The Los Angeles Dodgers hope to receive a spark from Corey Seager in his first start since Aug. 27. The Dodgers have only scored a combined nine 16 runs in their last nine game, and are only 1-12 in their last 13 games.
A sore right elbow limited Seager to a pinch-hit role for the past 10 days. He is hitting .310/.390/.499 with 30 doubles, 19 home runs and 65 RBIs on the season. Seager is batting in his usual spot in the lineup, slotted behind leadoff hitter Curtis Granderson.
Chris Taylor is getting a planned night off, which explains Granderson moving up in the order. He’s just 6-for-62 (.097 batting average) with the Dodgers, although four of the six hits are home runs.
On the mound, Yu Darvish looks to right the ship and overcome struggles that have saddled him since an impressive debut with the Dodgers. In two starts since coming off the disabled list, he’s allowed a combined eight runs on 14 hits and walked six in eight innings.
In 27 starts this season between the Dodgers and Texas Rangers, Darvish is 8-11 with a 4.09 ERA, 4.08 FIP and 1.23 WHIP. He has 182 strikeouts and 55 walks in 163 innings. Friday marks Darvish’s first career start against the Colorado Rockies.
Opposing Darvish is rookie right-hander German Marquez. The 22-year-old has been the Rockies’ most consistent starter this season. He enters 10-6 with a 4.26 ERA, 4.13 FIP and 1.30 WHIP in 24 starts.
Marquez has been a lot better on the road than at home this season, as his ERA is almost a full run lower on the road (3.86) than at home (4.60). Marquez is facing the Dodgers for the first time in his career.
Rockies right fielder Carlos Gonzalez is having the worst season of his 10-year career, but is in the midst of a 10-for-20 stretch, with six RBIs and seven walks in his last seven games.
Dodgers lineup:
LF: Curtis Granderson
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
1B: Cody Bellinger
RF: Yasiel Puig
CF: Joc Pederson
C: Austin Barnes
2B: Logan Forsythe
P: Yu Darvish
Rockies lineup:
CF: Charlie Blackmon
2B: D.J. Lemahieu
RF: Carlos Gonzalez
3B: Nolan Arenado
LF: Gerardo Parra
1B: Ian Desmond
SS: Alexi Amarista
C: Jonathan Lucroy
P: German Marquez
