For the first time this season, the Los Angeles Dodgers will try to rebound from a defeat when they visit the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday afternoon in the middle game of a three-game set.
The series opener on Friday was an entertaining contest in which Jesus Luzardo shut out the Dodgers over the first seven innings. Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto threw out a runner attempting to steal second to end both the eighth and ninth innings as Los Angeles suffered its first loss in nine games this season.
Not to be lost in the Dodgers’ sizzling start to the season is a productive first week for the Phillies, who sit at 6-1 heading into Saturday’s game. And they have won seven of their past eight matchups with Los Angeles.
“It’s so early in the season,” Philadelphia manager Rob Thomson cautioned. “I don’t really take too much out of this, but playing the Dodgers — playing any good team, really — the guys get up for it and it’s important for them to beat those teams.”
Meanwhile, Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts joked that his team was in “unchartered territory” after the defeat but did acknowledge that his squad needs to clean up some of its fundamental errors from the loss.
“Any loss is tough, and I hate losing — we hate losing,” Roberts said. “But I think it does go to how we play. … We’ve gotten away with it some games early, but this is something that we’ve got to get better at.”
Roki Sasaki (0-0, 5.79 ERA) will start for Los Angeles on Saturday after two shaky outings to begin his career. The Japanese right-hander has walked nine in 4 2/3 innings thus far, and he was visibly emotional in the dugout after getting lifted just 1 2/3 innings into his most recent start, against the Detroit Tigers last Saturday, after giving up two runs, three hits and walking four. The Dodgers still won, 7-3.
“I want him to continue to stay out there and stay vigilant,” Roberts said. “He’s not used to having some struggles, and this is an opportunity for him to fight back, answer back.”
On Saturday, the Phillies will give the ball to Aaron Nola (0-1, 8.44 ERA), who allowed five runs in 5 1/3 innings in his season debut — a 5-1 loss to the Washington Nationals on Sunday. He gave up two home runs in that outing after issuing 62 over the previous two seasons.
“I always want to avoid giving up the long ball because I think it’s hurt me the past few years a lot,” Nola said. “Solo home runs is … whatever. I’d rather (not give up) solo home runs, but the ones that really hurt are the three-run homers like today and the two-run homers. So, hopefully, I can limit those this year and not give up as many, especially with guys on base.”
Mookie Betts is 7-for-20 (.350) with two home runs against Nola, although the right-hander has limited the damage against Will Smith (2-for-20), Tommy Edman (1-for-16) and Max Muncy (1-for-21) throughout their careers.
Nola, in his 11th season with the Phillies, has 11 career appearances (all starts) against the Dodgers. He is 3-2 with a 4.29 ERA.
–Field Level Media
