Dodgers @ Diamondbacks September 26, 2018: Stripling vs Greinke

The Dodgers did not win their must-win game last night. This makes tonight’s game extremely important. Last night’s walk off loss, coupled with the Phillies’ general uselessness means the Dodgers currently sit a half game ahead of the Rockies in the NL West race with only four games remaining this season. The Rockies have five games left, playing tomorrow while the Dodgers travel to San Francisco. The Dodgers will need some help to clinch the division outright even if they win their remaining four games, which is advisable IMO.

Ross Stripling starts tonight, in what’s the most important game of the season until Friday. He’s been a bit shaky in his return to the rotation, failing to last more than four innings in each of his three starts. The first start was more than a month removed from his most recent start, and his second start came on only three days rest. He’s back on normal rest today and will be making only his second start against the Diamondbacks this season. He started on one day of rest against Arizona on April 30th and allowed four runs in four innings. That was before he turned into a useful starter on the season. He’s thrown 6 1/3 innings of relief against Arizona this season spread out across five games, and has allowed five hits and one run in that time.

Old friend Zack Greinke makes his 33rd start of the season for the Diamondbacks tonight. His 3.21 ERA is the 16th-lowest among all qualified starters. Greinke’s control has always been his best asset, and his 5.1 percent walk rate is the eighth-best in baseball. He’s walked fewer than two batters in 20 of his 32 starts so far, including all three times he’s seen the Dodgers this season. He hasn’t exactly dominated the Dodgers, with starts of six, 6 1/3 and 7 1/3 innings this season. In his six inning start he allowed only two runs and struck out 10, but in his other two starts he allowed seven runs combined. Only nine pitchers have given up more dongs than Greinke, who has allowed 28 so far this season. He held the Dodgers dongless when he saw them in Arizona, but allowed two in each of his two starts at Dodger Stadium.

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Pitching matchups are more or less set for the final three games of the season.

Pitching matchups for #Dodgers v #Giants this weekend:
Friday — LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu vs LHP Madison Bumgarner
Saturday — LHP Clayton Kershaw vs RHP Dereck Rodriguez
Sunday — RHP Walker Buehler vs. LHP Andrew Suarez

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) September 26, 2018

The Giants pushed Madison Bumgarner back to ensure he starts against the Dodgers. Rivalries are the best.