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The Dodgers will try to win their second straight home series today by taking two of three against the Padres. Walker Buehler will be making his seventh start of this season, he has pitched 34 innings and given up nine runs and 24 hits. He has a slightly better than four to one strikeout to walk ratio, striking out 40 and walking 9.
Buehler was the winning pitcher against the Padres in the multi-pitcher no-hitter earlier this month, in that game he pitched six innings and struck out eight and walked three.
Buehler is averaging 10.6 strikeouts per 9 innings as a starter this season. And as a rookie Los Angeles Dodger starter, for any pitcher with more than one start in his Rookie year, Buehler is second to Hideo Nomo, who averaged 11.1 strikeouts per 9 innings in his Rookie season.
And for 2018, Buehler is second in the National League for Rookie pitchers with three or more starts. Only Caleb Smith, the Miami Marlins lefthander, has a higher rate with a 11.86 strikeouts per 9 innings.
The Padres will be having a bullpen game today.
LHP Matt Strahm will start tomorrow's game against the Dodgers.
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) May 27, 2018
Matt Strahm’s longest outing this season is two innings. In his career, Strahm has made three starts. all in 2017. He pitched five innings in one of those starts where he gave up a run and three hits against the Angels.
One reason the Padres may be using a left-handed pitcher to start this game is the Dodgers record against left-handed pitcher in 2018. The Dodgers are ranked 12th in the National League in OPS vs. left-handed pitching with a .667 OPS. For just right-handed batters against left-handed batters, the Dodgers are only slightly better with a .681 OPS, ranking 11th in the National League.
Outside of Matt Kemp, who is one of the better right-handed hitters against left-handed pitching with a 1.029 OPS through last Friday, no other right-handed Dodger with 26 or more plate appearances against left-handed pitching has an OPS higher than .756 from Austin Barnes in 45 plate appearances.
One potential bright spot is Justin Turner who in limited play is hitting well against left-handed pitching.
Game info
Time: 1:10 p.m. PT
TV: SportsNet LA