Reds @ Dodgers April 17, 2019: Gray vs. Buehler; LA looks to sweep

Photo: Stacie Wheeler

The Dodgers are going for a series sweep of the Reds, something they were on the opposite end of last year at Dodger Stadium.

Walker Buehler gets the ball today looking to bounce back from a poor outing in St. Louis last time out (despite hitting his first career MLB home run).

 
Reds
   
Dodgers
 
12:10 p.m.
   
Los Angeles
1B
Votto  
LF
Pederson
RF
Puig  
1B
Bellinger
CF
Winker  
CF
Pollock
LF
Kemp  
3B
Muncy
2B
Dietrich  
2B
Hernandez
C
Casali  
RF
Verdugo
SS
Iglesias   SS Taylor
3B
Farmer  
C
Barnes
P
Gray (R)  
P
Buehler (R)

After getting the night off, Cody Bellinger is back in the Dodgers’ lineup. And if it weren’t enough that he’s destroying NL pitching early this season, he’s not just doing it with his dongs.

Justin Turner is getting a second day off in a row, which isn’t a bad thing. He’s off to a slow(ish) start this season. Sure, his .302 batting average and .387 on-base percentage are good, but his .333 slugging (and .032 ISO) are pretty disappointing. He has just two extra base hits (both doubles) this season. But this isn’t the first time we’ve seen Turner get off to a slow start in the power department.

We’ll see if he can get it going soon.

Alex Verdugo draws another start, at the expense of Turner. But maybe it should have been at the expense of the struggling A.J. Pollock. Verdugo (187 wRC+) is as hot as Joc Pederson (176 wRC+), while Pollock is off to a slow start (65 wRC+, -0.3 WAR). Some extra days off here and there could be in beneficial to Pollock, but not on this day. Either way, we get the team’s three most productive hitters (so far) in the lineup on the same day. This is good.

——

The Dodgers made a minor signing today.

Nunn pitched in the Independent League last year and was signed by the Rangers this winter only to be released before the season. R.J. Anderson at CBS Sports wrote a great article about Nunn back in January.

We’ll see if he turns into much, but it’s hard to look at 99 MPH from the left side and not be at least a little excited. Then again, there’s a reason this guy was in Indy ball and the Rangers let him go.

About Dustin Nosler

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Dustin Nosler began writing about the Dodgers in July 2009 at his blog, Feelin' Kinda Blue. He co-hosted a weekly podcast with Jared Massey called Dugout Blues. He was a contributor/editor at The Hardball Times and True Blue LA. He graduated from California State University, Sacramento, with his bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in digital media. While at CSUS, he worked for the student-run newspaper The State Hornet for three years, culminating with a 1-year term as editor-in-chief. He resides in Stockton, Calif.