The Los Angeles Dodgers’ road trip continues as they take on the New York Mets in a weekend series at Citi Field starting Friday.
The Dodgers send Alex Wood to the mound in the opener. Wood looks to build off his last start when he allowed one run over 5.2 innings against the San Francisco Giants. That snapped a miserable stretch where Wood allowed at least four runs in three straight outings.
Over 14 starts this season, Wood is 2-5 with a 4.22 ERA, 3.30 FIP and 1.80 WHIP. He has struck out 68 batters compared to 15 walks in 74.2 innings.
He has not had the best success against the Mets in his career. In eight starts against New York, Wood is 0-3 with a 3.94 ERA and 1.44 WHIP. His most infamous moment against the Mets came in Game 3 of the 2015 National League Division Series when Wood, on in relief of Brett Anderson, gave up a towering home run to Yoenis Cespedes in a 13-7 Mets rout.
However, Mets fans will likely be reminded of a different moment in that series when Chase Utley returns from the disabled list Friday. The second baseman solidified his reputation as one of New York’s biggest villains three years ago.
His slide in Game 2 of that same NLDS broke the leg of Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada and was deemed “dirty” by many around the game. It also sparked a late Dodgers rally that allowed the team to avoid going to New York down 0-2.
In his return to New York in 2016, Utley slugged two home runs in a nationally televised Dodgers-Mets game, including a grand slam. He hit another home run at Citi Field in August 2017.
The Mets send former blue-chip pitching prospect Zack Wheeler to the mound. Wheeler has struggled this season as well, posting a 4.82 ERA, 3.80 FIP and 1.39 WHIP. He was shelled in his only career start against the Dodgers, allowing seven runs on eight hits over just two innings of work at Dodger Stadium in June 2017.
The Dodgers just missed seeing old friend Adrian Gonzalez, who they traded in a salary dump last offseason. Gonzalez started the season with the Mets but was released on June 11 after going 3-for-28 in his last nine games.
Dodgers lineup:
CF: Joc Pederson
2B: Max Muncy
3B: Justin Turner
LF: Matt Kemp
1B: Cody Bellinger
RF: Yasiel Puig
SS: Kiké Hernandez
C: Austin Barnes
P: Alex Wood
Mets lineup:
LF: Brandon Nimmo
3B: Todd Frazier
2B: Asdrubal Cabrera
1B: Wilmer Flores
CF: Michael Conforto
RF: Jose Bautista
C: Devin Mesoraco
SS: Amed Rosario
P: Zack Wheeler
