Dodgers welcome Rockies for three games

After a seven-game road trip the Dodgers would like to soon forget, they return to Dodger Stadium, where they’ll host the Colorado Rockies for three games. LA comes into the series at 89-50, which is still good for the best record in the National League. The Rockies, who sit at 59-79, currently are in last place in the N.L. West, and have the second worst record in the NL.

Monday: Walker Buehler (11-3, 3.03 ERA) vs. Peter Lambert (2-5, 6.63 ERA)

First pitch: 5:10 p.m. PT // TV: SportsNet LA, MLB Network (Out of market)

Usually we talk about the pitching matchup for the previews, but there’s no way we can start this without talking about Gavin Lux. The 21-year-old will make his highly anticipated major-league debut on Monday night, starting at second base. He’s the number one prospect in the Dodgers’ farm system, and one of the top prospects in all of major-league baseball.

Walker Buehler, who was once a top prospect in the Dodgers’ system as well, will get the start at the place he’s most comfortable. This season at Dodger Stadium, Buehler is 5-0 with a 2.13 ERA. He has a WHIP of 0.81, and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of nearly 15-to-1. His last two starts have been dominant, as he’s thrown 13 shutout innings, striking out 19 and walking only two.

It’s been a rough rookie campaign for Peter Lambert. On the season, his ERA is 6.63, and his WHIP sits at 1.63. He’s faced the Dodgers twice this year, allowing eight runs in 9 ²⁄₃ innings with 16 hits allowed. In the month of August, the 22-year-old had an ERA of 8.16 while opponents hit .311 off him.

Tuesday: Kenta Maeda (8-8, 4.11 ERA) vs. Chi Chi González (0-6, 8.11 ERA)

First pitch: 7:10 p.m. PT // TV: SportsNet LA

It’s been a struggle over the last month for Kenta Maeda. Since July 23, he owns an ERA of 5.35. That’s including his best start of the season, in which is threw seven shutout innings against the D-Backs. In four starts against Colorado this year, he has a 4.43 ERA.

Things have not gone well this year for Chi Chi González. He’s coming off a start in which he allowed seven runs in only ²⁄₃ an inning. Prior to that start, he allowed five runs in 4 ¹⁄₃ innings.

Wednesday: Hyun-Jin Ryu (12-5, 2.35 ERA) vs. Antonio Senzatela (8-9, 6.95 ERA)

First pitch: 7:10 p.m. PT // TV: SportsNet LA

After that was one of the greatest starts to a season by a starting pitcher in major-league history, Hyun-Jin Ryu has had a rough last couple of weeks. Over his last three starts, Ryu is 0-3 with an ERA of 11.05. Over his last 14 ²⁄₃ innings, he’s allowed 25 hits and five home runs. Luckily for him, he’s pitched leaps and balances better at Dodger Stadium, having a 1.54 ERA and 0.88 WHIP.

Antonio Senzatela has a string of starts that are among some of the worst we’ve seen in baseball recently. He’s allowed at least six runs in five consecutive starts. Over his last 17 ²⁄₃ innings, he’s allowed 33 runs, 36 hits, while striking out only nine. To put those numbers into perspective, opponents are hitting .429 off him with an OPS of 1.146.