Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodger bats went quiet last night and the bullpen struggled late, snapping the Dodgers’ six-game winning streak. Their run differential also dipped below +100, which means it’s probably time to start tanking. Tonight the Dodgers put their series unbeaten streak to the test once again in the rubber match against the Rockies.
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| 7:10 P.M. | Los Angeles | ||
| LF | Tapia (L) | 2B | Lux (L) |
| SS | Story | SS | Seager (L) |
| 3B | Arenado | 3B | Muncy (L) |
| RF | Blackmon (L) | 1B | Bellinger (L) |
| CF | Pillar | LF | Pollock |
| DH | Kemp | C | Smith |
| 1B | Fuentes | CF | Taylor |
| 2B | Hampson | DH | Beaty (L) |
| C | Diaz | RF | Hernández |
| P | Castellani (R) | P | Urias (L) |
Julio Urias gets the start for the Dodgers tonight. He’s coming off arguably his best start of the season, where he allowed one run and four hits in six innings. Urias struck out five Diamondbacks without issuing a walk last time out and got through six in an efficient 78 pitches.
Today marks Urias’ eighth start of the season and it’ll be his first look at the Rockies. He saw Colorado five times last season (three starts) and he allowed six earned runs in 13.1 innings. Five of those runs came as Coors, as he held the Rockies to one run in four innings (one start and one relief appearance) at Dodger Stadium.
Ryan Castellani takes the hill for the Rockies. The 24-year-old rookie will make his sixth career start and seventh career Major League appearance. He’s currently rated as the Rockies’ 14th-best prospect on MLB Pipeline and reenters the rotation after coming out of the bullpen last Wednesday.
Castellani’s has turned in some good outings so far this season, but has had a couple clunkers as well. He’s allowed five runs in two different starts, a 5 2/3 inning outing against Houston and a two inning outing against San Diego. In his other four appearances, Castellani has allowed a total of three runs in 16 2/3 innings. Today will be his first time seeing the Dodgers.
Castellani’s best pitch according to MLB Pipeline is his 60-grade fastball, and he’s thrown it 31.8 percent of the time this season. It hasn’t exactly shown its greatness in the Majors yet, as opponents are hitting .414 with a .759 slugging percentage against it. He also throws a slider, changeup, sinker and curveball and has given up fewer hits off those pitches combined (9) than he has his fastball (12). He’s allowed an average exit velocity against of 92.1 MPH, which is the 20th-worst among all qualified pitchers. That’s no way to make a living pitching half your games in Colorado.
Mookie Betts gets the night off for the Dodgers as Gavin Lux will hit leadoff and Enrique Hernandez starts in right. Joc Pederson also gets a rare night off against a right handed pitcher.
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Joe Kelly spoke with the media today.
Kelly will face batters tomorrow and believes he’ll have enough time to be ready for the postseason after not having appeared in a game in nearly a month.
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While Betts is just getting a day off, Pederson might be out a bit longer.
Here’s hoping it’s nothing too serious.
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Pedro Baez threw a simulated game today and faced Justin Turner.
There’s still no timeline for Turner’s return to the lineup
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First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 PM PDT (weird for a Sunday Night game) and will be shown on Sportsnet LA.
