After it took a Game 163 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Colorado Rockies to decide the National League West last year, the two organizations have gone in different directions this season.
The Dodgers have one of the best records in all of baseball at 91-50 and are poised to clinch their division for a seventh consecutive season. Meanwhile, the Rockies are 31.5 games behind the Dodgers and in last place in the NL West at 59-81.
Additionally, the Dodgers have fared well against the Rockies in head-to-head meetings, taking a 12-3 record against them into play Wednesday as they go for the three-game sweep at Dodger Stadium.
Hyun-Jin Ryu is the mound as he looks to get back on track after a few rough starts. In Ryu’s first 22 starts of the season, he had a Major-League leading 1.45 ERA. He has allowed 18 runs in 14.2 innings in his last three starts, which amounts to an 11.05 ERA.
Overall in 25 starts, Ryu still has a very solid 12-5 record to go along with a 2.35 ERA, 3.17 FIP and 1.02 WHIP. He has 137 strikeouts compared to just 20 walks in 157.1 innings. The Rockies have given Ryu fits in his career though as he is 4-7 with a 4.86 ERA and 1.47 WHIP in 13 starts against them.
The Rockies send a right-hander to the mound in Antonio Senzatela. In 20 starts this season, he is 8-9 with a 6.95 ERA, 5.45 FIP and 1.79 WHIP with 56 strikeouts and 48 walks in 99.2 innings. He has fared much better against the Dodgers though, yielding a 4.42 ERA in five outings (three starts) against them.
As expected, the Dodgers welcome Joc Pederson back to the lineup after he missed Tuesday night’s game. He was swinging a hot bat before going down, hitting three home runs and a double off the top of the wall in his last four at-bats before suffering an abdominal injury when he ran into the wall to rob Charlie Blackmon of a home run.
Also back is Chris Taylor, who remains somewhat impact by a sore foot as a result of fouling a pitch off. “There’s some tenderness, which is to be expected,” Dodgers manager Dave Robert said. “But he gave us all certainty that he’s ready to go tonight.”
Elsewhere in the Dodgers’ lineup, Justin Turner has been red-hot at the plate. He is batting .333/.386/.760 with 10 home runs and 16 RBI in his last 19 games. Turner’s 17 home runs since the All-Star break are the third-most in all of baseball and gives him 27 for the year, which ties a career high.
Dodgers lineup:
RF: Joc Pederson
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
CF: Cody Bellinger
1B: Matt Beaty
C: Will Smith
2B: Gavin Lux
LF: Chris Taylor
P: Hyun-Jin Ryu
Rockies lineup:
SS: Trevor Story
RF: Charlie Blackmon
3B: Nolan Arenado
LF: Ian Desmond
1B: Ryan McMahon
CF: Raimel Tapia
2B: Garrett Hampson
C: Drew Butera
P: Antonio Senzatela
