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One of the biggest question marks for the 2019 season will be how much playing time Alex Verdugo receives. With A.J. Pollock and Cody Bellinger likely being daily locks, that leaves one spot open in the crowded outfield.
Verdugo, 22, is trying to earn the final starting job. He helped his case on Sunday, going 2-for-3 with two doubles and two runs driven in. For the spring, he’s 6-for-18 with four runs driven in.
The bats
LA scored six runs on Sunday, with four of them coming in the third inning. With two outs, David Freese drew a walk, loading the bases for Verdugo.
In the previous inning, Verdugo led off the inning with a double, eventually coming in to score on a groundout from Austin Barnes. For the second consecutive inning, Verdugo doubled, this time driving in two runs to tie the game at three runs a piece.
2-for-3, 2 RBI, 2 runs, 2 doubles for Alex Verdugo through five. #DodgersST pic.twitter.com/AhM8610fy4
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 3, 2019
Barnes came up to the plate next, bringing in two of his own with a single up the middle. On the afternoon, Barnes finished with three RBI.
It’s been a productive spring so far for Barnes, as he’s tied for the team lead with five runs batted in. He’s hitting .286, with an on-base percentage of .333.
One of the biggest standouts so far has been 21-year-old Omar Estevez. He hit his second homer of the spring in the sixth inning, giving LA the 6-3 lead.
Estevez spent last season in Rancho Cucamonga, where he hit .278 with 15 home runs and 84 RBI. This spring, he’s hitting .385 with an OPS of 1.308.
The pitching
Kenta Maeda threw two innings on Sunday. He had a rough first inning, allowing three runs — the only runs of the game for Texas. Maeda settled down in the second, retiring the side and striking out two.
Seeing his first action of the spring, Kenley Jansen appeared for one inning of relief. He didn’t allow a hit, and got one strikeout.
Other notable names to see action included Joe Kelly, Josh Fields, Tony Cingrani, and J.T. Chargois. All four of them threw one scoreless inning of relief.
The Dodgers play tomorrow at 12:05 p.m. PT. The game won’t be broadcasted on television, but can be heard on AM 570.