The shaky footing atop the National League will be in the spotlight this week when the Philadelphia Phillies visit the Los Angeles Dodgers to open a three-game series Monday night.
Philadelphia ended a season-long six-game losing streak Sunday with a 6-0 victory on the road against the Seattle Mariners behind nine strikeouts over eight innings from Zack Wheeler.
Though the Phillies are still the top team in the National League, the losses were taking a toll.
“We have too much talent in this clubhouse, and we have the right guys in here to withstand something like this, and hopefully be better on the other side for it,” catcher J.T. Realmuto said after a loss over the weekend. “… We have faith in this clubhouse that we’ll get the job done.”
The Dodgers went 3-5 on a just-completed road trip, which concluded with a 3-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday. The Dodgers lost five consecutive road series, going back to June 28, before taking two of three games at Oakland.
While the Phillies will send right-hander Aaron Nola (11-4, 3.43 ERA) to the mound, the Dodgers are set to counter with All-Star Tyler Glasnow (8-6, 3.50).
Nola has not earned a decision in any of his past three starts despite giving up a combined three runs over his past two outings. He gave up two runs over 5 2/3 innings at home against the New York Yankees on Tuesday in a game the Phillies lost 7-6 in 12 innings.
In 10 career starts against the Dodgers, Nola is 3-1 with a 4.12 ERA. He earned a win against Los Angeles on July 11 when he gave up one run on four hits over six innings with nine strikeouts in Philadelphia.
Glasnow will be making his third start since returning from the injured list because of lower back tightness. He gave up three runs over seven innings in a no-decision against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday.
Glasnow has faced the Phillies just three times in his career, with one start, posting a 6.23 ERA without a decision in those outings. He last faced them in 2018.
The Dodgers earned a 10-0 victory over the A’s on Saturday before their beleaguered bullpen came through on Sunday, giving up just one hit over 4 1/3 scoreless innings. With Evan Phillips struggling for a month, the Dodgers’ closer-by-committee spinning wheel landed on left-hander Anthony Banda, who earned his first career save.
“You have to remain steadfast and eliminate the noise, and these (relievers) feel it, they hear it, they read it,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of his bullpen. “I think the most important thing is for them to feel that I still have trust in them. These are my guys, I’m going to run them out there, and I can’t run from bumps in the road.”
Dodgers All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman missed the road trip to be present for his ailing son, who has shown improvement from a serious illness caused by a virus.
Freeman is close to returning to the team, with Cavan Biggio playing first base and collecting six RBIs over the past seven games, including the go-ahead RBI on Sunday.
–Field Level Media