Dodgers Schedule: Clayton Kershaw’s Return Could Highlight Rotation vs Mets
As the Dodgers head to New York on Tuesday to take on the AL East-leading Mets, Los Angeles is looking forward to some pitching reinforcements on the way soon, including one who could show up during the Mets series.
Pitching matchups #Dodgers v Mets. Looks like we can pencil Clayton Kershaw in for Thursday
Tue – LHP Andrew Heaney (2-1, 1.94) vs. RHP Taijuan Walker (10-3, 3.38)
Wed – LHP Tyler Anderson (13-2, 2.69) vs. RHP Jacob deGrom (3-1, 2.15)
Thr — TBA vs. RHP Chris Bassitt (11-7, 3.34)— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) August 29, 2022
Now, to be clear, Plunkett might be jumping to conclusions here. TBA means “to be announced,” and the Dodgers have two extremely viable candidates for the start in Clayton Kershaw and Dustin May. TBA and TBD are used pretty interchangeably these days, but there’s a very good chance manager Dave Roberts have already determined who will start on Thursday but are waiting to announce it.
Whether it’s May or Kershaw, it will make for a third straight intriguing pitching matchup in this battle between the team that has allowed the fewest runs in baseball (Los Angeles) and the team that has allowed the fourth-fewest (New York). The Dodgers won’t face their former teammate Max Scherzer, who has been their best starter over the course of the season, while the Mets will miss All-Star Tony Gonsolin, who leads the NL in ERA for another day or two but was placed on the IL yesterday, and Julio Urias, who will jump to second in ERA when Gonsolin drops off the leaderboard due to a lack of innings.
Still, both teams are very deep in starting pitching, so there are three outstanding matchups on tap. Today pits a pitcher who has been outstanding in a season that has been hampered by two different IL stints (Andrew Heaney) against a guy whose ERA this year outside of two terrible outings would be 2.41 (Taijuan Walker).
Wednesday’s matchup will be All-Star Tyler Anderson, who has been outstanding and consistent all year, against Jacob deGrom, who is maybe the best pitcher in baseball when he’s healthy but has struggled with injuries the last couple years.
Chris Bassitt goes for the Mets on Thursday. Bassitt was a key offseason acquisition for the Mets and has been basically as good as they had hoped, going 11-7 with a 3.34 ERA. He will face either May, who has made two starts since his return from Tommy John surgery, or Kershaw, who has missed most of August with a back issue but has felt ready to return for a while.
Add it all up, and it’s must-see TV for baseball fans this week in New York.
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