The Los Angeles Dodgers conclude their weekend series with the Atlanta Braves and six-game road trip with Jedd Gyorko making his team debut and Tony Gonsolin on the mound for a third career start.
Gonsolin takes the hill in place of Dustin May, who instead will pitch out of the bullpen in the finale at SunTrust Park. In actuality, it was Clayton Kershaw who was scheduled to start Sunday against the Braves.
However, that changed when he and May were swapped in the rotation during the series with the Miami Marlins. As the Dodgers continue to evaluate their pitching prospects, May’s relief appearance will be the first of his young career.
Gonsolin is 1-1 with a four-inning save, 3.21 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 13 strikeouts in four innings pitched across three games (two starts) for the Dodgers. He last pitched on Monday, firing five scoreless innings in a start with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
The Braves counter with Max Fried, who appears to have settled in after battling blister trouble in July. Fried is 14-4 with a 3.78 ERA and turned in two quality starts in his past three outings.
He made a start at Dodger Stadium back in May, though was removed after Alex Verdugo’s leadoff single in the second inning struck him in the hand. Prior to his early exit Fried had already allowed a three-run home run to Justin Turner.
While the Dodgers had their MLB record streak of five consecutive games with at least four home runs snapped in Saturday’s loss, they tied the all-time mark with 24 homers hit during a six-game span.
Fried has surrendered a career-high 15 home runs this season but none in 17.1 innings pitched over three starts thus far in August.
After going 9-for-27 with one double, two home runs, seven RBI and four walks while on a rehab assignment with Double-A Tulsa (two games) and Triple-A Oklahoma City (seven games), Gyorko makes his Dodgers debut by starting at first base and batting fifth.
With Gyorko being reinstated from the 60-day injured list and Gonsolin recalled, the Dodgers optioned Edwin Rios and Josh Sborz to Oklahoma City.
Dodgers lineup:
CF: A.J. Pollock
3B: Justin Turner
C: Will Smith
RF: Cody Bellinger
1B: Jedd Gyorko
SS: Corey Seager
LF: Kyle Garlick
2B: Kristopher Negrón
P: Tony Gonsolin
Braves lineup:
CF: Ronald Acuña Jr.
2B: Ozzie Albies
1B: Freddie Freeman
3B: Josh Donaldson
C: Brian McCann
RF: Matt Joyce
SS: Adeiny Hechavarría
LF: Rafael Ortega
P: Max Fried
