The Los Angeles Dodgers took down the Miami Marlins in the opener, providing them with another opportunity to secure a series win in the middle game on Tuesday.
The Dodgers sit atop the National League West with a 24-13 record, riding a five-game win streak. Having won eight of their prior 10 games, their offense also ranks as the best unit in Major League Baseball.
Their 152 wRC+ as a team in that span is the top mark by a wide margin, also leading MLB with a combined .886 on-base plus slugging since April 26.
On the year, the Dodgers’ offense is still the best in baseball, leading in runs scored, OPS, wRC+ (134) and weighted runs above average (wRAA) at 54.3, combined. For comparison, the Baltimore Orioles slot in second at 24.4 wRAA.
The Dodgers hand the ball to Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Tuesday, making his eight start of the season. The right-hander has pitched to the tune of a 2.91 ERA, 2.61 FIP, 1.09 WHIP, with a .221 batting average allowed.
Outside of his blow-up start in South Korea, Yamamoto has been a top-five starting pitcher in MLB. Since March 30, he owns a 1.64 ERA, 2.54 FIP, 2.62 xFIP, stranding 89.9% of runners who reach base.
He’s still susceptible to making mistakes, but his issues in that area can be attributed to his four-seam fastball and finding how to execute his primary pitch.
The Marlins offense has been incredibly aggressive this season, punishing pitchers on the first-pitch of an at-bat. Yamamoto should look to make a pitcher’s pitch to start off each plate appearance, avoiding easy swings for a struggling group of bats.
He’ll be opposed by right-hander Edward Cabrera, making his fifth start of the regular season. The 26-year-old is a promising arm for the Marlins, dating back several years in their farm system.
In his four starts this year, Cabrera has a 6.05 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and a .253 batting average allowed. Looking at his 2.94 FIP, he’s pitched better than his ERA suggests, as he’s struck out 13.97 batters per nine innings.
Cabrera also ranks in the 22nd percentile in walk-rate, while allowing an 11.1% barrel rate. Even with his ability to strike hitters out, it poses a difficult task against a patient Dodgers offense that punishes free runners and mistake pitches.
Against right-handed pitching, the Dodgers have four of MLB’s top bats in Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy. All of which rank within the top-20.
Dodgers lineup
SS: Mookie Betts
DH: Shohei Ohtani
1B: Freddie Freeman
C: Will Smith
LF: Teoscar Hernández
RF: Andy Pages
2B: Gavin Lux
CF: James Outman
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