Needing a jolt amid an unimpressive offensive stretch, the Los Angeles Dodgers welcome the rival San Francisco Giants for the first of a four-game set Monday night.
Los Angeles is coming off a weekend series against the Atlanta Braves that saw it muster a total of four runs in back-to-back games, dropping two of three.
“As far as building innings, we just haven’t been able to do that,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “As a unit, I don’t think that we’re one piece right now. It’s not from a lack of effort. We’ve been in this funk for quite some time. That’s kind of where we’re at right now.”
Shohei Ohtani went 2-for-12 with four strikeouts in the series, seeing his batting average drop to .241.
On the mound, struggling Los Angeles right-hander Roki Sasaki (1-3, 5.97 ERA) will look to build off his first six-inning outing of the year in the opener. Sasaki allowed three runs on five hits in six frames on May 2, losing 3-2 to the St. Louis Cardinals. The 24-year-old will face the Giants for the first time Monday.
The Giants enter their first of 10 straight road games as owners of the third-worst record in the National League. San Francisco is coming off a rare series win, though, taking two of three from the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.
Trevor McDonald (1-0, 1.29) is slated to make his second start after being recalled to the big league club for the third time this season. McDonald, 25, threw seven innings of one-run, two-hit ball in his season debut last Monday, a 3-2 victory over the San Diego Padres. The right-hander struck out eight and walked none in just his third career start.
“Big moment, big opportunity,” McDonald said of his outing, which helped end San Francisco’s six-game losing streak. “There was some adrenaline to where I could go out there and give us a spark and do the best I can to get back on that winning streak.”
An 11th-round draft pick of the Giants in 2019, McDonald hasn’t seen sustained success at the minor-league level, going 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in five appearances (four starts) for Triple-A Sacramento this season. If the right-hander can replicate his 2026 debut, McDonald could remain in the Giants’ rotation.
“Regardless of what the immediate future holds, I think in the distant future, the long term, he’s going to get the ball in his hand again in a vital situation,” Giants manager Tony Vitello said. “I think he sent a message that I hope rang true for all of his buddies on the pitching staff.
“Attacking is the way to go, and when we’ve attacked this year as a pitching staff, we’ve almost always had success.”
McDonald has faced Los Angeles once, allowing one run across six innings in a road no-decision last Sept. 21. The Giants won 3-1.
–Field Level Media
