The Los Angeles Dodgers, clinging to a narrower-than-desired division lead, open a crucial three-game homestand against the Seattle Mariners on Monday.
Just over three weeks ago, the Dodgers held a comfortable 8.5-game cushion atop the National League West. Now, with the San Diego Padres hot on their heels (three games back) and the Arizona Diamondbacks lurking (four games back), the Dodgers need a strong showing against the Mariners.
Los Angeles finished a hard-fought 4-3 road trip with a 2-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. While key first baseman Freddie Freeman missed the game with a finger injury, the Dodgers received a spark from Shohei Ohtani’s 39th home run and a dominant outing from Clayton Kershaw, who tossed six scoreless innings.
“This road trip has been a grind,” Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas said on SportsNet LA. “Every game has been close, but we’re playing good baseball heading into a crucial stretch for our division title run. It was a total team effort, not just this game, but the whole series.”
To bolster their offense down the stretch, the Dodgers are expected to activate versatile infielder/outfielder Tommy Edman for Monday’s series opener. Max Muncy (oblique) could also rejoin the lineup as early as Monday or Tuesday. Edman, a former Gold Glove winner at second base, brings a potent bat, having recorded double-digit home runs in each of the past three seasons. He’ll slot into a lineup already featuring Ohtani, who is on pace for a historic 40-40 season with 37 steals to go along with his home run prowess.
Rookie right-hander Gavin Stone (10-5, 3.63 ERA) gets the nod for the Dodgers. Stone enjoyed a successful outing against the Mariners last September, tossing 3 1/3 scoreless innings in relief.
The series marks the return of former Dodger Justin Turner, who spent nine seasons with his hometown team before stints with the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, and now the Mariners. This will be Turner’s first game at Dodger Stadium since his departure, though he’s faced his former club twice in the past two years.
Seattle counters with right-hander Bryan Woo (5-1, 2.06 ERA). Woo has been lights-out lately, pitching three scoreless outings in his last four starts, including a dominant seven-inning performance against the Detroit Tigers, despite the Mariners ultimately falling 3-2.
While the Mariners have struggled offensively as of late, they erupted for a 10-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday. The offense saw contributions from everyone in the starting lineup, with Cal Raleigh, Josh Rojas, and Dominic Canzone all launching home runs. Outfielder/designated hitter Mitch Haniger missed the game with a quadriceps strain and is listed as day-to-day.
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