The Los Angeles Dodgers continue their homestand with the start of a three-game series against one of Major League Baseball’s best teams in the Baltimore Orioles.
Entering play with a record of 78-53, the Dodgers currently lead the National League West by three games over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Los Angeles is 7-3 in their last 10 games and have the best record in baseball.
The Orioles enter this series in the midst of a difficult stretch, going 11-12 during August thus far and trailing in the American League East by two games.
Jack Flaherty gets the ball for his 23rd start of the regular season and his fifth since being traded to the Dodgers. Over his four previous starts, the 28-year-old is 3-0 with a 3.22 ERA, 3.71 FIP and 1.25 WHIP.
Flaherty has increased his knuckle curveball usage with the Dodgers, showcasing how he can manipulate the shape of his best pitch. In his last time out against the Seattle Mariners, Flaherty induced plenty of whiffs and called strikes.
Now in his eighth year in MLB, Flaherty has never faced the Orioles prior to Tuesday’s start. He finished the 2023 season with Baltimore after being traded there by the St. Louis Cardinals.
Flaherty is opposed by left-hander Cole Irvin, making his 23rd appearance (16th start) of the season. The 30-year-old owns a 4.82 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, with just 68 strikeouts over 99 innings pitched.
Over his last seven games, Irvin has an 8.59 ERA, 1.77 WHIP, with eight walks to just 14 strikeouts over 22 innings. Most of his poor performance came in relief work, but as a starter, he carries a 4.07 ERA.
The Dodgers are fourth in MLB with a 116 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers and have the fourth-ranked hard-hit rate at 33.3% in those matchups.
But the Dodgers lineup is without Freddie Freeman, who is just 3-for-23 in six games since suffering a hairline fracture in the middle finger of his right hand. That has Kiké Hernández making another start at first base, just his second of the year at that position and ninth overall instance.
Dodgers lineup
DH: Shohei Ohtani
RF: Mookie Betts
LF: Teoscar Hernández
C: Will Smith
CF: Tommy Edman
SS: Miguel Rojas
3B: Max Muncy
1B: Kiké Hernández
2B: Chris Taylor
Orioles lineup
LF: Colton Cowser
C: Adley Rutschman
SS: Gunnar Henderson
RF: Anthony Santander
1B: Ryan O’Hearn
DH: Eloy Jiménez
CF: Cedric Mullins
2B: Jackson Holliday
3B: Ramón Urías
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