Dodgers-Mets Preview: Dodgers Look To Continue To Rack Up The Wins
The Dodgers are coming off an impressive sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays and have now won six of seven games against both the Cardinals and Rays.
The Dodgers are 37-8 in their last 45 games and they’re doing so while still battling injuries, but the role players have really stepped up.
Now, the Mets are visiting the Dodgers for a three game set at Chavez Ravine after winning five of their last six it’s no time to take them lightly.
The Mets have a 54-61 record and are in third place in the NL East and will be without All-Star David Wright, who is battling a hamstring injury. One bright spot for the Mets has been Jenrry Mejia, the young right hander from the Dominican Republic, who has a 1.96 ERA.
The Dodgers are hopeful Hanley Ramirez will return to the line-up soon, but they don’t want to rush him back. While he’s open to playing the rest of the season with the pain in his shoulder, the Dodgers are playing it safe.
Here are the keys to the series:
1. Starting Pitching
With Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke not pitching in this series, the Dodgers are going to have to rely on Ricky Nolasco and Chris Capuano to give them some quality outings. Hyun-Jin Ryu has been great and he will need to be against the Mets and Matt Harvey tomorrow night.
2. Don’t Overlook The Struggling Mets
While the Mets are not one of the better teams in baseball, they still have some impressive pieces that can give the Dodgers some trouble. Matt Harvey and the young up-and-comer Jenrry Mejia are just some of the players than can be effective as David Murphy, Marlon Byrd and Wilmer Flores provide the biggest scares in the Mets lineup.
3. Continue To Solidify Bullpen
Without the two Dodger aces, the bullpen might need to put in more work in this series. This is once again an opportunity for pitchers like Carlos Marmol and Brandon League to get some quality outings and try and improve as playoffs approach.
Prediction:
The Dodgers are going to sweep this series. Is there any reason to think otherwise? The Dodgers are on a roll that is rarely ever seen and to think, that they can only get better with the return of Matt Kemp and Hanley Ramirez.
