After taking two out of three from the Washington Nationals, the Los Angeles Dodgers continue their road trip on Monday night by beginning a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.
Typically when these two division rivals meet this late in the season, the series has big implications on the National League West standings. That is not the case this year though as the Rockies are in the midst of a disappointing campaign, sitting in last place in the division at 49-57 and 19.5 games behind the Dodgers.
If they want to get back on track though they will have to do so against Kenta Maeda. In 21 games (20 starts) this season, Maeda is 7-7 with a 3.81 ERA, 4.29 FIP and 1.06 WHIP with 113 strikeouts and 36 walks in 108.2 innings.
Maeda has struggled a bit as of late, going 0-5 in his last 10 outings dating back to the beginning of June. He has posted a 4.08 ERA with 51 strikeouts and 16 walks in 46.1 innings during that span.
The right-hander has found success against the Rockies in his career though. He is 6-3 with a 2.41 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 18 career games (11 starts) against them, and included in that is a 5-1 record with a 3.12 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 10 games at the hitter-friendly Coors Field.
Opposing him is right-hander Jon Gray, who has been the Rockies best starter this season. Gray comes in with a 9-7 record to go along with a 4.05 ERA, 4.23 FIP and 1.40 WHIP in 22 games (21 starts) this season. He has struck out 128 and walked 50 in 124.1 total innings.
The Dodgers have seen Gray well in the past as in 13 games against them he is 4-5 while yielding a 4.75 ERA and 1.54 WHIP.
Cody Bellinger, in particular, is someone that Gray has not been able to get out. The NL MVP candidate is 9-for-14 (.643 batting average) with four doubles and a triple against the Rockies starter.
Max Muncy and Joc Pederson have each homered twice off him, while Alex Verdugo and Corey Seager have also taken him deep.
On the other hand, Maeda has absolutely dominated the Rockies best player, Nolan Arenado, over the years. Arenado is just 3-for-27 (.111 batting average) with 13 strikeouts in their head-to-head matchups.
Dodgers lineup:
1B: Joc Pederson
2B: Max Muncy
3B: Justin Turner
RF: Cody Bellinger
SS: Corey Seager
CF: A.J. Pollock
LF: Alex Verdugo
C: Will Smith
P: Kenta Maeda
Rockies lineup:
CF: David Dahl
SS: Trevor Story
3B: Nolan Arenado
1B: Danie Murphy
2B: Ryan McMahon
LF: Ian Desmond
RF: Raimel Tapia
C: Tony Wolters
P: Jon Gray
