Players’ Weekend has returned, but unlike last season when the Los Angeles Dodgers were sitting comfortably atop the National League West, they begin a three-game series with the San Diego Padres looking to get back on track.
The Dodgers enter play 4.5 games back of the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks and having lost eight of their last 11 games. Meanwhile, the Padres have lost two in a row and are in position to put a dent in the Dodgers’ postseason aspirations.
However they’ll face Rich Hill, who has pitched well since the All-Star break. Even when accounting for a bit of a rocky outing his last time out, Hill is 3-0 with a 2.48 ERA in his past six starts.
He’s collected 38 strikeouts over 36.1 innings pitched and held opponents to a .195/.283/.328 batting line during that span.
Hill is opposed by Clayton Richard, who has been roughed up by the Dodgers since throwing eight shutout innings in April 2017. Richard allowed four runs on four hits, including two home runs, and took the loss when he faced Los Angeles in May.
After a successful first half of the 2018 season, Richard has struggled after the All-Star break. He’s allowed at least four earned runs in five of seven starts, resulting in a 7.84 ERA in the second half.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Brian Dozier (“Bull”)
3B: Justin Turner (“RedTurn2”)
SS: Manny Machado (“El Ministro”)
RF: Matt Kemp (“Matt”)
LF: Chris Taylor (“CT3”)
CF: Kiké Hernandez (“Kiké”)
C: Yasmani Grandal (“Yazmanian Devil”)
1B: Cody Bellinger (“Belli”)
P: Rich Hill (“D. Mountain”)
Padres lineup:
SS: Freddy Galvis (“Toco”)
3B: Wil Myers (“Wil”)
1B: Eric Hosmer (“Papo”)
LF: Hunter Renfroe (“Froe”)
C: Austin Hedges (“Hedgey”)
2B: Cory Spangenberg (“Spangy”)
RF: Franmil Reyes (“La Mole”)
CF: Manuel Margot (“Yoandry”)
P: Clayton Richard (“Clay Clay”)
