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Buehler opens series against Chicago as Dodgers look to extend West lead – Dodgers Digest

The Dodgers did well over the weekend, winning two of three games against the Guardians despite a very dismal start to the series. Teoscar Hernandez had to leave the first game of the series after being hit on the ankle in the first inning, and the offense scored just one run for the second game in a row. They rebounded well from that rough start, outscoring Cleveland 11-2 in the final two games and moving six games ahead of the Padres in the West.

Today, the Dodgers begin a three-game set against the Cubs to complete this home stand. The two teams met in Chicago in April and it was a pretty nightmarish series for the Dodgers. They won the middle game of the series, but Bobby Miller And Gavin Stone were swept in the first and final games and lost the series. The Cubs were 6-3 after the series and are still three games over .500 at 73-70. They finished August hot, winning nine of 10 games, but have since lost four of six of their last two series. They followed the same pattern in those two series, losing the first two games before fending off the sweep with a win in the finale. They kept a clean sheet in three of those four losses.

Picture Picture
19:10 Los Angeles
LF Happ (S) DH Ohtani (L)
SS Swanson RF Betting
DH Suzuki 1B Guest of Honour (L)
RF Bellinger (left) 3B Muncy (L)
3B Parades C Blacksmith
1B Bush (L) CF Edman (S)
2B Horns 2B Lux (L)
CF Crow-Armstrong (L) SS Red
C Amaya LF Taylor
P Hendricks (Right) P Buehler (R)

Walker Buehler looks to build on his solid start last time out in Anaheim. Buehler managed five solid innings, allowing five hits and two runs (both solo home runs). His six strikeouts were the most he's had in a game since late May, and it was the first time he's gone five innings in his last four starts. Buehler hasn't seen the Cubs since 2022, and that start was arguably the last when he was Walker F. Buehler. He entered that start with two consecutive shutouts (a CGSO against Arizona and five shutouts against Detroit). Buehler held the Cubs to one run with four hits in seven innings, lowering his ERA to 1.96 in six starts. He made six more starts that season, posting a 6.67 ERA in those 28 1/3 innings before a flexor muscle injury escalated into a second Tommy John surgery.

Kyle Hendricks makes his 26th appearance and 21st start of the season. It was by far the worst season of his 11-year career, with a 6.60 ERA and a 5.22 FIP over 107 2/3 innings. His ERA is nearly two runs higher than his previous worst (4.80 in 2022). This is actually the third-best ERA he's had after a start this season, worse only than the 6.33 and 6.35 he had after two starts in August. He's coming off consecutive starts against the Pirates with varying degrees of success. In Pittsburgh, Hendricks allowed six runs and eight hits in just 1 2/3 innings. Last time out in Chicago, he allowed two runs on five hits in five innings. He started the first game against the Dodgers when they went to Chicago in April and struggled, allowing five runs and eight hits in just four innings. Miller and Michael Grove imploded even worse and the Cubs eventually won the game.

Hendricks has never been a pitcher who has a lot of strikeouts, but he currently has the lowest strikeout rate of his career (15.6 percent, third-lowest among pitchers with over 100 innings). His 7.0 percent walk rate isn't great, but it's the worst he's ever had. Hendricks has the lowest average fastball velocity in baseball at just 87.9 MPH. It's his least-used pitch (12.6 percent), and despite the low entry velocity, he has the highest average exit velocity of his four pitches (93.5 MPH). Overall, he's still excellent at limiting exit velocity (85.5 MPH exit velocity overall, second-lowest among starters in baseball). He is primarily a sinker/changeup pitcher, throwing sinkers 36.7 percent of the time and changes 37.4 percent of the time. He also throws curved pitches 13.4 percent of the time.

Hernandez remains out of action, Chris Taylor today. Old friends Cody Bellinger And Michael Busch Start for the Cubs in the right or first position.

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There was a chance Hernandez would return today, but instead he is aiming for tomorrow.

He is reportedly still in pain, but could be back tomorrow against Shota ImanagaThe Dodgers may face left-handers in three of their next four games (ESPN has Chris Sales as the likely starter on Saturday in Atlanta), so they'll need Teo back sooner rather than later.

Some additional updates to Brusdar grater And Tyler Glasnow.

Graterol is expected to be used on Wednesday as the Dodgers consider how to handle the already crowded bullpen. Glasnow survived his first bullpen and will throw another tomorrow. Assuming that goes well, he will throw a simulation game on Friday.

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This morning, Mookie Betts became the Dodger candidate for the Roberto Clemente Forgive.

Imagine if you were the team that drafted him and then said, “Nah, we're good.”

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First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. PT and will be broadcast on SportsNet LA.

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