Dodgers @ Blue Jays April 27, 2024: Glasnow looks to push Dodger winning streak to six in the six

The Dodgers have bounced back nicely from their nightmarish homestand last week. They ended the homestand with a bang and have kept it rolling, with five straight wins. In those five games, the maligned and injured Dodger pitching staff has allowed a total of six runs. The struggling offense has scored double digits in three of those games, including last night’s 12-2 victory to start the series in Toronto. Gavin Stone turned in one of the best starts of his career despite not having his changeup and only recording two strikeouts. Today, the Dodgers look for a sixth straight win and another series victory.

	12:07 P.M.		Toronto
2B	Betts	SS	Bichette
DH	Ohtani (L)	1B	Guerrero Jr.
1B	Freeman (L)	CF	Varsho (L)
C	Smith	DH	Turner
RF	T. Hernández	C	Jansen
3B	K. Hernández	LF	Schneider
CF	Pages	2B	Biggio (L)
SS	Rojas	3B	Clement
LF	Taylor	RF	Barger (L)
P	Glasnow (R)	P	Kikuchi (L)

Tyler Glasnow gets the ball today coming off one of the the best starts of his career. His last start was the start of the winning streak, as he tossed eight shutout innings against the Mets. He allowed seven hits (all singles) and struck out 10 without walking a batter. Two of those singles were erased as the Dodgers caught two base stealers in a game for the first time since 1670 (that’s not true but seriously when the hell do they ever catch baserunners). He allowed three singles to load the bases in the eighth inning, but capped off his outing with a strikeout to preserve the shutout. There’s some debate on how smart it was to keep a historically injured pitcher in for 101 pitches/eight innings in a 10-0 ballgame, but Glasnow has yet to start on regular rest this season. He’s coming off another five days of rest today.

Glasnow has struggled a bit in his career against the Blue Jays. He’s 0-4 with a 6.86 ERA against Toronto in nine starts. Glasnow made 11 starts after being traded to the Rays in 2018, four of which came against Toronto. He allowed one run over five innings in his first start, but allowed 13 runs in 12 innings over the next three, including a seven run outing where he only recorded two outs. After a pair of good but short starts against Toronto in 2019, Glasnow saw them twice in 2021. He allowed five runs in each of those starts over a combined 10 2/3 innings. Last season, Glasnow saw them only once and allowed four runs in 5 1/3 innings.

Yusei Kikuchi looks to continue his strong 2024. He’s posted a 2.28 ERA/2.55 FIP in 27 2/3 innings over five starts to begin the season. Kikuchi allowed three runs in 4 1/3 innings in his first start of the season against Tampa. He’s only allowed four runs over his last four starts and has completed six innings in three straight outings. Last time out against the Royals, Kikuchi got through five scoreless but allowed a double and a homer in the sixth. He allowed a two-out double and single, but was able to get out of the jam and complete six. Kikuchi has faced his fellow countryman Shohei Ohtani 21 times in the Majors. He’s struck out Ohtani six times and allowed six hits, three of which have left the park.

Kikuchi throws a fastball nearly half the time (48.7 percent so far this year, 45.1 percent last season). He’s averaging 95.3 MPH on it this season, and both homers he’s allowed this season have come off it. So far he’s using a curveball more this season (26.7 percent) than he has in his career (19.3 percent last season was his previous high), and he also throws a slider and change.

Max Muncy, James Outman and Gavin Lux all sit against a lefty. Enrique Hernandez gets the start at third with Andy Pages in center and Chris Taylor in left.

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Nabil Crismatt is back, as Nick Ramirez was optioned. A 40-man move is required and is yet to be announced as of scheduling this post.

First pitch is scheduled for 12:07 PM PT and will be shown on Sportsnet LA.