For some reason, the Los Angeles Dodgers have not been able to figure out the last-place Cincinnati Reds so far this season, being swept by them in a four-game series at home earlier in the year and then dropping the series opener at Great American Ballpark on Monday night.
Looking to get that first win, the Dodgers send left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu to the mound. He is coming off a start against the New York Mets in which he gave up 10 hits and five runs in six innings. Only one of the runs was earned, and he struck out eight without issuing a walk.
Overall in 11 starts this season, Ryu is 4-2 with a 2.16 ERA, 2.87 FIP and 1.03 WHIP while striking out 67 and walking 12 in 58.1 innings. He has faced the Reds five times in his career, going 3-1 with a 4.30 ERA and 1.02 WHIP.
Opposing Ryu is Reds young right-hander Luis Castillo, who is 8-12 with a 4.79 ERA, 4.47 FIP and 1.27 WHIP in 28 starts this season. The 25-year-old has 149 strikeouts and 43 walks in 148.1 innings. Castillo has fared much better at home this season, posting a 3.69 ERA in 13 starts at Great American Ballpark compared to 5.94 in 15 starts on the road.
Castillo faced the Dodgers in Los Angeles in May, and turned in a solid outing, tossing six innings while allowing four hits and three runs (two earned) while striking out eight.
Yasmani Grandal and Yasiel Puig have both taken Castillo deep in their careers, combining to going 3-for-5 against him.
Chris Taylor has heated up at the plate for the Dodgers after recently being out of the lineup for four straight games to reset. He is hitting .500/.588/1.071 with two home runs and two doubles in five games since then.
The Dodgers look to slow down Reds second baseman Scooter Gennett as he is 14-for-19 against them in four games this season. Gennett has tormented just about everybody though, leading the National League with a .320 batting average on the year.
Dodgers lineup:
LF: Joc Pederson
2B: Max Muncy
3B: Manny Machado
1B: Cody Bellinger
C: Yasmani Grandal
CF: Alex Verdugo
SS: Chris Taylor
RF: Yasiel Puig
P: Hyun-Jin Ryu
Reds lineup:
RF: Scott Schebler
SS: Jose Peraza
2B: Scooter Gennett
3B: Eugenio Suarez
LF: Phillip Ervin
C: Curt Casali
1B: Brandon Dixon
CF: Gabriel Guerrero
P: Luis Castillo
