The Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves continue an important National League series on Friday. The Dodgers are currently on top of the NL West by just one game over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Meanwhile, the Braves are 1.5 games behind the NL East leaders Philadelphia Phillies.
Los Angeles is coming off a poor pitching effort against Philadelphia earlier this week while the Atlanta alternated wins versus Washington and Miami heading into this series. The Dodgers won the opener on Thursday 8-2, behind 12 hits including the first home run of Manny Machado as a Dodger.
The Dodgers allowed a staggering 20 runs during their recent three-game series with the Phillies. Although they outscored Philadelphia overall in the entire series, Los Angeles was outlasted in an extra inning game on Tuesday and had nothing left in the tank during the finale.
Outfielder Yasiel Puig (.265 batting average, 11 home runs and 35 RBI), who has been out of action since July 9, 2018, is expected to travel with the team but play only beginning Saturday. Max Muncy leads the Dodgers with 24 homers while Matt Kemp has 64 RBIs this season for Los Angeles.
Clayton Kershaw will take the mound for the Dodgers on Friday. The lefty is 3-5 with and ERA of 2.64 in 14 games started this season. In his last game, Kershaw took the loss after allowing four runs on seven hits with one error and one home run given up in six innings pitched as the Dodgers dropped a 2-4 decision to the Milwaukee Brewers on 7/21/18.
Despite getting the loss, Kershaw looked good against the Brewers, with 61 out of his total 88 pitches thrown as strikes. In his last five games, Kershaw pitching ratio of 26 strikeouts to 5 walks is impressive.
The Braves have been inconsistent in their last four games, all of which were on the road and against their division rivals. Atlanta alternated wins during those four games mainly because their offense had back and forth swings and their pitching staff gave up 21 runs in those four games.
Ozzie Albies, who leads the Braves with 20 home runs this season, returned to action for the Braves on Thursday, starting at second base and batting second. He missed four games with a hamstring injury. Albies is hitting .333 with three home rounds and three steals in 57 at bats for the month of July.
Mike Foltynewicz will be the starter for the Braves. The 26-year-old right-hander from Sterling, Illinois has 19 starts this season and boasts a record of 7-6 with an ERA of 2.85. Foltynewicz took the 2-6 loss to the Wizards on Sunday, giving up four runs on nine hits with three walks and five strikeouts in 5.2 innings pitched. Foltynewicz ended up throwing 112 pitches, his highest total since hurling 113 against Boston on May 27th.
Foltynewicz has lost two of his last three starts, giving up 14 earned runs during that period. Although his pitching ratio or 18 strikeouts to 5 bases on balls is very good, he did give up four home runs during that stretch.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been solid on the road lately, winning 20 of their last 29 games away from home. As for Kershaw, don’t let his record fool you. He’s a very reliable pitcher when he’s healthy. He’s 2-1 in four starts during the month of July. Overall, the Dodgers are 56-26 in his last 82 road starts.
Atlanta has been an inconsistent 7-11 in the month of July and they have dropped three of their last four games. The Braves haven’t played that well on Fridays, going 3-11 in their last 14 Friday games. Likewise, Foltynewicz hasn’t pitched well on Fridays as he’s 1-6 in his last 7 Friday starts.
These are two teams who are currently faced with almost the same issues. But with Kershaw starting on Friday, we like the Dodgers better. We’re picking the Dodgers to beat the Braves.
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