With a walk-off loss Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Dodgers are guaranteed to finish with a losing record on their seven-game road trip, regardless of the outcome in Thursday’s series finale against the San Francisco Giants.
Julio Urias becomes the Dodgers’ fourth left-handed starter in as many games. His outing on Thursday afternoon is Urias’ first this season for the Dodgers, and it’s expected to be the first of many in 2017.
Manager Dave Roberts said Urias will remain in the rotation for the duration of the season. Urias twice faced the Giants last season, making one start.
In that outing, June 12 at AT&T Park, he suffered the loss despite a strong showing. Urias allowed two runs on four hits, issued one walk and collected seven strikeouts over 5.1 innings pitched.
He permitted one run on three hits and a walk during in two innings of a relief appearance last September. During his 10 games (seven starts) in the second half of last season, Urias went 4-0 with a 1.99 ERA and 1.38 WHIP.
Overall in 2016, Urias finished 5-2 with a 3.39 ERA, 116 ERA+, 3.17 FIP and 1.46 WHIP in 18 games (15 starts). He yielded a 1.93 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 14 innings over three starts for Triple-A Oklahoma City this season.
The Dodgers optioned Adam Liberatore to OKC in a corresponding roster move to recalling Urias.
The Dodgers face the all-too-familiar Matt Moore. In four starts this season, the southpaw is 1-3 with a 5.87 ERA. Moore has allowed at least five runs in three of the four starts, with two disastrous outings coming at AT&T Park (combined 12 runs and 17 hits allowed in 9.1 innings).
The 27-year-old made five starts against the Dodgers last season; two for the Tampa Bay Rays and three for the Giants. In those games he went 3-2 with a 4.40 ERA and 1.26 WHIP, but those numbers are a bit deceiving.
Moore’s start last August at Dodger Stadium nearly was historic, as he threw 8.2 no-hit innings before Corey Seager singled. Facing Los Angeles in his final start of 2016, Moore allowed just one run on three hits over eight dominant innings at AT&T Park.
But prior to that, Moore was knocked around at Dodger Stadium, to the tune of six runs on seven hits. He lasted all of one inning. Moore is a career 5-3 with a 3.38 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in eight starts at AT&T Park.
Yasiel Puig has a home run off the lefty, Adrian Gonzalez is a lifetime 5-for-19 but isn’t in the lineup. Scott Van Slyke, who starts at first base, is 4-for-27 this season, with one double, one home run, two RBI, five walks and 11 strikeouts.
Justin Turner is in the midst of a career-best 12-game hitting streak. He’s gone 18-for-47 with five runs scored, four doubles and four RBI during that span. Corey Seager is celebrating his 23rd birthday Tuesday.
Dodgers lineup:
CF: Kiké Hernandez
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
RF: Yasiel Puig
2B: Chris Taylor
C: Austin Barnes
1B: Scott Van Slyke
LF: Cody Bellinger
P: Julio Urias
Giants lineup:
RF: Hunter Pence
LF: Brandon Belt
SS: Eduardo Nuñez
1B: Buster Posey
3B: Christian Arroyo
C: Nick Hundley
2B: Kelby Tomlinson
CF: Gorkys Hernandez
P: Matt Moore
