Dodgers Preview: Dodgers Take Four-Game Win Streak into Kansas City for a Three-Game Interleague Series

KANSAS CITY, MO— To close out their six-game road trip, the Los Angeles Dodgers will head to Missouri and take on the Kansas City Royals for a three-game interleague weekend series.

The Dodgers are HOT coming into today’s game, winners of eight of their last ten games, including a three-game series sweep of their National League West foe, the Colorado Rockies.

Despite the trio atop the Dodgers lineup barely hitting over .220 combined this month, the Dodgers offense has still found ways to win ball games thanks to Will Smith, Max Muncy, Andy Pages, and the bottom of the lineup doing their job.

Due to this stretch, the Dodgers not only have the best record in the National League but are also tied for the best record in Major League Baseball with fifty-one wins and thirty-one losses.

Los Angeles will face a struggling Royals team that has struggled to get going this season, despite having high expectations after making the postseason last year.

Overall, the Royals are five games under .500 and sit alone in fourth place in the American League Central, 12.5 games back of the American League-leading Detroit Tigers and 3.5 games back of the final Wild Card spot.

The Royals recently called up top prospect Jac Caglianone earlier this month, hoping the twenty-two-year-old could bring some power to their lineup. Still, overall, the former Florida Gator is hitting just .178 with two home runs and four RBIs in seventy-three at-bats.

While the Royals’ offense has not been great this season, their pitching is another story. Overall, this season the Royals’ pitching staff ranks fourth in ERA (3.71), and they’ll throw three straight left-handed pitchers at the Dodgers this weekend.

However, the Dodgers’ lineup ranks fourth in the league in wRC+ versus lefties, along with a .262/.322/.461 slash line.

Pitching match-ups

Game One: Dustin May (4-5, 4.46 ERA) vs Noah Cameron (LHP) (2-3, 2.08)

Game Two: Shohei Ohtani (0-0, 4.50 ERA) vs Seth Lugo (4-5, 2.93 ERA)

Game Three: TBD (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs Kris Bubic (LHP) (6-5, 2.18 ERA)

Game Times

Game One: 5:10 PM PT, SportsNet LA, FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City, MLB Network (out-of-market-only)

Game Two: 1:10 PM PT, SportsNet LA, FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City

Game Three: 11:10 AM PT, SportsNet LA, FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City

Who’s in & who’s out?

During the series finale in Denver, Colorado, the Los Angeles Dodgers activated right-handed pitcher Luis García from the 15-day injured list and optioned righty Will Klein to Triple-A to make room on the 26-man roster.

García, 38, had missed the last few weeks due to a groin injury and threw a minor league rehab inning this past Sunday with Rancho.

Right-handed pitcher Tyler Glasnow is set to throw another rehab game this week, with the exact date unknown for now.

Joining Glasnow on the mound will be lefty Blake Snell, who is also set to throw another bullpen this week and possibly face live hitters per David Vassegh.

Another arm that should join the Dodgers’ bullpen sooner rather than later is young right-hander Edgardo Henriquez. The righty has made eleven appearances with the OKC Comets and has collected fifteen punchouts in 11.2 innings.

60-day Injured List (12): Roki Sasaki, Tony Gonsolin, Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, Brusdar Graterol, Michael Grove, Gavin Stone, River Ryan, Kyle Hurt, Edgardo Henriquez, Blake Treinen, Evan Phillips

As for the Kansas City Royals, their injured list is relatively small compared to Los Angeles, with only five players listed.

Second baseman Michael Massey has missed the last two weeks due to a left ankle sprain. However, the middle infielder is on the right track, eyeing a July return and even began a minor league rehab assignment on June 24th with Triple-A Omaha.

However, the most significant injury is t that of left-handed ace Cole Ragans who was placed on the 15-day injured list earlier this month due to a left rotator cuff strain.

The Royals are hopeful that it will not be a season-ending injury and are optimistic that the lefty can return in the second half of the season. Ragans will see team doctors in July to get an idea when he can resume a throwing program.

Another loss on the pitching side is right-handed pitcher Hunter Harvey, who was placed on the injured list in April with a right teres major strain. The righty underwent a re-evaluation on June 11th and should begin a throwing program over the next few days.

10-day Injured List (1): Michael Massey

15-day Injured List (1): Cole Ragans

60-day Injured List (3): James McArthur, Alec Marsh, Hunter Harvey

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