The Los Angeles Dodgers had granted Clayton Kershaw a bit of a reprieve in his past two starts, but they look to him Friday to play the role of stopper against the Milwaukee Brewers in the opener of a three-game series at Miller Park.
Los Angeles began their road trip with a four-game winning streak, took the first two games against the St. Louis Cardinals, only to leave Busch Stadium with back-to-back losses. As a result the Dodgers enter play in third place in the National League West, trailing the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks by a half-game.
Kershaw is 7-2 with a 2.37 ERA and 0.95 WHIP in 11 starts. He didn’t factor into the decision in either of his past two outings.
The most recent of which was only 4.1 innings against the Chicago Cubs. Kershaw allowed four runs on a season-high 11 hits, including three home runs for a second time this year. He’s 4-0 with a 1.41 ERA in five career starts at Miller Park.
Kershaw’s ERA is the lowest of any pitcher in Miller Park history (minimum five starts). He needs four strikeouts to become the third-fastest all-time to 2,000 career strikeouts.
The Brewers counter with Jimmy Nelson, who is 3-3 with a 3.83 ERA and 1.35 WHIP in 10 starts this season. The right-hander hasn’t fared particularly well at home, going 1-3 with a 3.60 ERA. Nelson is a lifetime 0-2 with a 1.89 ERA in three starts against the Dodgers.
When Nelson last faced them, in 2015, he allowed three runs (all unearned) over seven innings. No player in the Dodgers lineup has extensive experience against the 27-year-old.
But, Adrian Gonzalez has enjoyed hitting at Miller Park throughout his career, batting .415/.503/.780 (49-for-118), with 13 doubles, 10 home runs and 31 RBI in 31 games. Chase Utley is a lifetime .365/.440/.643 hitter, with seven doubles, seven home runs and 20 RBI at the Brewers’ home ballpark.
Cody Bellinger, fresh off being named NL Rookie of the Month, is again starting in left field and batting sixth. He’s mired in an 3-for-22 skid over the past seven days.
Chris Taylor, who had been starting in center field with Joc Pederson on the seven-day concussion disabled list, gives way to Brett Eibner.
The Brewers are still without Ryan Braun, but do have Eric Thames who has hit 14 home runs and ranks 11th in the Majors with a .602 slugging percentage. Similar to the Dodgers’ case with Nelson, the Milwaukee lineup lacks experience in facing Kershaw.
Dodgers lineup:
3B: Logan Forsythe
SS: Corey Seager
C: Yasmani Grandal
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
2B: Chase Utley
LF: Cody Bellinger
RF: Yasiel Puig
CF: Brett Eibner
P: Clayton Kershaw
Brewers lineup:
CF: Keon Broxton
LF: Eric Thames
1B: Jesus Aguilar
3B: Hernan Perez
RF: Domingo Santana
C: Manny Pina
2B: Jonathan Villar
SS: Orlando Arcia
P: Jimmy Nelson
