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The Dodgers are facing left-hander Blake Snell in Game 6 of the World Series, and will start right-handed batter A.J. Pollock, with Austin Barnes behind the plate again.
Pollock, who tied for the team lead with 16 home runs during the regular season, is hitting just .231/.286/.282 (9-for-39) this postseason.
World Series Game 6 lineups
| Pos | Rays | Pos | Dodgers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Rays | Pos | Dodgers |
| 1B | Choi (L) | RF | Betts |
| LF | Arozarena | SS | Seager (L) |
| DH | Meadows (L) | 3B | Turner |
| 2B | Lowe (L) | 1B | Muncy (L) |
| RF | Margot | DH | Smith |
| 3B | Wendle (L) | CF | Bellinger (L) |
| SS | Adames | 2B | Taylor |
| CF | Kiermaier (L) | LF | Pollock |
| C | Zunino | C | Barnes |
He started the first seven playoff games for the Dodgers, but Game 6 is just his sixth start of the last 11 games. He’s essentially been limited to starting against left-handers, starting now all eight games against southpaw starting pitchers this postseason, but started just one of the Dodgers’ last six games against righties.
“He’s got to stay in the strike zone. I think there’s some pitches that he could end the at-bat that he’s missing,” manager Dave Roberts said on Saturday, before Pollock doubled in Game 4. “He’s used to playing every day, essentially. He’s going to grind and put together good at-bats.”
Pollock was 0-for-2 with a strikeouts against Snell in Game 2.
With Barnes catching for the fourth time in six games in the World Series, that puts Will Smith at designated hitter, with Pollock in left field and Chris Taylor at second base. That leaves out Kiké Hernández, who started the other two games this series against Rays left-handers, including going 0-for-1 with a walk and a strikeout in Game 2 against Snell.
The Rays are using the usual five left-handed batters against Dodgers right-hander Tony Gonsolin, but they switched the order at the top. First baseman Ji-Man Choi leads off, something he did seven times in 2020, with Austin Meadows hitting third and second baseman Brandon Lowe cleanup.
The Globe Life Roof will be closed for Game 6.