The Los Angeles Dodgers, who hold the major leagues’ best winning percentage, are back home to open a three-game series against the Texas Rangers on Friday.
Both teams lead their respective divisions, with the Dodgers atop the National League West and the Rangers in first in the American League West.
The Dodgers just won five of six on a road trip to Washington and Toronto. They swept three games from the Washington Nationals and took two of three from the Toronto Blue Jays, with Los Angeles scoring 10 or more runs in three of the six games.
“When you win the first five, you want to get greedy and win the last one,” manager Dave Roberts said. “But it’s still a really good road trip.”
Los Angeles is 4-2 at home so far this season, with a series sweep over the Arizona Diamondbacks and one win in three games against the Cleveland Guardians.
Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow gets the start in the series opener on Friday. Glasnow (1-0, 3.00 ERA) is coming off a solid six-inning performance at Washington on Saturday, when he allowed two runs on four hits, walked two and struck out nine.
Glasnow is 3-0 with a minuscule 0.38 ERA in four career appearances against the Rangers, all stars. He has 32 strikeouts and seven walks in 23 2/3 innings against Texas.
The Dodgers lead the majors in team batting average (.287) and home runs (21). Ten different players have homered for Los Angeles, with Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Andy Pages and backup catcher Dalton Rushing having three home runs each.
The Dodgers’ pitching staff is holding opponents to a .207 batting average and has a collective 3.36 ERA so far in the early going.
Los Angeles shortstop Mookie Betts remains out with an oblique injury that could keep him from playing games until the end of the month or early May.
The Rangers came to L.A. on the heels of a three-game series sweep of the visiting Seattle Mariners. Pitching was a big reason for Texas’ success.
The Rangers have a 2.94 ERA as a staff and are holding opponents to a .213 batting average. Texas limited Seattle to three runs combined over the three-game series, including a 3-0 shutout in the series finale.
Texas will send right-hander Kumar Rocker to the mound to start the Friday game. Rocker (0-1, 3.60 ERA) pitched well on Saturday, holding the Cincinnati Reds to two runs on six hits over five innings, though he took a loss. He struck out three and walked one.
Rocker will be pitching against the Dodgers for the first time in his career.
Former Dodger Corey Seager leads the Rangers with three home runs, and Brandon Nimmo’s .340 batting average is tops among Texas’ regular players.
–Field Level Media
