As the Dodgers shift over from a night game to an early day start, manager Dave Roberts made some appropriate lineup changes to give some healing players rest.
Kiké Hernandez replaces Justin Turner at third base, which moves Yasiel Puig to third in the lineup to fill Turner’s vacancy. Scott Van Slyke gives Carl Crawford the day off in left field.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Chase Utley
SS: Corey Seager
RF: Yasiel Puig
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
LF: Scott Van Slyke
CF: Joc Pederson
3B: Kiké Hernandez
C: Austin Barnes
P: Alex Wood
Giants lineup:
CF: Denard Span
2B: Joe Panik
C: Buster Posey
RF: Hunter Pence
1B: Brandon Belt
3B: Matt Duffy
SS: Brandon Crawford
P: Jake Peavy
LF: Angel Pagan
