After salvaging their series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Los Angeles Dodgers have an opportunity to build some momentum against the National League basement-dwellers San Francisco Giants, who hold the second-worst record in the Majors at 6-13.
The Giants have lost four consecutive games and will be without ace Madison Bumgarner for what some believe may be upwards of two months. Bumgarner suffered bruised ribs and a sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder as a result of a dirt bike accident last week.
He was scheduled to duel with Clayton Kershaw on Tuesday. The four-game series at AT&T Park begins with a pitching matchup between Hyun-Jin Ryu and Matt Cain.
Ryu has lost each of his three outings, and enters with a 5.87 ERA, 6.94 FIP and 1.50 WHIP. As statistics suggest, he’s endured some struggles thus far.
Though, Ryu did go six innings in his last outing, which was a season high. The downside to the start was he allowed three home runs. Ryu has surrendered six home runs in just 15.1 innings pitched this season.
Ryu’s home runs allowed have steadily increased with each outing. He allowed one in his first start of the year, two in his second, and three in his third.
Cain has gone 1-0 with a 3.31 ERA, 5.29 FIP and 1.41 WHIP in three starts this season. Cain allowed four runs in his first start, but only one run in each of his past two outings. The Giants have won two of Cain’s three starts.
The 32-year-old is 5-11 with a 3.53 ERA in 32 career games (31 starts) against the Dodgers. The Giants called up Christian Arroyo, the organization’s top position-player prospect, and Drew Stubbs from Triple-A Sacramento.
Arroyo batted .446/.478/.692 with seven doubles and three home runs in 16 games with the River Cats. Arroyo is making his MLB debut by starting at third base and batting sixth. Stubbs is also in the lineup, starting in center field and hitting eighth. Stubbs batted .256/.348/.436 with one double, two home runs and seven RBI in 10 Triple-A games.
Hunter Pence has 10 hits, including two doubles, and seven RBI in 22 career at-bats against Ryu.
Joc Pederson was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a right groin strain, and Brett Eibner was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Kiké Hernandez receives the start in center field and bats eighth.
Yasiel Puig is a lifetime .303/.373/.455 batter at AT&T Park, with 14 runs scored, four doubles, four triples, a home run and four RBI in 25 games. Justin Turner is riding a nine-game hitting streak. He has two hits (one double) and one RBI in six career at-bats against Cain.
Adrian Gonzalez is a career .282/.360/.526 with five doubles, four home runs and 13 RBI off the right-hander.
Sergio Romo said he isn’t sure what to expect from the crowd in his first return since departing in the offseason via free agency.
The Dodgers have a five-game losing streak in San Francisco, which is their longest since losing seven straight from April 21-Sept. 28, 2015. Last season, the Dodgers went 8-11 against the Giants, including a 2-8 record at AT&T Park.
Dodgers lineup:
LF: Andrew Toles
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
C: Yasmani Grandal
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
RF: Yasiel Puig
2B: Chase Utley
CF: Kiké Hernandez
P: Hyun-Jin Ryu
Giants lineup:
RF: Hutner Pence
1B: Brandon Belt
LF: Eduardo Nunez
C: Buster Posey
SS: Brandon Crawford
3B: Christian Arroyo
2B: Joe Panik
CF: Drew Stubbs
P: Matt Cain
