The Los Angeles Dodgers are starting their series against the New York Mets, hoping to end their big East Coast road trip on a high note.
The Dodgers beat the Phillies two out of three times, same with the Yankees, despite not playing their best baseball.
Shohei Ohtani has not gotten going at the plate since the All-Star break, while Teoscar Hernandez is slumping and Andy Pages has been trending down.
Still, the Dodgers hold an 11-game lead in the National League West and have multiple injured players returning.
Dodgers’ Lineup vs. Phillies
1. Shohei Ohtani, DH
2. Andy Pages, CF
3. Tommy Edman, 3B
4. Freddie Freeman, 1B
5. Mookie Betts, SS
6. Miguel Rojas, 2B
7. Kyle Tucker, RF
8. Teoscar Hernandez, LF
9. Dalton Rushing, C
The Dodgers are going up against a lefty in Sean Manaea, though Teoscar Hernandez is hitting in the eighth spot, highlighting his struggles at the plate.
Tommy Edman, a strong hitter against lefties, is moved up to the No. 3 hole.
At second base, Miguel Rojas gets a rare start in the order, hitting all the way up to sixth, one of the higher placements.
Still, all eyes will be on Shohei Ohtani, who is looking to get his swing going again. He has been quite focused on his knee and pitching, but his bat is ever important.
Who is pitching for the Dodgers?
Roki Sasaki takes the mound after two straight promising starts. He pitched a gem at Yankee Stadium and closed out the first half with a strong outing against the Colorado Rockies.
The Mets have been poor as a team, but given Sasaki’s issues away from home, it will be interesting to see how he fares at Citi Field.
If he adds a third straight impressive outing, Sasaki’s rise will be hard to ignore and should make fans of his excited.
