The Los Angeles Dodgers enjoyed a successful road trip but there’s no rest for the weary as they immediately begin a homestand against Zac Gallen and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
One month ago, the three-game series at Dodger Stadium appeared to have the makings of another National League West showdown. But the Dodgers have since opened a 12-game lead in the division and are well on their way to 10th NL West title in the past 11 years.
They can continue to chip away at their magic number, but need to find success against a starter who Dodgers manager Dave Roberts considers one of the best in the sport.
“You could argue he’s one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball,” Roberts said of Gallen. “He’s tough, got good stuff, he’s smart, you could see he has a plan and executes it.
“He pitches to both sides of the plate, he can front to back you, he can spin the baseball. He’s an ace. This is a good challenge for us.”
Roberts also lauded the Diamondbacks for being a “gritty” and “tough” team as a whole.
“I really like Christian Walker and how he goes about things. The talent of (Ketel) Marte and then the athleticism of their outfield. They’re tough,” Roberts added.
“We’re seeing two of their best guys, so it should be two close ballgames and we’ll see who plays the cleanest baseball to win.”
Gallen is 14-5 with a 3.11 ERA and 1.06 WHIP over 27 starts this season. The right-hander struggled some in his only outing against the Dodgers earlier this year, allowing five runs over 4.2 innings and taking a loss at Chase Field on March 30.
The Dodgers counter with Bobby Miller, who has completed at least six innings in each of his last three starts. Miller is approaching a career high in innings pitched but the Dodgers are comfortable with his workload and trajectory heading into the playoffs.
Miller is 7-3 with a 3.86 ERA and 1.16 WHIP over 15 starts.
He’s backed by a Dodgers lineup that includes several regulars, including newly-minted NL Player of the Week Mookie Betts.
Dodgers lineup
2B: Mookie Betts
1B: Freddie Freeman
C: Will Smith
3B: Max Muncy
LF: David Peralta
RF: Jason Heyward
CF: James Outman
SS: Kiké Hernández
DH: Michael Busch
Diamondbacks lineup
RF: Corbin Carroll
2B: Ketel Marte
DH: Tommy Pham
1B: Christian Walker
CF: Alek Thomas
LF: Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
C: Gabriel Moreno
3B: Jace Peterson
SS: Geraldo Perdomo
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