Phillies @ Dodgers July 7, 2015: Chad Billingsley!

Hey, Chad Billingsley! After 190 mostly underrated starts in parts of eight years as a Dodger, we’re seeing him in Phillies red for the first time. It’s probably going to be weird.

	Phillies			Dodgers
	7:10 p.m.			Los Angeles
2B	Hernandez		CF	Pederson
CF	Revere		2B	Kendrick
3B	Franco		3B	Turner
1B	Ruf		1B	Gonzalez
LF	Francoeur		C	Grandal
SS	Galvis		RF	Puig
RF	Brown		LF	Ethier
C	Rupp		SS	Rollins
P	Billingsley (R)		P	Anderson (L)

I mean, it’s good to see him on the mound, anyway. When his elbow first started to bark in late 2012, costing him the final few weeks of one of his best seasons, I don’t think anyone could have anticipated just how long the road back would be. He chose to try to rehab rather than undergo surgery that winter, then lasted all of two starts in 2013 before it gave out. He was almost ready to return last year when he suffered another elbow injury, ending his Dodger career long before it was made official in the winter, and by the time he made his debut for Philadelphia on May 5, it had been more than two years since he’d been in the bigs.

The results in four starts — 7.71 ERA, 8 whiffs in 21 innings — around a DL stint for a strained lat haven’t been pretty, but after such a long layoff, that’s to be expected. It’s just good he’s still around. I hope the Dodger Stadium crowd gives him a nice ovation.

* * *

In a surprise to absolutely no one at all, Eric Surkamp was shipped back to Triple-A after last night’s, uh, experience. Ian Thomas comes back up to add to the bullpen. So who starts on Saturday? Eric Stults may be in the mix, but…

Too early to name Saturday starter, but Don Mattingly confirmed Brandon Beachy is a candidate to start Saturday

— Eric Stephen (@ericstephen) July 7, 2015

Brandon Beachy! Speaking of guys who have missed enormous amounts of time after multiple arm injuries, right? (Stop asking me about Zach Lee, people. Yes, he pitched last night for Single-A Rancho, but he’s still rehabbing, and it’s been more than a month since he was with Oklahoma City. Let’s let him get back to Triple-A before we worry about getting him to the bigs, okay?)

By the way, I’m not sure anyone’s noticed this because this team has been somewhat tough to watch lately, but here’s a list of the MLB leaders in team winning percentage:

1. Cardinals, .658
2. Pirates, .585
3. Royals, .582
4. Astros, .577
5. Dodgers, .559

Fifth! With half a rotation and a lineup with some holes. I think it’s going to be okay. You know what else? The Pirates, Royals, and Astros have three of the best five records in baseball. This sport is just the best.

* * *

Usually, I love the bullpen chart, so caringly maintained by “ABsmilebunch.” But after last night, well, LOOK AWAY:

[table id=5 /]