Padres @ Dodgers August 11, 2017: Baseball’s best team makes its August home debut

(Via)

For the first time this August, the Dodgers (81-33) begin a series at home. Due to scheduling quirks, it’s one of just eight games they’ll play at Dodger Stadium this month. They’ll be going up against the Padres (50-64), whom they last saw in early July. The Dodgers have taken seven of the nine games they’ve played against San Diego this year.

Padres
Dodgers
7:10 p.m. PT
Los Angeles
CF
Margot
CF
Taylor
2B
 Asuaje
SS
Seager
LF
Pírela
3B
Turner
RF
Renfroe
1B
 Bellinger
1B
Myers
2B
Forsythe
3B
Spangenberg
LF
Hernández
C
Hedges C Barnes
SS
Coleman
RF
Puig
P
Richard (L)
P
Hill (L)

Rich Hill (3.47 ERA, 3.98 FIP, 4.78 DRA) gets the ball for Los Angeles. Hill has faced the Padres twice this season: once at Chavez Ravine in April (5 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 5 K, 3 BB), and once at Petco Park in July (7 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 11 K, 1 BB). Hill has gone at least five innings, and has allowed no more than three runs, in each of his last eight starts.

Clayton Richard (5.17 ERA, 4.37 FIP, 6.34 DRA) will face the Dodgers for the fourth time this season. While he shut the Dodgers out for eight innings in April, his next two starts did not go anywhere near as well. On May 6 in San Diego, he allowed five runs on seven hits and six walks in five innings pitched. On June 30, also in San Diego, he allowed seven runs on nine hits and four walks in 4.1 IP. Richard has also struggled mightily in the month plus since he last saw L.A., allowing 29 runs (24 earned) in 35.1 IP across six starts.

Joc Pederson, who got the rare start against a lefty last night (as Yasiel Puig dealt with hamstring/knee soreness), sits tonight. Chris Taylor is starting in center field for the first time since June 23, and Enrique Hernández takes over in left field.

——

A roster move:

After being placed on the paternity list on August 8, Luis Avilan is back. Brock Stewart, who gave up two runs in an inning and a third last night, is headed back to Oklahoma City.

Clayton Kershaw threw a bullpen session today:

Take your time, Clayton, the Dodgers are doing just fine (but also, hurry back, Clayton, we miss you).

Oh, Grant Dayton also threw today:

And, uh, Chris Hatcher, who’s been on the disabled list since June 23 and began rehabbing on July 29, is in the clubhouse, for … some reason.

Adrián González (and Andre Ethier) will be rehabbing a bit closer to home tomorrow:

The Quakes will be in San Bernardino playing the Inland Empire 66ers, if anyone wants to head out there.

About Sarah Wexler

Sarah Wexler is a native Angeleno and longtime Dodger fan. She began blogging about baseball in 2012 on her Tumblr, New Grass On The Field, where she covered an array of topics but especially enjoyed exploring baseball history. She is now a reporter/producer for MLB.com. She earned her master's degree in Sports Management from Cal State Long Beach. She graduated from New York University in 2014 with a bachelor's in History and a minor in American Studies. She's an avid Springsteen fan, which is a big boost to her baseball writer cred.