Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
“Losing feels worse than winning feels good.” – Vin Scully
The Dodgers got their first loss out of the way on Tuesday night, a shutout no less, and now look to swing the four-game series against the Padres back in their favor. The exuberance of a 14-run Opening Day victory was quickly dashed by a pitcher of the left-handed variety, Clayton Richard. The Dodgers, whose problems against LHP may have spilled over into the new season, will get a reprieve in Game 3 of the series when right-hander Trevor Cahill takes the mound for San Diego on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.
|
Padres
|
Dodgers
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
7:10 p.m. PDT
|
Los Angeles
|
|||
|
CF
|
Margot
|
LF
|
Toles | |
|
1B
|
Myers
|
SS
|
Seager | |
|
2B
|
Solarte
|
3B
|
Turner | |
|
RF
|
Renfroe |
1B
|
Gonzalez | |
|
3B
|
Schimpf |
2B
|
Forsythe | |
|
C
|
Hedges |
CF
|
Pederson | |
|
SS
|
Aybar | C | Grandal | |
|
P
|
Cahill (R) |
RF
|
Puig | |
|
LF
|
Jankowski
|
P
|
Hill (L)
|
Cahill, who was briefly in the Dodgers’ organization in 2015, was signed by the Padres this off-season. He landed a spot in their rotation after demonstrating his value as a reliever out of the Cubs’ bullpen the last two years and by reintroducing his cutter into his pitching repertoire in order to transition back to a starter. There’s upside to Cahill, who’s still only 29, as his 55.0 percent ground-ball rate for his career should play well in the hitter-friendly confines of Petco Park.
Cahill is 6-5 with a 3.86 ERA against the Dodgers in 20 career games (14 starts). Adrian Gonzalez is hitting .400/.457/.800 vs. Cahill with 12 hits in 30 at-bats including three home runs, three doubles and 10 RBIs.
The Dodgers will counter with Rich Hill, who was an important free-agent signing for the team over the off-season. Hill’s Spring Training results were not exactly inspiring (11 earned runs on 13 hits and 15 walks in 16 innings), but he looked good in his final tune-up against the Angels last Friday, pitching 3 2/3 of shutout ball in Anaheim.
Hill admitted that he typically doesn’t fare well during Spring Training.
“I’m pretty much terrible every spring,” he said. “I’ll be fine when the season starts.”
Nevertheless, Hill is very good. If he can stay healthy and blister-free, his three-year $48 million contract will be well worth it. He is 1-3 with a 5.75 ERA against the Padres in four career starts.
The Dodgers won’t have to deal with a lefty until they face Kyle Freeland on Friday, allowing them the opportunity to secure a win over the Friars in the opening series before they embark on their first road trip that commences in dreadful Coors Field.
Both the Dodgers and Padres are using the same lineups as Opening Day for Game 3. Andrew Toles is back in left field and leading off for LA. He went 2-for-5 on Monday. Cahill will bat eighth, and the left-handed hitting outfielder Travis Jankowski will bat ninth for San Diego.
—–
A couple of injury updates:
Dave Roberts said Andre Ethier has normal soreness in his back. Doing more but no baseball activities just yet
— Eric Stephen (@truebluela) April 5, 2017
Brock Stewart (shoulder inflammation) still a long way from returning, but resumed playing catch this week, ~75 feet
— Eric Stephen (@truebluela) April 5, 2017
Also a reminder that tonight’s game will also be simulcast on KTLA, including the pregame show at 6:30 pm PT.
