Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
After last night’s wild win, the Dodgers find themselves in a very good position coming into tonight’s game. Not only do they have arguably the best pitcher in baseball on the hill tonight, but the Mets used three of their top bullpen arms (Robert Gsellman, Jeurys Familia and Edwin Diaz), each for the second consecutive night. Over the last two games, Gsellman has thrown 31 pitches, Familia 30 pitches, and Diaz 46 pitches. That bodes well for the Dodgers, who look to take the series from the Mets and head into a tough weekend series with the Phillies on a high note.
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Mets
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Dodgers
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7:10 p.m.
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Los Angeles
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SS
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Rosario |
SS
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Taylor | |
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LF
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Davis |
3B
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Muncy | |
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RF
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Conforto |
1B
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Freese | |
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1B
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Alonso |
RF
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Bellinger | |
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3B
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Frazier |
2B
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Hernández | |
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CF
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Goméz |
CF
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Verdugo | |
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2B
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Hechevarria | C | Martin | |
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C
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Nido |
LF
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Beaty | |
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P
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Vargas (L) |
P
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Ryu (L) |
Hyun-Jin Ryu makes his 11th start of the season tonight. Ryu has been incredible, with an MLB-leading 1.65 ERA and 62 strikeouts to only four walks on the season. Ryu was less-than-dominant in his last in Pittsburgh. In six innings, Ryu allowed two runs (which matches a season high, because he’s been ridiculous this season). He allowed a season-high 10 hits and struck out only three batters, which would be his lowest total if not for a 1 2/3 inning start that he left with an injury. Both Pittsburgh runs came in the second inning of the game, ending his scoreless streak at 32 innings. Ryu comes into this game on a four-inning scoreless streak.
Opposing Ryu will be Jason Vargas, a former Long Beach Dirtbag. The 36-year-old lefty will be making his eighth start and ninth appearance overall tonight. Vargas has had a rough start to the season and hasn’t given the Mets much length, which could hurt them given their bullpen usage over the last couple days. Vargas is averaging just above four innings per start, although that’s driven down by a start during which Vargas allowed four runs while recording only one out. He’s maxed out at 5 1/3 innings and hasn’t thrown more than 89 pitches this season.
Vargas has not been great this season. His 5.26 ERA is actually an improvement from last season, but his 1.568 WHIP is his worst since 2008. He’s struck out 23 batters in 29 1/3 innings, but has also issued 15 walks. Vargas’ ERA has been skewed a bit by a couple real bad outings. There was that start I already mentioned, and a few days before that in his only relief outing of the season, Vargas allowed four runs in one inning. Outside of that, Vargas has allowed nine runs in 28 innings. Not great, but not as ugly as his numbers indicate.
Despite being left-handed, Vargas doesn’t have typical splits. He’s only faced lefties 29 times this season, but they have a .900 OPS against Vargas. Righties only have an .822 OPS against him. Vargas is a rare pitcher that throws a changeup more often than any other pitch, at 35.2 percent. His fastball only averages 85.2 MPH, and he throws it 29 percent of the time. He also throws a sinker and mixes in a curveball every now and then.
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A notably different lineup for the Dodgers today. Corey Seager gets the day off with Chris Taylor starting at short and leading off. Justin Turner apparently felt something in his hamstring while scoring in the ninth inning yesterday.
He’s reportedly available today and should be available for the weekend series.
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Tony Cingrani has been shut down.
Cingrani had an MRI on his shoulder yesterday, and is not doing baseball activities now.
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The Mets are still Mets’ing.
Perfect.
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Tonight’s game will also be broadcast on KTLA in the LA area.
