After suffering back-to-back one-run losses to the San Francisco Giants, the Los Angeles Dodgers now face the Arizona Diamondbacks on the second half of their six-game road trip. Los Angeles took two of three from Arizona at Dodger Stadium in April.
The series opener marks the first time the Dodgers face former teammate Zack Greinke, who signed with the Diamondbacks in a stunning decision. Prior to bolting for the desert on a six-year, $206.5 million contract, Greinke was thought to be mulling over re-signing with the Dodgers or joining the Giants.
The 32-year-old right-hander struggled mightily out of the gate, but has quickly turned things around and looked the Cy Young candidate he was in 2015. In his last seven starts, Greinke is 6-1 with a 2.57 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in 49 innings.
Despite the recent hot stretch, Greinke has remained somewhat susceptible when pitching at hitter-friendly Chase Field. In eight home starts this season he’s 4-3 with a 5.40 ERA in 51.2 innings pitched.
Overall in 2016, Greinke is 8-3 with a 3.84 ERA, 3.33 FIP, 1.17 WHIP and 73 strikeouts in 13 starts. He enters with a 16-inning scoreless streak that spans across his last two starts. The Diamondbacks also get a look at a former teammate as Mike Bolsinger starts for the Dodgers.
He was originally slated to face the Giants on Sunday, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts instead elected to swap Bolsinger with Julio Urias. In four starts this season Bolsinger is 1-3 with a 5.75 ERA, 5.77 FIP and 1.28 WHIP, pitching just 20.1 innings.
After coming undone in the sixth inning against the Colorado Rockies in his last start, Bolsinger argued against the perception he struggles when facing a lineup a third time through.
Third time or not, Bolsinger faces a tall order in Paul Goldschmidt. The Diamondbacks first baseman is a career .330/.396/.611 batter against the Dodgers, with 22 home runs and 65 RBIs in 79 games. Goldschmidt is 2-for-6 with a pair of doubles off Bolsinger.
Scott Van Slyke gets the start in left field after Howie Kendrick manned the position the past two games. The Dodgers lineup otherwise is unchanged.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Chase Utley
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
RF: Trayce Thompson
CF: Joc Pederson
C: Yasmani Grandal
LF: Scott Van Slyke
P: Mike Bolsinger
Diamondbacks lineup:
2B: Jean Segura
3B: Jake Lamb
1B: Paul Goldschmidt
CF: David Peralta
C: Welington Castillo
LF: Peter O’Brien
RF: Yasmany Tomas
P: Zack Greinke
SS: Nick Ahmed