The Los Angeles Dodgers got back in the win column on Friday night for the first time since March 16 with a 13-0 rout of the San Francisco Giants. Now Los Angeles plays their third set of split-squad games this spring.
The day-night affair has them facing the Seattle Mariners at Peoria Sports Complex, with first pitch scheduled for 1:10 p.m. PT. Then at 7:05 p.m. PT, the Dodgers host the Chicago White Sox. Los Angeles swept their first set of split-squad games back on March 12, but were swept by the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres on March 20.
Scott Kazmir starts against the Mariners as he’s looking to put together another solid outing. Kazmir was skipped over in the rotation in mid-March and instead pitched in a B game in effort to refine his mechanics and develop chemistry with Yasmani Grandal.
The southpaw returned to Cactus League action in the split-squad game with the Brewers at Maryvale Baseball Park, allowing two runs (one earned) and collecting four strikeouts over four innings pitched. Overall this spring, Kazmir owns a 9.39 ERA and 2.48 WHIP in 7.2 innings pitched.
The Mariners start fellow southpaw and someone the Dodgers are quite familiar with, Wade Miley. The 29 year old has allowed six runs on nine hits in 10 innings pitched over three starts this spring.
Miley threw two scoreless frames in his debut this year, then allowed three runs in each of his next two outings. He’s 3-5 with a 4.16 ERA and 1.43 WHIP against the Dodgers in 13 career regular-season games (12 starts).
Miley has been particularly stung by Scott Van Slyke, who starts in right field and bats third. Van Slyke is a career .444/.524/1.444 hitter against Miley, with five home runs, three doubles and six RBIs in 21 plate appearances.
Yasiel Puig was scratched from the lineup due to hamstring tightness. He’s not expected to miss an extended period of time. With Howie Kendrick out due to left calf tightness, Chase Utley gets another start at second base.
The Dodgers are not using a designated hitter, but the Mariners are. Los Angeles is 1-1 against Seattle in Cactus League play this year.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Chase Utley
CF: Trayce Thompson
RF: Scott Van Slyke
C: A.J. Ellis
1B: Rob Segedin
3B: Brandon Hicks
SS: Charlie Culberson
LF: Jacob Scavuzzo
P: Scott Kazmir
Mariners lineup:
SS: Ketel Marte
3B: Kyle Seager
1B: Stefen Romero
RF: Nelson Cruz
LF: Seth Smith
DH: Dae-Ho Lee
C: Steve Clevenger
2B: Chris Taylor
CF: Leonys Martin