With a win on Friday night, the Los Angeles Dodgers improved to .500 on the season and snapped the Philadelphia Phillies’ six-game winning streak. With a win Saturday night, Los Angeles can get above .500 for the first time in nearly two weeks.
Making his fifth start of the season is right-hander Brandon McCarthy, who’s been one of the more consistent arms in the Dodgers starting rotation thus far. On the year he’s 3-0 with a team-leading 2.25 ERA.
In his last outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks, McCarthy went seven strong innings, allowing two earned runs and six baserunners to go along with six strikeouts.
The 33-year old last faced the Phillies in April 2014 when he was a member of the Diamondbacks. In that start, McCarthy allowed two earned runs with 12 strikeouts in seven innings but was tabbed with a hard-luck loss.
On the mound for Philadelphia is Zach Eflin, who was traded by the Dodgers three offseasons ago to acquire shortstop Jimmy Rollins. Los Angeles first acquired Eflin from the San Diego Padres in a trade that involved Yasmani Grandal and Matt Kemp.
Last starting on Sunday against the Atlanta Braves, the Eflin allowed just one earned run and three hits in seven innings pitched. For the season, he’s has allowed just two earned runs over 12 innings (two starts).
Eflin has one start under his belt against the Dodgers in his young career — in what was final outing of his rookie campaign last season. He yielded seven earned runs and seven hits in just three innings.
Justin Turner, in the midst of a 14-game hitting streak, is not in the lineup for the first time since April 19. “With the schedule the way it is, so many games in a row, with a day off to get him ready for four in a row made sense,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
“I didn’t want to run him through the off day. I think last year we had a good plan in mind for his usage. It’s never easy to give him a day off, obviously he makes us better.”
Chris Taylor gets the start at third base and bats eighth. Yasiel Puig returns after sitting Friday night. It was Puig’s first time not appearing in game this season.
The Dodgers reinstated Grant Dayton from the 10-day disabled list prior to Saturday’s matchup, and optioned Josh Fields to Oklahoma City. Los Angeles now has two left-handed relievers in their bullpen.
Dodgers lineup:
CF: Andrew Toles
SS: Corey Seager
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
C: Yasmani Grandal
RF: Yasiel Puig
LF: Cody Bellinger
2b: Chase Utley
3B: Chris Taylor
P: Brandon McCarthy
Phillies lineup:
2B: Cesar Hernandez
SS: Freddy Galvis
CF: Odubel Herrera
3B: Maikel Franco
RF: Michael Saunders
LF: Daniel Nava
1B: Brock Stassi
C: Andrew Knapp
P: Zach Eflin
