Dodgers Preview: After Reclaiming 1st Place, the Dodgers will Face Rockies in 4-Game Series

DENVER, CO—The Los Angeles Dodgers are riding high after taking care of business in Chavez Ravine versus their National League West rival, the San Diego Padres, sweeping the Friars and taking back a two-game lead in the division.

Now, the team will face another NL West rival as they travel to Denver, Colorado, for a four-game weekday series at Coors Field.

The Dodgers, who saw their once season-high nine-game lead dwindle after a horrible July and average August, saw them get knocked out of first place after a series sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Angels.

That second-place feeling was short-lived as the Dodgers would sweep the red-hot Padres and become the 3rd team in the National League to reach 70-plus wins this season.

Now, they’ll face a struggling Rockies team that has only mustered thirty-five wins this season as we approach the end of August.

The Rockies are a Major League worst thirty-six games behind the Dodgers in the NL West standings, and have the worst record in the sport by nearly ten full games.

It’s been a season to forget for the Colorado faithful, as there appears to be no end in sight in their postseason/contention drought, with their last appearance in October being in the 2018 season.

Still, despite sweeping the Padres, the Dodgers have just five wins in their last ten games and have an 8-7 record in August.

Now it’s time for the Dodgers to take advantage of their remaining schedule, which is ranked the easiest in terms of winning percentage.

In their six meetings already this season, the Dodgers have swept the Rockies both times, once in Los Angeles and once in Colorado.

The two will face off seven more times this season, four in Colorado this week and three more in September at Dodger Stadium.

Pitching matchups

Game One: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (10-8, 2.84 ERA) vs Kyle Freeland (LHP) (3-12, 5.18 ERA)

Game Two: Emmet Sheehan (3-2, 3.86 ERA) vs Austin Gomber (LHP) (0-6, 6.75 ERA)

Game Three: Shohei Ohtani (0-0, 3.47 ERA) vs Tanner Gordon (3-5, 7.98 ERA)

Game Four: Clayton Kershaw (LHP) (7-2, 3.01 ERA) vs Chase Dollander (2-9, 6.43 ERA)

Game Times

Game One: 5:40 PM PT, SportsNet LA, Rockies.TV

Game Two: 5:40 PM PT, SportsNet LA, Rockies.TV

Game Three: 5:40 PM PT, SportsNet LA, Rockies.TV

Game Four: 12:10 PM PT, SportsNet LA, Rockies.TV

Who’s in & who’s out?

Over the weekend, utilitymen Kiké Hernández and Hyeseong Kim were seen taking live batting practice, as they prepare to ramp up for a possible activation in September.

Hernández has been on the 15-day injured list since July 7th with left elbow inflammation. However, over the last several days, the fan-favorite has ramped up his baseball activities, including fielding, throwing, and swinging a bat.

After resuming on-field batting practice, Hernández is set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City this week, per Dave Roberts.

Hyeseong Kim will also be joining Hernández this week with the Triple-A OKC Comets after a successful live at-bat session over the weekend.

Third baseman Max Muncy is set to miss significant time after an MRI revealed a Grade One right oblique strain, an injury that sidelined him for nearly three months last season. However, the injury is not expected to be season-ending.

Left-handed pitcher Tanner Scott and veteran righty Kirby Yates are also expected to join the OKC Comets this week after facing hitters over the weekend at Dodger Stadium.

Both arms are slated to appear on Tuesday, with Yates suggesting it’ll be a short stint for him.

Two arms that threw for OKC this past Thursday were right-handers Roki Sasaki and Michael Kopech, who each struggled in their rehab debuts.

Sasaki went two-plus innings, allowing three runs on six hits. While Kopech struggled with command, allowing two runs on two wild pitches without finishing his frame.

Newly acquired right-handed relief pitcher Brock Stewart is also expected to miss several weeks after an MRI revealed right-shoulder inflammation. The righty received a cortisone and PRP injections in that shoulder and will take a week off from throwing before beginning to ramp up again.

Day-to-day (1): Max Muncy

10-day Injured List (3): Tommy Edman, Kiké Hernández, Hyeseong Kim

15-day Injured List (3): Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates, Brock Stewart

60-day Injured List (9): Roki Sasaki, Tony Gonsolin, Michael Kopech, Brusdar Graterol, Michael Grove, Gavin Stone, River Ryan, Kyle Hurt, Evan Phillips

As for the Rockies, most of their injuries are pitching-related.

The team will continue to be without top starting pitcher Germán Márquez as the righty suffered a right bicep injury in July.

Márquez will begin his injury rehab assignment on August 19th for Triple-A Albuquerque before a possible late-August or early September activation.

Right-handed pitcher Zach Agnos is also working toward a return, hoping to begin playing catch this week, but that’s the extent of his throwing schedule for now.

Agnos has been on the 15-day injured list since July 17th with a right flexor strain.

Another pitcher dealing with a flexor strain is right-handed pitcher Seth Halvorsen, who suffered his injury on August 3rd.

Halvorsen said his route to recovery involves treating the elbow and strengthening the shoulder and other muscles. If the elbow responds to rehab, he could return before the season’s end.

Former All-Star third baseman and 2016 National League MVP Award winner Kris Bryant has had little to no progress on his lumbar degenerative disk disease that landed him on the 60-day injured list earlier this season.

Bryant consulted with a New York doctor and a Dallas specialist in an effort to avoid surgery. The only surgical option is a fusion surgery, which would make continuing to play difficult. Bryant has continued with rehab.

Day-to-day (00):

10-day Injured List (00):

15-day Injured List (3): Germán Márquez, Zach Agnos, Seth Halvorsen

60-day Injured List (3): Jeff Criswell, Kris Bryant, Thairo Estrada

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