A potential National League Championship Series preview last month went heavily in favor of Philadelphia Phillies as they swept the Los Angeles Dodgers at home.
Now the teams meet at Dodger Stadium for another three-game series, but with both scuffling of late. The Dodgers are on a modest two-game winning streak but otherwise disappointed during a 2-5 road trip.
The Phillies just snapped a six-game losing streak and are just 2-8 in their last 10 games. Philadelphia nevertheless enters the series opener with the best record in the National League, but just 1.5 games ahead of Los Angeles.
While the Dodgers remained shorthanded like during the matchup at Citizens Bank Park, they have welcomed back Freddie Freeman from the family emergency list. Freeman was on leave to be with his family while 3-year-old son Maximus was hospitalized due to a rare neurological condition.
Freeman’s wife, Chelsea, shared on Sunday that Max had been released from the hospital and was now recovering from home. Freeman returns to the Dodgers lineup after missing the last eight games.
Cavan Biggio was designated for assignment in order to reinstate Freeman from the family emergency list.
He and the Dodgers look to provide run support for Tyler Glasnow in his 21st start of the season. The right-hander is 8-6 with a 3.50 ERA and 0.96 WHIP.
Glasnow is coming off a strong outing in which he allowed three runs over seven innings to the San Diego Padres in a no-decision. Glasnow did not face the Phillies last month as he was put on the 15-day injured list because of lower back tightness.
The Phillies counter with Aaron Nola, who is 11-4 with a 3.43 ERA and 1.09 WHIP this season. Nola allowed just one run — on a solo homer — and pitched six innings against the Dodgers on July 11.
Dodgers lineup
DH: Shohei Ohtani
LF: Teoscar Hernandez
1B: Freddie Freeman
C: Will Smith
2B: Gavin Lux
3B: Kiké Hernández
RF: Jason Heyward
CF: Andy Pages
SS: Nick Ahmed
Phillies lineup
DH: Kyle Schwarber
SS: Trea Turner
1B: Bryce Harper
3B: Alec Bohm
CF: Brandon Marsh
RF: Nick Castellanos
2B: Bryson Stott
LF: Austin Hays
C: Garrett Stubbs
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