After taking two of three from the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, the Los Angeles Dodgers continue their road trip with the start of a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals.
The Dodgers enter play having won six of their last eight games after a rough start to the month of June. At 45-35, the team trails the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks by two games in the National League West standings. The Royals, meanwhile, own the second-worst record in MLB at 23-58.
Bobby Miller makes his seventh start and looks to get back on track. After a dominant start to his MLB career, the right-hander has allowed 13 runs over his last 9.2 innings pitched.
“He’s still a young Major League pitcher, so these are things you don’t get better at unless you keep getting experience with,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after Miller’s latest struggles against the San Francisco Giants.
“He’s going to be better for it, and I think there’s still a lot of good to take away from this outing. He’ll learn from it.”
Miller is 3-1 with a 4.13 ERA, 3.46 FIP and 1.29 WHIP in 32.2 innings pitched this season. He is making his first career start against the Royals.
Kansas City counters with Alec Marsh, who is on the mound for his MLB debut. The 25-year-old has gone 5-3 with a 4.62 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 10.8 strikeouts per nine in 62.1 innings pitched between Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha this season (14 starts).
The Dodgers lineup includes Mookie Betts at second base as the team gives Miguel Vargas more off days to continue working through his struggles.
L.A. wont face Aroldis Chapman, who was traded to the Texas Rangers for Cole Ragans and Roni Cabrera.
Also prior to the game, the Dodgers activated Daniel Hudson off the 60-day injured list and optioned Nick Robertson. Ricky Vanasco was designated for assignment in order to make room for Hudson on the 40-man roster.
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
Royals lineup
SS: Bobby Witt Jr.
LF: MJ Melendez
DH: Salvador Perez
3B: Maikel Garcia
1B: Nick Pratto
C: Freddy Fermin
CF: Kyle Isbel
RF: Drew Waters
2B: Nicky Lopez
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