The Los Angeles Dodgers are hoping to snap out of a rough stretch as they open the final leg of their road trip against the Houston Astros tonight. After dropping back-to-back series to the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals, the Dodgers find themselves in an unusual offensive slump—one that has seen them fail to hit a single home run in either series, despite leading all of Major League Baseball in that category earlier this season.
Now, they'll look to rediscover their power stroke in a slightly hitter-friendly ballpark, facing off against one of their most heated rivals. All eyes will be on the lineup card as the Dodgers roll out a heavy-hitting order designed to get back on track.
Taking the mound for Los Angeles is right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who has been a steady force in the rotation. Through six starts this season, Yamamoto has pitched 37.2 innings, struck out 32 batters, and posted an impressive 2.87 ERA. He has gone at least six innings in five of those outings, giving the Dodgers the kind of length they'll need to keep the Astros' lineup at bay.
As usual, Shohei Ohtani leads off and serves as the designated hitter, with first baseman Freddie Freeman batting second. Catcher Will Smith hits third, followed by left fielder Teoscar Hernández in the cleanup spot. Right fielder Kyle Tucker anchors the heart of the order at fifth, while third baseman Max Muncy bats sixth. Center fielder Andy Pages slots in seventh, with middle infielders Hyeseong Kim and Alex Freeland rounding out the bottom of the lineup and looking to turn things over for the big bats.
The full lineup is as follows:
1. Shohei Ohtani, DH
2. Freddie Freeman, 1B
3. Will Smith, C
4. Teoscar Hernández, LF
5. Kyle Tucker, RF
6. Max Muncy, 3B
7. Andy Pages, CF
8. Hyeseong Kim, SS
9. Alex Freeland, 2B
P. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, RHP
On the other side, the Astros are starting the series with an opener. Left-handed reliever Steven Okert will take the ball for the first inning. Okert has made 17 appearances this season, logging 15 innings with a 4.20 ERA. Right-hander Ryan Weiss is expected to follow in long relief. Weiss, a rookie, has struggled to find his footing, posting a 6.65 ERA over eight appearances (two starts). He has allowed 16 earned runs and six home runs in 21.2 innings, but has also shown swing-and-miss stuff with 25 strikeouts—so the Dodgers will need to stay disciplined at the plate.
With the bats heating up and Yamamoto on the bump, tonight's game could be just what the Dodgers need to break out of their slump and make a statement against a tough division rival.