The 2020 World Series got off to a good start for the Los Angeles Dodgers as they took a 1-0 lead over the Tampa Bay Rays with an 8-3 win on Tuesday night.
They now look to take a more commanding 2-0 lead and send rookie Tony Gonsolin to the mound to do so in Game 2. Gonsolin was great for the Dodgers in the regular season, going 2-2 with a 2.31 ERA, 2.29 FIP and 0.84 WHIP with 46 strikeouts and seven walks in 46.2 innings across nine games (eight starts).
The postseason has been a different story for him though as he appeared in two games (one start) against the Atlanta Braves during the National League Championship Series and gave up a combined five hits and seven runs in 6.1 innings, striking out eight and walking six.
Gonsolin’s command was particularly off in his relief appearance in Game 7, walking three while allowing two runs in two innings. He threw 41 pitches in that game so will be on two days of rest for his Game 2 World Series start.
Because of that, he likely won’t be asked to give the Dodgers a ton of length. L.A. has a rested bullpen as well as starters Dustin May and Julio Urias available to pitch in Game 2.
Getting the start for the Rays is lefty Blake Snell, who won the American League Cy Young in 2018. In 11 starts this season, Snell went 4-2 with a 3.24 ERA, 4.35 FIP and 1.20 WHIP with 63 strikeouts and 18 walks in 50 innings.
He has made four starts this postseason, going 2-2 with a 3.20 ERA while struggling with his command to the tune of 19 strikeouts and 10 walks in 19.2 innings.
Snell has pitched against the Dodgers once in his career in Sept. 2019, tossing two perfect innings while striking out four of the six hitters he faced.
This is a much different lineup, primarily with the addition of Mookie Betts, who homered and stole two bases in Game 1. Betts faced Snell a lot when they were both in the American League East and fared well against him, going 7-for-23 (.304 batting average) with a home run.
Cody Bellinger also seems to be finding his form at the plate, homering in back-to-back games dating back to Game 7 of the NLCS. Bellinger, Corey Seager and Max Muncy are the lone left-handed batters in the Dodgers lineup.
Kiké Hernandez is starting at second base, which pushes Chris Taylor out to left field and AJ Pollock is the designated hitter.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
1B: Max Muncy
C: Will Smith
CF: Cody Bellinger
DH: AJ Pollock
2B: Kiké Hernandez
LF: Chris Taylor
Rays lineup
DH: Austin Meadows
2B: Brandon Lowe
LF: Randy Arozarena
1B: Ji-Man Choi
RF: Manuel Margot
3B: Joey Wendle
SS: Willy Adames
CF: Kevin Kiermaier
C: Mik Zunino
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