The suddenly resurgent Los Angeles Dodgers look to match their season-best winning streak of four games and lay claim to three consecutive series victories, which would mark a first in 2018.
At 11-10 and above .500 for the first time this year, the Dodgers enter Tuesday’s game against the Miami Marlins four games back of the Arizona Diamondbacks for first place in the National League West. The division rivals begin a four-game series at Chase Field on Monday.
As for matters against the Marlins, Kenta Maeda makes his fourth start of the season, this time pitching on normal rest. He struggled in his previous outing against the San Diego Padres, yielding 11 baserunners and four earned runs over 5.2 innings.
Despite this, Maeda still reached double-digits in strikeouts with 10 and earned his second win, as the Dodgers tabbed the Padres’ pitching staff with 13 runs. In four games (three starts) this season, Maeda has posted a 3.77 ERA, 1.06 FIP and 1.74 WHIP over 14.1 innings with 24 strikeouts to five walks.
He has yet to allow a home run and currently sports an absurd 15.4 strikeouts per nine innings ratio. Maeda owns a lifetime record of 0-2 against the Marlins, having pitched to a 4.26 ERA and 1.34 WHIP in 12.2 innings with eight strikeouts to two walks.
The Marlins counter with Dillon Peters, who makes his first career start against the Dodgers. He has struggled mightily in the early going, posting a 6.98 ERA, 6.47 FIP and 1.71 WHIP over 19.1 innings (four starts) with nearly identical strikeout (12) and walk (11) totals.
In his last start against the Milwaukee Brewers, Peters dealt with command issues. Across 4.2 innings, he walked more batters (five) than strikeouts accumulated (four). Furthermore, he yielded three hits — including one run — and four earned runs in the contest.
As Dodgers manager Dave Roberts indicated would be the case, Yasmani Grandal receives a night off behind the plate. His career-best 11-game hitting streak was snapped in Monday’s series opener.
Corey Seager returns after a game of rest, though he did appear as a pinch-hitter and remained in the game at shortstop. Meanwhile, Kiké Hernandez receives another start as he slides from one middle infield position to the other.
Roberts praised Hernandez for his versatility and what he brings to the team, and said he makes an earnest effort to insert him into each game.
Los Angeles is back to a nine-man bullpen as the club called up Daniel Hudson from Triple-A Oklahoma City. He brings the Dodgers’ 40-man roster full, and takes the place of Walker Buehler on the active roster. Buehler was optioned to High-A Rancho Cucamonga.
Dodgers lineup:
CF: Chris Taylor
SS: Corey Seager
2B: Kiké Hernandez
1B: Cody Bellinger
LF: Matt Kemp
C: Austin Barnes
RF: Yasiel Puig
3B: Kyle Farmer
P: Kenta Maeda
Marlins lineup:
LF: Derek Dietrich
C: J.T. Realmuto
2B: Starlin Castro
1B: Justin Bour
3B: Brian Anderson
RF: Cameron Maybin
SS: Miguel Rojas
CF: Lewis Brinson
P: Dillon Peters
