Kenta Maeda is a different pitcher since last facing Arizona

When the Dodgers made their only other trip to Chase Field this season, it was April and they were nearing the end of a 10-12 start to 2017. Cody Bellinger had yet to be called up and Kenta Maeda was struggling with a dreadful 8.05 ERA.

Maeda was blasted for 17 runs in 19 innings over his first four starts, including 10 runs in two starts against the Diamondbacks.

Fast forward to the present and Maeda has pitched well with the pressure of losing his rotation spot for most of the year. The right-hander is 9-2 with a 2.72 ERA in 15 games (13 starts) since leaving Arizona on April 23.

The Dodgers have won 11 of 13 games Kenta Maeda has started during that span.

Arizona will counter with Zack Godley who has pitched well at the back end of the Snakes’ rotation. The righty owns a 2.86 ERA in 15 starts and allowed only one run in 5 ¹⁄₃ innings against the Dodgers July 5.

Bellinger will be making his first trip in the big leagues to Chase Field which is near where he was born (Scottsdale) and went to high school (Chandler). With four homers last week and 32 on the season, Bellinger could feel right at home in the hitter’s park.

The Dodgers were only up 2.5 games over Arizona when these two teams started a series at Dodger Stadium July 4. Los Angeles is currently 15.5 games over the Rockies and 16.0 games over the Diamondbacks.