After earning their first win in five head-to-head matchups this season, the Los Angeles Dodgers now aim to take a series from the Miami Marlins. Los Angeles enters play with a four-game lead over the San Francisco Giants in the National League West.
On the afternoon after he was reinstated from the 60-day disabled list, Andre Ethier makes his first start of the season with the Dodgers. He appeared as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning on Saturday, rolling a grounder over to first base.
Ethier spent 11 games with High-A Rancho Cucamonga on a rehab assignment, batting .317/.356/.488 with four doubles, one home run and four RBI.
Kenta Maeda takes the mound on five days’ rest. He enters 14-8 with a 3.29 ERA and tied with Hyun-Jin Ryu and Kaz Ishii for the second-most victories by a Los Angeles rookie.
Maeda has been strong of late, going 6-1 with a 3.40 ERA in his past eight starts. He suffered a loss to the Marlins on April 28, allowing four runs on seven hits in 6.2 innings. One of the hits was a home run to J.T. Realmuto, who bats sixth in the Marlins’ lineup on Sunday.
Maeda is 8-3 with a 3.28 ERA in 13 road starts this season. The Dodgers face Jose Urena in what’s his ninth start on the year. The right-hander was 1-1 with a 7.52 ERA in 16 games as a reliever. Urena has lowered his ERA to 4.63 as a starter, but is 2-5.
Urena is coming off a loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, where he allowed four runs on seven hits in just five innings. He’s completed at least six innings of work in half of his starts.
Josh Reddick had his seven-game hitting streak snapped but finds himself in the two-hole he often occupied after being acquired by the Dodgers. Chase Utley returns after a night off, while Howie Kendrick spells Justin Turner at third base.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Chase Utley
RF: Josh Reddick
SS: Corey Seager
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
C: Yasmani Grandal
CF: Joc Pederson
LF: Andre Ethier
3B: Howie Kendrick
P: Kenta Maeda
Marlins lineup:
2B: Dee Gordon
RF: Ichiro Suzuki
3B: Martin Prado
CF: Christian Yelich
1B: Justin Bour
C: J.T. Realmuto
LF: Derek Dietrich
SS: Adeiny Hechavarria
P: Jose Urena
