Dodgers Preview: Wild Card Hopeful Reds Come to Dodger Stadium for Three-Game Clash

LOS ANGELES, CA—After salvaging the final game in San Diego on Sunday, securing a tie in the National League West standings, the Los Angeles Dodgers will return home for a six-game homestand, and first up is a three-game set with the Cincinnati Reds.

While the Dodgers swept the Padres last weekend at Dodger Stadium, the team has struggled to find consistency in August, dropping two games in a four-game set versus the Colorado Rockies and nearly being swept themselves at Petco Park this past weekend.

Overall, the Dodgers are 11-11 since the start of August. They’re 21-25 since July 1 and are now in a tight battle for the National League West crown.

However, things are trending upward for the Dodgers as they enter this week.

The team is set to activate fan-favorite utilityman Kiké Hernández, who will likely get plenty of reps in left field, hopefully replacing Michael Conforto.

Hyeseong Kim should rejoin the team later this week, followed by a hopeful minor league rehab assignment for Max Muncy and Tommy Edman in September.

As for the Reds, they’re a team that might as well be out of the race in the National League Central, entering today, thirteen games back from the Milwaukee Brewers, who have already eclipsed the eighty-win mark this season.

However, the Reds are just 1.5 games behind the final National League Wild Card spot, currently held by the New York Mets.

The Reds have been average so far this month, sitting just a game over .500 with a record of 11-10, and have won just five of their last ten games.

Still, in their previous meeting in July, just before the trade deadline, the Dodgers took two of three games in Cincinnati, which were highly contested.

Pitching matchups

Game One: Emmet Sheehan (4-2, 4.17 ERA) vs Hunter Greene (5-3, 2.63 ERA)

Game Two: Clayton Kershaw (LHP) (8-2, 3.13 ERA) vs Nick Martinez (10-9, 4.59 ERA)

Game Three: Shohei Ohtani (0-1, 4.61 ERA) vs TBD (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Game Times

Game One: 7:10 PM PT, SportsNet LA, FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, MLB Network (out-of-market-only)

Game Two: 7:10 PM PT, SportsNet LA, FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, MLB Network (out-of-market-only)

Game Three: 5:40 PM PT, SportsNet LA, FanDuel Sports Network Ohio

Who’s in & who’s out?

While the Dodgers got some much-needed pitching reinforcements over the weekend in San Diego with Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates being activated off the 15-day injured list, the team will get its first position player activated off the IL today.

Kiké Hernández, who has been on the injured list since July with left elbow soreness, is set to be activated today.

The fan-favorite utilityman hit .357 in fourteen minor league at-bats on his rehab assignment with the Triple-A OKC Comets and should be a major boost to the Dodgers’ lineup and defense.

Following closely behind Hernández is fellow utility player Hyeseong Kim, who is expected to rejoin the Los Angeles team later this week on the same homestand, according to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.

Staying on the position player side of things, third baseman Max Muncy and utilityman Tommy Edman are each progressing well in their rehab for their injuries.

Muncy, 35, was placed back on the 10-day injured list with an oblique injury, a similar issue that forced the third baseman to miss nearly three months.

Muncy has finally begun swinging a bat and could face hitters in the coming days.

Edman has been on the injured list since early August after reaggravating an ankle injury that has lingered with the switch-hitting utilityman since last season.

Both are expected to return in September.

On the pitching side of things, the Dodgers are expected to activate right-handed pitcher Michael Kopech when he’s eligible on August 27. While the righty has struggled with command in his rehab assignment, he’s maintained elite velocity and strikeout rate.

Right-handed bullpen arm and 2025 trade deadline day acquisition, Brock Stewart, and the team are eying a mid-September return after he has resumed playing light catch after being shut down from throwing once placed on the injured list.

Finally, right-handed Japanese rookie starter Roki Sasaki is expected to continue his minor league rehab assignment with the OKC Comets. The righty tossed 3.1 innings last week, allowing just two runs (one earned on three hits, three walks and collecting two punch outs. Sasaki could rejoin the team in September.

Day-to-day (0):

10-day Injured List (4): Tommy Edman, Kiké Hernández, Hyeseong Kim, Max Muncy

15-day Injured List (2): 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

Despite the Reds being in postseason contention this late into the season, they’ve been beaten by injuries in the month of August.

Catcher Tyler Stephenson was placed on the 10-day injured list on the 20th due to a left thumb fracture. The backstop was fitted for a thumb guard, which would be inserted in the catch’s mitt, but the team is being cautious before speculating on a timeline.

Still, Stepheson is expected to play catch and resume hitting this week, possibly at Dodger Stadium.

Right-handed pitcher Chase Burns is another injury that the Reds have suffered in August, as the righty was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right flexor tendon strain.

Despite the injury, Burns has continued to play catch-up, throwing to 105-115 feet, and is slated for a side session on Tuesday, according to Reds manager Terry Francona, who is hopeful that he can return this season.

Left-handed pitcher Nick Lodolo is also ramping up towards a September return after facing hitters for three simulated innings on August 22. If all goes well over the next two days, the Reds are expected to activate the lefty and have him start the series finale versus the Dodgers.

Lodolo has been on the 15-day injured list since August 5 with a left index finger blister.

Right-handed pitcher Ian Gibaut’s return this season has been thrown into doubt after the righty was shut down and had his minor league rehab assignment stopped on August 9.

The righty has been on the injured list since late June after suffering a right shoulder injury. Gibaut had arthroscopic surgery to repair his labrum and reattach his biceps tendon to his upper arm, but has since halted all baseball activities.

Day-to-day (00):

10-day Injured List (1): Tyler Stephenson

15-day Injured List (2): Nick Lodolo, Chase Burns

60-day Injured List (7): Brandon Williamson, Julian Aguiar, Rhett Lowder, Tyler Callihan, Wade Miley, Ian Gibaut, Carson Spiers

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