Dodgers @ Mets May 29, 2016: Kershaw vs Bartolo

Dodgers
Mets
5:05 p.m. PT
New York
2B
Utley
RF
Granderson
SS
Seager
SS
Cabrera
3B
Turner
LF
Cespedes
1B
Gonzalez
2B
Walker
RF
Puig
CF
Lagares
CF
Pederson
3B
Flores
LF
Kendrick
C
Plawecki
C
Ellis
1B
Campbell
P
Kershaw (L)
P
Colon (R)

The rubber game of this exciting Mets vs Dodgers series features the 2015 walk rate leader against the 2016 walk rate leader (Bartolo Colon vs Clayton Kershaw). Kershaw’s 1.8% walk rate leads baseball by over a full percent. Kershaw would have to walk four straight batters at the start of the game to fall behind Josh Tomlin for second place and six straight to fall into third behind Noah Syndergaard. So far in May, Kershaw has allowed three runs in 42 innings (0.64 ERA). He’s struck out 55 batters, walked two, and has three complete game shutouts. The Dodgers are hoping for similar longevity tonight after the bullpen was forced to work four innings following Kenta Maeda‘s early departure.

Hyun-jin Ryu won’t be back for awhile. It’s not surprising, but he has been shut down due to soreness after his latest rehab start. Ryu was slowly building his velocity back over the three starts he had thrown so far, though it was still well below where he was at the end of the 2014 season. I wouldn’t recommend reading the replies to any national writer’s tweets about Ryu – turns out there’s a lot of idiots out there. Apparently being injured like this is a choice (???).

Trayce Thompson is out of the lineup today after he left yesterday’s contest with a back problem. Howie Kendrick is back in left, though his markings in the outfield may not be. No word on the lasers (what a strange controversy). Alex Guerrero‘s decision time is also coming soon; his rehab assignment is officially over. He didn’t hit at all in his extended minor league stay and he’s fully redundant with several roster pieces so it’s hard to imagine the Dodgers finding a way to squeeze him on the roster unless Thompson needs to go to the DL.

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About Daniel Brim

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Daniel Brim grew up in the Los Angeles area but doesn't live there anymore. He still watches the Dodgers and writes about them sometimes.