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LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers have their best three pitchers lined up to go against the rival Giants, in Los Angeles for three games beginning Monday night at Dodger Stadium. Here is a look at the probable starters for the series, highlighted by an epic Tuesday night showdown.
Monday, 7:10 p.m. PT (SportsNet LA, MLB Network)
Brett Anderson has been mediocre in his four starts against San Francisco this season — a 4.71 ERA, allowing 11 runs on 26 hits in 21 innings, with 12 strikeouts and seven walks — but has been on the mound for two of the Dodgers' three wins in 12 games against the Giants, including allowing one run in six innings in a win on June 21.
Jake Peavy missed nearly all of the first three months of the season with a back strain, but since returning is 4-4 with a 3.56 ERA in 10 starts, with 42 strikeouts and 16 walks in 60⅔ innings, with only six home runs allowed.
Tuesday, 7:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA)
Since joining the Dodgers, Zack Greinke is 6-0 with a 1.96 ERA in seven starts against the Giants, including wins in each of his last six starts. Madison Bumgarner is 9-3 with a 1.81 ERA in 13 starts against the Dodgers since the beginning of 2012.
Among pitchers with at least 30 plate appearances, Bumgarner leads by far with an .804 OPS, thanks to his five home runs. Greinke and his two home runs are sixth with a .574 OPS.
They are also the only two pitchers not to allow a hit to another pitcher this year (minimum 15 plate appearances), with pitchers 0-for-43 against Bumgarner and 0-for-42 against Greinke. Then there is this:
#sfgiants face Greinke and Kershaw in #dodgers series. Only one current Giant has homered against both. His name: Madison Bumgarner.
— Henry Schulman (@hankschulman) August 31, 2015
Wednesday, 7:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA)
Clayton Kershaw has a 1.63 ERA in 29 career games against the Giants, including 28 starts. But this year the Dodgers have lost all three of his starts, all games started by Bumgarner, with Kershaw putting up a 3.54 ERA. Before 2015, Kershaw's highest single-season ERA against the Giants was 1.69, in 2014.
Mike Leake has a 3.38 ERA in three starts since getting acquired by the Giants, and dating back to his time with the Reds has lasted at least six innings in eight consecutive starts.