The Los Angeles Dodgers are opening up a tricky series against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday, as they look to build on a sudden three-game winning streak.
The Dodgers went into Colorado, a tricky place to play, with an offense in disarray, but they came out of the series with a team starting to feel good at the plate.
The starting pitcher remains the strength of the roster, and heading into the Pirates series, the Dodgers will feel confident in their chances against a young, hungry Pirates rotation.
For the Dodgers’ return home, there is a ton of buzz about Kyle Tucker getting a standing ovation to help him feel support and emerge from his season-long slump.
Dodgers’ Lineup vs. Pirates
1. Shohei Ohtani, DH
2. Freddie Freeman, 1B
3. Andy Pages, CF
4. Max Muncy, 3B
5. Mookie Betts, SS
6. Kyle Tucker, RF
7. Tommy Edman, 2B
8. Teoscar Hernandez, LF
9. Hunter Feduccia, C
The Dodgers are facing a right-hander in Bubba Chandler, a big righty who throws hard. He has a 4.23 ERA this season with 108 strikeouts.
Ohtani, Freeman, Tucker, and Muncy are the key names to watch in the order, given their advantage, but it is Mookie Betts who has the hottest hand.
Chandler has the stuff to make it a long night for the Dodgers, but if they use more of a postseason approach and fight each at-bat to make him earn every out, they could get him out quickly, especially given that his command can fluctuate.
Who is pitching for the Dodgers?
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the ever-reliable ace, takes the mound for the Dodgers on Friday. The Pirates are one of the more aggressive teams when it comes to swinging, and Yamamoto should be in for a long outing if he can generate his usual weak contact.
Additionally, he will be pitching at home, a place where he is quite comfortable, and he is coming off an illness that affected him a bit.
Now more than two starts removed from it, Yamamoto should be ready to start building for October.
