The Los Angeles Dodgers are kicking off a tricky series against the Pittsburgh Pirates tonight, and they are riding a sudden three-game winning streak. Can you believe it? This squad went into Colorado, a place that always seems to mess with teams, with their offense looking like a complete hot mess. Honestly, it was brutal to watch! But somehow, they clawed their way out of that series with the bats finally starting to feel good at the plate. It is a miracle, I tell ya!
The Batting Order and That Awkward Slump
Alright, let us talk about this lineup. Shohei Ohtani is leading off at DH, followed by Freddie Freeman at first base, then Andy Pages in center, and Max Muncy at third. Those are some serious bats, no doubt. But the guy with the hottest hand right now is Mookie Betts, batting fifth and playing shortstop, which is just awesome to see. Then comes the real talking point: Kyle Tucker, in right field. This dude has been in a season-long slump, and it has been tough to watch. There is actually a ton of buzz right now about Dodgers fans giving him a massive standing ovation tonight when he steps up, all to help him feel that support and hopefully break out of this funk. I am all for it, we gotta get this guy going!
They are up against Bubba Chandler, a big righty who throws hard for the Pirates. He is got a 4.23 ERA this season, but he has also racked up 108 strikeouts. The Dodgers will need to treat every at-bat like it is the postseason against this guy. Chandler has the stuff to make it a long night, so fighting each pitch and making him earn every out is key, especially since his command can totally fluctuate. We just need to grind him down, that is the plan.
Yamamoto Takes the Mound, Looking Ahead to October
On the mound for the Dodgers tonight is our ever-reliable ace, Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The starting pitching has been the absolute strength of this roster all season, and having Yamamoto out there gives us huge confidence against a young, hungry Pirates rotation. He is pitching at home tonight, a place where he is super comfortable, which is always a bonus. He is also now more than two starts removed from an illness that affected him a bit, so he should be feeling 100%.
The Pirates are one of the more aggressive teams when it comes to swinging the bat. Yamamoto needs to generate his usual weak contact if he is going to have a long, dominant outing tonight. This is a guy who is ready to start building for October, and these kinds of starts are how you do it.
Tonight feels like a huge one. Keeping this three-game streak alive against a tough Pirates squad is vital. And honestly, I am buzzing to see if that crowd ovation for Kyle Tucker actually works. Can you imagine the energy if he breaks out of that slump tonight? It could set the tone for the whole series and really get this team rolling towards what is hopefully a deep run this season. Let us go, Dodgers!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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