Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers lost two of three to the Diamondbacks in Arizona. Now L.A. looks to avoid losing a second straight series when they take on the Tigers for a rubber game match Sunday. Walker Buehler is coming off a complete-game shutout in his last start, so naturally he’s the perfect pitcher for the job.
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| 1:10 PM | Los Angeles | ||
| LF | Grossman (S) | RF | Betts |
| SS | Baez | 1B | Freeman (L) |
| RF | Meadows (L) | SS | T. Turner |
| DH | Cabrera | C | Smith |
| 1B | Castro (L) | DH | J. Turner |
| 2B | Schoop | LF | Taylor |
| 3B | Candelario (S) | CF | Bellinger (L) |
| C | Barnhart (S) | 3B | Alberto |
| CF | Baddoo (L) | 2B | Lux (L) |
| P | Rodriguez (L) | P | Buehler (R) |
Buehler (2-1, 2.55 ERA, 1.054 WHIP) is fresh off the best start of his career. The right-hander hurled nine shutout innings, only allowing three hits and no walks. He was not only dominant (10 K), but he also was efficient. The ace right-hander only needed 108 pitches to seal the deal on his first career shutout.
Walker has never faced the Tigers, because the last time the Dodgers played Detroit in 2017 he had yet to make his MLB debut. He should be wary of the pesky Javy Baez who has hit two home runs off Buehler in 13 at-bats. Baez already has four hits and has driven in three runs in the series.
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A 7-13 record is an abysmal start to the season for Tigers fans who envisioned things playing out much differently after their hyped offseason. The Tigers brought a five-game losing streak to L.A. after they were swept by the Minnesota Twins in embarrassing fashion. Yet the Tigers have tied up the series with the Dodgers in L.A. and are hungry for the series win.
Eduardo Rodriguez (0-1, 5.03 ERA, 1.271 WHIP) starts for Detroit in the series finale. His last game at Dodger Stadium was iconic. Remember when he threw down his glove angrily after he allowed a World Series home run to Yasiel Puig in 2018? Let’s forget the rest of that game. The homer was great though.
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Hanser Alberto starts at third base for the Dodgers, and Max Muncy gets the day off.
The Dodgers also made a roster move prior to the game, activating right-hander Tommy Kahnle. He hasn’t pitched in a major league game since 2020 with the Yankees. This gives the Dodgers’ bullpen a fresh arm after they served up four runs in relief of strikeout king Clayton Kershaw in Saturday’s loss. Kahnle, Blake Treinen and Craig Kimbrel is a nasty late-inning trio out of the pen.
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First pitch is at 1:10 PM PST on SportsNet LA.
