Cody Snavely
Los Angeles Dodgers (14-6) versus Texas Rangers (12-7)
ARLINGTON — After a sweep of the Colorado Rockies and collecting four wins during their six-game homestand, the Los Angeles Dodgers will head to the Lone Star State to face off against the 2023 World Series Champion Texas Rangers in a weekend marquee interleague matchup.
While the Dodgers are off to an even better start to the regular season this year than last year, the team is in second place behind the San Diego Padres, despite having the second-best record in Major League Baseball at 14-6.
After the Dodgers started the season undefeated in their first eight games, the team dropped six of their last nine games, leading into their weekday series against the Rockies. However, the Dodgers took care of business, sweeping the Rockies in three games heading into this series on a three-game win streak.
The Texas Rangers, led by veteran manager Bruce Bochy, are over their 2024 World Series hangover, hanging on to first place in the American League West with a 12-7 record. However, coming into this series, the Rangers have only five wins in their last ten games, but they are returning home, where they are 9-1 this season.
If you like pitching, this is the series for you, as this weekend will have some terrific matchups with two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom facing off against Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Friday. Roki Sasaki is looking to get his first win on Saturday against former Los Angeles Dodger Nathan Eovaldi, and Tyler Glasnow is looking to take down early American League Cy Young favorite Tyler Mahle on Sunday.
Pitching match-ups
Game One: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2-1, 1.23 ERA) vs Jacob deGrom (0-0, 4.30 ERA)
Game Two: Roki Sasaki (0-1, 3.29 ERA) vs Nathan Eovaldi (1-2, 2.55 ERA)
Game Three: Tyler Glasnow (1-0, 4.85 ERA) vs Tyler Mahle (3-0, 0.92 ERA)
Game Times
Game One: 5:05 PM PT, SportsNet LA, Rangers Sports Network, Victory+
Game Two: 1:05 PM PT, FOX
Game Three: 11:35 PM PT, SportsNet LA, Rangers Sports Network, Victory+
Who’s in & who’s out?
The Los Angeles Dodgers don’t have much changing on their injured list before the start of this series. However, according to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, the Dodgers could activate right-handed super reliever Evan Phillips on Friday after completing his minor league rehab assignment.
Phillips, 30, has missed the entire first month of the regular season and all of spring training after recovering from an offseason PRP injection to his rotator cuff, an injury he suffered in the second half of last season.
The injury was severe enough that it forced Phillips off the 2024 World Series roster, but the righty was able to avoid season-ending surgery.
Phillips made six appearances for the Triple-A OKC Comets, posting a 6.35 ERA in 5.2 innings while collecting nine punchouts.
In other injury news, veteran left-handed starter Clayton Kershaw tossed three efficient scoreless innings in his first rehab start on Wednesday. Right-handed pitcher Tony Gonsolin is expected to throw another rehab start this week before he’s activated before the end of April.
Lefty Blake Snell, who was placed on the 15-day injured list with shoulder inflammation, threw for three straight days before this road trip and could rejoin the team soon. Right-handed reliever Michael Kopech has also continued his throwing program as he recovers from an arm/shoulder injury.
60-day Injured List (6): Clayton Kershaw, Brusdar Graterol, Michael Grove, Gavin Stone, River Ryan, Kyle Hurt
15-day Injured List (6): Evan Phillips, Michael Kopech, Tony Gonsolin, Emmet Sheehan, Edgardo Henriquez, Blake Snell
One player not on the injured list for the Texas Rangers is utilityman Josh Smith, who missed all three games of the series against the Los Angeles Angels this week due to a thumb bruise. Smith is expected to rejoin the team tonight for their three-game series against the Dodgers.
Outfielder Wyatt Langford is close to activation after being on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain. Langford has been playing minor league rehab games with Double-A Frisco and was the designated hitter on April 17th, and is expected to play the outfield tonight before possibly being activated on Saturday.
Right-handed pitcher Jack Leiter is also expected to miss this series after being placed on the 15-day injured list with blisters on his right middle finger. Leiter, 24, reinvested his pitch arsenal over the winter, increasing his velocity, and was 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA in ten innings pitched before being placed on the injured list.
Rounding out the injured list for the Rangers on the 60-day IL are right-handed pitcher Josh Sborz (shoulder surgery), Jon Gray (right wrist fracture), and Josh Sborz (right elbow sprain).
10-day Injured List (1): Wyatt Langford
15-day Injured List (1): Jack Leiter
60-day Injured List (3): Josh Sborz, Cody Bradford, Jon Gray
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