Editorials

Greinke Looks To Remain Perfect, Gordon Returns To Dodger Stadium

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

After an overall successful road trip in which the Los Angeles Dodgers won their final three games to go 4-2 over the six-game stretch, they return to Dodger Stadium Monday night to face the Miami Marlins for the first of a three-game series.

The Dodgers (20-10) lead the National League West by 4.5 games and are one game behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the loss column for the best record in baseball. Plenty of the focus is on the return of Dee Gordon, who the Dodgers traded away in the offseason in part to acquire second baseman Howie Kendrick.



However, Zack Greinke, who is in the midst of a potentially special season, will have the biggest say in today’s outcome. The 31 year old is 5-0 with a 1.56 ERA and has been the anchor for the pitching staff this season.

Greinke’s six consecutive starts with six or more innings pitched and three runs or fewer allowed without a loss to begin season put him behind only Fernando Valenzuela (eight), Brad Penny (eight) and Don Sutton (seven) for the franchise record.

Tom Koehler gets the start for the Marlins. He is 2-3 with an ERA of 5.18, and is coming off a rough outing against the Washington Nationals in which he gave up five runs over six innings. The Dodgers currently lead the Majors in home runs (48), total bases (477), run differential (+51), slugging (.481) and OPS (.830), a torrid start for a franchise historically built around pitching.

The Dodgers will have their fair share of challenges to contend with as well in the form of Giancarlo Stanton and Gordon. Stanton currently owns a 13-game hitting streak against the Dodgers, the longest active hitting streak by any player against the club.

For his part, Gordon has done everything he can to make the Dodgers regret shipping him away in December. His 54 hits and .439 batting average (including .537 in his last 10 games) lead the Majors by a wide margin.

It’s also Cuba Night at Dodger Stadium. Unfortunately for fans in attendance and the Dodgers, Yasiel Puig, the most prominent Cuban player on either team, remains sidelined by a left hamstring strain.

Dodgers Lineup:

CF: Joc Pederson

SS: Jimmy Rollins

2B: Howie Kendrick

1B: Adrian Gonzalez

3B: Justin Turner

C: Yasmani Grandal

RF: Andre Ethier

LF: Scott Van Slyke

P: Zack Greinke

Marlins Lineup:

2B: Dee Gordon

3B: Martin Prado

RF: Giancarlo Stanton

CF: Marcell Ozuna

LF: Christian Yelich

1B: Michael Morse

C: J.T. Realmuto

SS: Adeiny Hechavarria

P: Tom Koehler

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Dee Gordon Discusses Return To Dodger Stadium

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_HXxIwKtVU

Staff Writer

Staff Writer features content written by our site editors along with our staff of contributing writers. Thank you for your readership.

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