Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
After last night’s 5-3 victory, the Dodgers eye a series win tonight, and will send Brandon McCarthy (2.25 ERA, 3.26 FIP, 1.083 WHIP) to the mound to try and get it done.
McCarthy, thus far, has been the Dodgers’ best starter not named Clayton Kershaw. He has not given up more than two runs in any of his four starts. In his last outing, he went seven innings, something he has accomplished just once before as a Dodger (and not since April 13, 2015 — though that’s a mere 15 starts ago, since he missed so much time due to injury). McCarthy will face a Phillies lineup that contains two lefties and four switch hitters.
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Phillies
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Dodgers
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6:10 p.m.
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Los Angeles
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2B
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Hernández |
CF
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Toles | |
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SS
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Galvis |
SS
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Seager | |
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CF
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Herrera |
1B
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González | |
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3B
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Franco |
C
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Grandal | |
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RF
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Saunders |
RF
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Puig | |
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LF
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Nava |
LF
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Bellinger | |
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1B
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Stassi | 2B | Utley | |
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C
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Knapp |
3B
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Taylor | |
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P
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Eflin (R)
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P
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McCarthy (R)
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23-year-old righty Zach Eflin (1.50 ERA, 3.92 FIP, 0.750 WHIP) will make his third start of the year for the Phillies. He missed the beginning of the season because he was still rehabbing from surgery in both knees that sidelined him last August. His first two games back were very good: in 12 innings pitched, he has allowed just three runs (two earned). Eflin’s fastball averages around 93 MPH and tops out around 96. Per Brooks Baseball, his two other most-used pitches are his sinker and his slider, and he also occasionally mixes in a changeup and a curveball.
In 2016, his rookie season, Eflin made 11 starts and recorded a 5.54 ERA, a 5.48 FIP, and a 1.326 WHIP. His final start before going on the DL actually came against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. He lasted just three innings, giving up seven runs on seven hits (three home runs) and two walks. As noted by Brim in the thread for that game, Eflin was briefly in the Dodgers’ system: “Eflin was received from the Padres in the Matt Kemp/Yasmani Grandal trade, then flipped to the Phillies for one season of Jimmy Rollins.”
Justin Turner, currently in the midst of a 14-game hitting streak, gets the night off, with Chris Taylor starting at third base instead. Turner had three hits in last night’s game and drove in a pair of runs.
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In other news, Grant Dayton is back after missing about a week and a half dealing with a left intercostal strain:
Today, the #Dodgers reinstated Grant Dayton from the 10-day DL and optioned Josh Fields to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 29, 2017
In 6.1 innings pitched so far, Dayton has yet to give up a run. He has allowed two hits and four walks (one intentional), and he has struck out four. Josh Fields, who began the season in Triple-A and has already been recalled and sent back once this year, will once again return to OKC to make room for Dayton. In 7 IP at the major league level in 2017, Fields has allowed just one run on six hits, and has struck out 12 against just one walk.
An update on Rich Hill:
#Dodgers MGR Dave Roberts said Rich Hill will throw 4 innings and 60 pitches for Rancho Thur. Barring setback will return to rotation.
— Mike DiGiovanna (@MikeDiGiovanna) April 29, 2017
Hill just might be joined there by Joc Pederson and Logan Forsythe:
Roberts reaffirmed the hope is for Joc and Logan to be activated Friday. He joked that Thursday's Rancho team might be stacked
— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) April 29, 2017
(Franklin Gutiérrez will begin rehabbing in Rancho tonight.)
And an update on the rotation:
Dave Roberts said #Dodgers will stick with 6 man rotation through the series in SD.
— David Vassegh (@THEREAL_DV) April 29, 2017
Looks like we’ll be seeing at least one more start from Alex Wood. The San Diego series is next weekend, May 5 through May 7. (Note that the Dodgers have on off day on Thursday, May 4.)
