The Los Angeles Dodgers boast a lineup featuring multiple All-Stars, but veteran infielder Miguel Rojas has been a key member of the team this season.
Rojas has emerged as a crucial player for the Dodgers, who will aim for their second straight win over the host Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night.
Los Angeles recorded a 3-0 win Monday in the opener of a three-game series and improved to 23-0 this season when Rojas records a hit. He singled and doubled to help the Dodgers win for the sixth time in their last eight games.
Chicago was held to five hits and lost for the fifth time in its last six games.
After being shut out for the 11th time this season and falling to 6-17 in interleague play, Chicago will look to bounce back against the National League West-leading Dodgers.
Rojas, 35, has taken over as the Dodgers’ starting shortstop in place of star Mookie Betts, who fractured his left hand on June 16.
“He’s having a great year so far,” Dodgers infielder Enrique Hernandez said of Rojas, who is batting .284 for the season. “Numbers don’t lie. When he gets a hit, we win. Everybody knows what he brings with the defense, and he puts up a quality, professional at-bat each and every time. He’s been huge for us.”
Tuesday’s pitching matchup will feature a pair of right-handers as Los Angeles’ Bobby Miller (1-1, 6.00 ERA) faces Chicago’s Chris Flexen (2-6, 5.03).
Miller will make his second start since missing a little more than two months due to inflammation in his right shoulder. The 25-year-old yielded five runs over 6 1/3 innings in a no-decision to the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field last Wednesday.
“It was just great to see him out there and doing his thing,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I know he expects a lot of himself, even being his first outing. I thought there were some good throws in there, some things we have to clean up as far as the consistency of the throw. But to have him out there and give us a chance to win was big.”
Miller will make his first career appearance against the White Sox.
Flexen allowed one run over six innings in a no-decision against the Houston Astros last Thursday.
The 29-year-old Flexen has allowed three runs or less in seven of his last 10 starts. He owns a 3.72 ERA across 19 1/3 innings over his last four outings.
“Flexen has had a couple of hiccups here and there, but for the most part he’s kept us in ballgames,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said.
Shohei Ohtani is 3-for-18 with a home run against Flexen, who is 1-1 with a 5.14 ERA in two career games (one start) vs. Los Angeles.
The Dodgers are expected to have outfielder Teoscar Hernandez back in the lineup on Tuesday after he missed the series opener for personal reasons.
White Sox designated hitter Eloy Jimenez went 1-for-4 on Monday in his second contest after missing 29 games with a hamstring injury. He said he experienced soreness in his hamstring during Sunday’s contest against Detroit, but he returned to the cleanup spot on Monday.
“Every report I got today was that he was feeling pretty good,” Grifol said before Monday’s game.
–Field Level Media
