Walker Buehler is starting, so there’s a reason to watch the Dodgers

The Dodgers continue their series with the Marlins on Wednesday night but in reality their opponent doesn’t matter too much these days. The Dodgers are playing so poorly that it hasn’t made a difference how low the other team is in the standings nor how poorly the other starting pitcher has performed.

Tuesday night was the Dodgers’ seventh consecutive loss to a last place team and ninth in their last 10 games to the Marlins, Padres and Reds.

A loss on Wednesday coupled with a Padres win would mean the Dodgers would be a last place team themselves. Just once in the last 112 seasons have the Dodgers finished in last place, and that was the 99-loss team in 1992.

At 16-25 this year’s Dodgers are on pace for 99 losses.

The Dodgers have lost 15 of their last 20 games. Since moving to Los Angeles, only five of their previous 60 seasons have included a worse 20-game stretch:

• 1968: worst 4-16, finish 75-87
• 1979: worst 4-16, finish 79-83
• 1986: worst 4-16, finish 73-89
• 1992: worst 4-16, finish 63-99
• 2017: worst 3-17, finish 104-58

Yes, 2017 will forever be weird.

Given the piss poor start, it’s hard not to look past 2018 and think about the future. On Wednesday we get to combine both worlds, with Walker Buehler on the mound.

Buehler has been excellent in his four starts, posing a 1.64 ERA and 1.65 in 22 innings against the Marlins, Giants, Padres and Reds. Twenty of his 22 innings have been scoreless, and he has yet to allow a home run this season.

Buehler didn’t allow an extra-base hit until the sixth inning of his last start, a two-run double by Scooter Gennett.

Game info

Time: 4:10 p.m. PT

TV: SportsNet LA