Cody Snavely
After a successful 4-2 six-game road trip that saw the Los Angeles Dodgers take a critical series against their National League West rival Arizona Diamondbacks and split a short two-game interleague series with the Los Angeles Angels, the team will return home for a six-game homestand, starting off with the American League Central-leading Cleveland Guardians.
The Guardians, led by rookie manager and former ten-year veteran Stephen Vogt, have exceeded all expectations this season. They are firmly in the postseason race and reached the eighty-win mark in early September, a win total they did not even reach all of last season.
The American League Central, minus the Chicago White Sox, has been one of Baseball’s most competitive divisions, with the Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins following closely behind. However, despite being one of the best teams in Baseball this season, Guardians are in a bit of a funk. They have only won their last ten games and sin, and since the start of the second half, they have only won twenty-two games over their last forty-five.
The Dodgers, however, are playing some of their best Baseball at the perfect time. They have the third-best record since the all-star break (28-15) and haven’t lost a series since August 6th, after dropping two of three against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Currently, the Dodgers are tied with the Phillies for the best record in the National League and all of Major League Baseball. However, the Guardians are only four games back in this category and just a half-game behind the Baltimore Orioles for the best record in the American League. With both teams deeply involved in a division race, the outcome of this series holds significant importance for both sides.
Pitching match-ups
Game One: Landon Knack (2-2, 3.00 ERA) vs Matthew Boyd (LHP)(1-1, 2.38 ERA)
Game Two: Jack Flaherty (11-6, 3.01 ERA) vs Alex Cobb (2-1, 2.76 ERA)
Game Three: Gavin Stone (11-5, 3.53 ERA) vs Gavin Williams (3-7, 4.55 ERA)
Game Times
Game One: 7:10 PM PT, SNLA, Bally Sports Great Lakes
Game Two: 6:10 PM PT, SNLA, Bally Sports Great Lakes
Game Three: 1:10 PM PT, SNLA, Bally Sports Great Lakes
Who’s in & who’s out?
With September in full swing, teams are taking advantage of expanded rosters to shuffle their pitching and bench depth.
On the offensive side, the Dodgers recalled rookie outfielder Andy Pages during the four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks while also playing musical chairs in their bullpen and starting rotation, calling up Michael Peterson, Justin Wrobleski, Ben Casparius, and Michael Grove.
The Dodgers will recall another arm prior to Friday’s game: right-handed pitcher Landon Knack, who will start in turn for veteran left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who was placed on the 15-day injured list due to a bone spur in his toe.
Right-handed pitcher Joe Kelly will also still be out for this series after being placed on the 15-day injured list for the second time this season with shoulder inflammation.
Right-handed pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto will make his return next Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs, according to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. He has completed two rehab starts, going two innings each.
Tyler Glasnow, another starter on the injured list, will throw off the mound for the first time since being placed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow tendonitis, with the hope to return at some point before the end of the regular season.
The Guardians’ first baseman, Josh Naylor, is considered day-to-day after missing Wednesday’s lineup due to back spasms. Naylor has been recovering well, and he was available off the bench for Wednesday’s finale against the Royals, but he was kept out of the lineup as a precaution.
Naylor exited Tuesday during the eighth inning while on the base paths during a pitching change. Manager Stephen Vogt said he does not anticipate that Naylor will miss any extended time, and Naylor could return to the lineup Friday against the Dodgers.
The Guardians also took advantage of the expanded rosters, recalling first baseman, designated hitter Kyle Manzardo, and right-handed pitcher Alex Cobb.
Have you subscribed to the Bleed Los Podcast YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows & promotions, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
