Coming off their first series loss of the season to the San Diego Padres, the Los Angeles Dodgers look to turn to page in the opener of a three-game set against the Cincinnati Reds.
Even after dropping three of four to the Padres over the weekend, the Dodgers enter Monday with an MLB-best 15-7 record. The Reds, meanwhile, are on the opposite end of the baseball spectrum at 9-12 — good for last place in the National League Central.
Julio Urias makes his fifth start of the season and looks to build on a career start against the Seattle Mariners. In seven shutout innings, he allowed just one hit and one walk with 11 strikeouts.
The left-hander attributed the success to adjustments he made prior to his outing. “I made a lot of adjustments during the week and used those adjustments today. Overall felt really good,” Urias said.
The 24-year-old specified that he tweaked his curveball/slurve during the outing. “Just working through my mechanics and making minor adjustments. Working on my curveball, trying to make adjustments on the curveball,” Urias said.
“Those were the things I focused on and those were the things I feel like I cleaned up to have the performance I did.”
Urias brings with him into Monday’s start a 3-0 record, 2.81 ERA, 3.06 FIP and 0.94 WHIP in 25.2 innings this season. He last faced the Reds during his rookie campaign in 2016, tossing six scoreless frames in a winning effort.
Cincinnati counters with Tyler Mahle, who similarly has jumped out to an excellent start this season. In four appearances thus far, he has pitched to a 1-1 record, 1.74 ERA, 2.81 FIP and 0.87 WHIP over 20.2 innings.
The Newport Beach, Calif. native was dominant in his last start against the Arizona Diamondbacks, allowing just two hits across 6.2 shutout innings with nine strikeouts.
Mahle owns a 2-1 record, 2.12 ERA and 1.41 WHIP with 10 strikeouts in 17 innings pitched over three career starts against the Dodgers.
As planned, Gavin Lux was activated off the 10-day injured list after missing time due to right wrist soreness. The Dodgers also reinstated Dennis Santana from the COVID-related IL and recalled Mitch White.
David Price was put on the IL with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, and Garrett Cleavinger and DJ Peters were optioned.
Justin Turner is out of the lineup for a night of rest but is available to pinch-hit. He is expected to start the next five games after Monday.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
SS: Corey Seager
CF: Chris Taylor
1B: Max Muncy
C: Will Smith
LF: Luke Raley
2B: Gavin Lux
3B: Edwin Rios
P: Julio Urias
Reds lineup
1B: Alex Blandino
LF: Jesse Winker
RF: Nick Castellanos
SS: Eugenio Suárez
CF: Nick Senzel
C: Tyler Stephenson
2B: Jonathan India
3B: Kyle Farmer
P: Tyler Mahle
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