Dodgers @ D’backs Sept. 24, 2021: Gonsolin vs. Castellanos in series opener

The Dodgers enter their final series of the season against the lowly Diamondbacks (49-104) looking to keep the pressure on the still-NL-West-leading Giants. Tony Gonsolin gets the ball. He’ll be opposed by Humberto Castellanos, who I assure is a real-life person.

	6:40 p.m.		Phoenix
RF	Betts	SS	Rojas
SS	Seager (L)	2B	Marte (S)
2B	T. Turner	CF	Varsho
1B	Muncy	RF	Calhoun
C	Smith	LF	Peralta
3B	J. Turner	1B	Smith
LF	Pollock	C	Kelly
CF	Lux	3B	Van Meter
P	Gonsolin (R)	P	Castellanos (R)

The lineup has a bit of a different look. Yesterday’s hero, Max Muncy, moves up into the cleanup spot. Justin Turner drops all the way to the No. 6 slot (Dave Roberts‘ thoughts on that here), with Will Smith sandwiched in between. Gavin Lux is getting another look in center field, while the Dodgers’ current best hitter (don’t @ me) — AJ Pollock — is batting seventh.

Arizona has a catcher (Daulton Varsho) starting in center field and a left fielder (Josh VanMeter) at third base. I’d like to say that’s a contributing factor in their poor record, but the Dodgers are starting a second baseman in center field tonight, so.

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Dave Roberts said Chris Taylor will be available off the bench tonight. Tentative plan is for Taylor to start in CF tomorrow.

“If we have to amend that, we can do so,” Roberts said

— Eric Stephen (@ericstephen) September 24, 2021

Really seems like Chris Taylor should have gone on the injured list earlier this month, but I don’t get paid for my baseball medical opinions.

#Dodgers Dave Roberts said Cody Bellinger is "progressing, probably not at the pace we would all like." Said he doesn't want to "box him in" to returning on Tuesday when eligible to come off IL. Bellinger is expected to take BP with team on Saturday

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) September 25, 2021

Just a dreadful season for Cody Bellinger. Here’s hoping 2022 brings him better fortune.

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Dave Roberts on Corey Seager's recent tear: "It's a lot of what we saw in the postseason last year. I've said it before, if he can continue to stay in the strike zone and take his walks, there shouldn't be a reason why he wouldn't be in the MVP conversation every year."

— Matthew Moreno (@Matthew__Moreno) September 24, 2021

Here’s hoping 2022 brings Corey Seager better fortune … in the way of a long-term deal with the Dodgers.