Dodgers @ Rangers August 29, 2020: Lance Lynn faces LA two days before the deadline

Before I jump into today’s game, I think it would be remiss to not share a few people’s words on Chadwick Boseman. There’s really not much I can personally add to what millions have shared across social media, but I felt these were worth including here.

What an unbelievable run of roles Chadwick starred in from 2008 to 2020. Again, it is clear the impact he had on people during his career is immeasurable. I think Matt Kemp’s post above does a terrific job of expressing exactly that.

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Much less important in the big picture is today’s game. It’ll be Ross Stripling against Lance Lynn, who is subject to plenty of trade rumors with the deadline coming Monday.

And of course I had to include Bob…

“Unstoppable.” Thanks Bob.

Lynn’s LOB% is at 93.9% and his BABIP is at .189. Both of those are well off his current career averages of 75.7% and .302. The 33-year-old’s K% (28.4%) is pretty much in line with where it was last season and his GB% is actually down to 36.4% from his career average of 44.1%.

His ERA is sitting at 1.59 while his FIP (3.38), xFIP (4.01) and SIERA (3.84) aren’t as positive. Having thrown at least 100 pitches in 31 straight starts, it would be interesting to see him need to come out due to a trade. I’d guess the Rangers are likely to hold out until Monday given Lynn’s status as probably the best pitcher available, but that would be an odd way to end that streak.

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Meanwhile, Stripling gets another start for the Dodgers after a small improvement in his last time out against the Rockies allowing two runs on six hits and two walks in 4 IP.

His numbers from Baseball Savant are… still not great (of course they aren’t).

Very, very rough. Theoretically, it could be his last start for the foreseeable future if the Dodgers acquire someone else at the deadline or if it goes poorly again (though Walker Buehler’s blister may help him stick a bit longer regardless).

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In other lineup news, Gavin Lux is back in the lineup as he was recalled and Mitch White was optioned after making his major league debut yesterday. White was of course recalled himself on Aug. 27 when Buehler was placed on the IL.

4:05 p.m. Arlington
RF Betts LF Choo (L)
SS Seager (L) 2B Solak
3B Muncy (L) 3B Frazier
CF Bellinger (L) RF Gallo (L)
DH Pederson (L) SS Kiner-Falefa
1B Beaty (L) DH Dietrich (L)
LF Pollock C Chirinos
2B Lux (L) 1B Guzman (L)
C Barnes CF Taveras (S)
P Stripling (R) P Lynn (R)

It is a lefty heavy middle of the order, so expect fastball/cutter 80% of the time from Lynn.

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In additional Lux news…

And non-Lux, but still infield news….

Gurnick added that Turner will miss Sunday’s game and be evaluated on Tuesday following the day off.

Also, Edwin Rios will be back early next week.

Originally it sounded like it would be this past Thursday, but the timeline shifted back.

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Relevant to the Dodgers in a way is the Padres getting a jump on the trade deadline.

About Cody Bashore

Cody Bashore is a lifelong Dodger fan originally from Carpinteria, California (about 80 miles north of Dodger Stadium along the coast). He left California to attend Northern Arizona University in 2011, and has lived in Arizona full-time since he graduated in 2014 with a journalism degree.