Dodgers @ Brewers June 30, 2016: What a long, strange trip it’s been

	Dodgers			Brewers
	11:10 a.m. PT			Milwaukee
2B	Utley		SS	Villar
SS	Seager		2B	Gennett
3B	Turner		LF	Braun
1B	González		1B	Carter
LF	Kendrick		3B	Hill
RF	Puig		CF	Nieuwenhuis
CF	Thompson		C	Maldonado
C	Grandal		RF	Flores
P	Maeda (R)		P	Davies (R)

This has been a rather ugly road trip for the Dodgers. Pitching rotation attrition forced the team call up two starting pitchers for their MLB debuts, and neither went especially well. Clayton Kershaw had his worst start of the season, and now he’s heading to the 15-day DL. The Dodger bench is depleted, as Enrique Hernandez is on the DL with rib cage inflammation, and Joc Pederson, nursing a shoulder injury, remains unavailable.

The Dodgers’ loss last night ensured that this will be a losing trip for them, and it’s hard not to feel bleak about the team heading into the home stretch of the first half. But today, they send Kenta Maeda to the mound to try to at least win this series with the Brewers.

Maeda faced the Brewers in Los Angeles on June 19, and he was very effective in his six and one-third innings of work. The only run he allowed came on a first-inning home run off the bat of Scooter Gennett (who bats second today). On the day, Maeda gave up six hits and three walks, striking out eight. (That’s the game the Dodgers wound up winning on a shrimp, by the way.)

On the mound for the Brewers is Zach Davies, who was very good in his start against the Dodgers on June 17. In that game, Davies allowed just one run on five hits and a walk through seven innings, striking out six. That one run was a Justin Turner solo home run. After Davies left the game, Turner tied the game with another solo shot, and eventually drove in the winning run in extra innings.

Through 13 starts, Davies has an ERA of 3.74 (3.99 FIP) and a WHIP of 1.18. His main pitch is his sinker (which he throws at 91 MPH), followed by his changeup. He also has a four-seamer and a curveball, and he occasionally mixes in a slider.

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I know none of us especially wants to talk about Kershaw right now, but this is a Dodger blog and Dodger news goes here:

Clayton Kershaw received an epidural yesterday. He is going on the DL.

— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughTimes) June 30, 2016

Dave Roberts initially said the team hoped Kershaw would be back after the break, but then he backed off that. May be a little longer.

— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughTimes) June 30, 2016

Friday starter still not set.

— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) June 30, 2016

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