Shohei Ohtani is back in the Dodgers’ lineup Friday night, and that’s the headline as Los Angeles opens a three-game set against the Boston Red Sox at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium.
Ohtani sat out Thursday with left knee soreness, but his return makes it clear he won’t be headed to the injured list at this time. The Dodgers are also making a few other lineup changes for the series opener, with Max Muncy out against a left-handed starter and Dalton Rushing sitting as well.
Kiké Hernández gets his second straight start, this time at third base. Alfonzo is behind the plate, while Rojas is at second base with Tommy Edman on the bench.
The Dodgers enter the final series before Monday’s trade deadline at 69-40 after taking a series from the Seattle Mariners. They’ve won four straight series since the All-Star break and are 8-4 overall in that stretch.
Boston comes in at 57-51 after winning three of four against the Athletics. The Red Sox have gone 11-3 since the break, the best record in Major League Baseball.
Los Angeles is going with a bullpen game Friday, opening with right-hander Edgardo Henriquez. The hard-throwing righty has a 2.79 ERA in 42 innings this season, with 42 strikeouts and 19 walks. This will be his first time serving as an opener this year.
The Red Sox will counter with left-hander Ranger Suarez, who is making his second start since coming off the injured list. Suarez missed three weeks in July with a groin strain, then came back strong last weekend by throwing four shutout innings against the Toronto Blue Jays.
For the season, Suarez has a 3.02 ERA across 18 starts and 95.1 innings, with 103 strikeouts and 26 walks. He’s also very familiar with the Dodgers after spending the last eight years with the Philadelphia Phillies. He signed with Boston this offseason on a five-year, $130 million deal.
First pitch for Dodgers-Red Sox on Friday, July 31 is set for 7:10 p.m. PT/10:10 p.m. ET.
The game will be broadcast on SportsNet LA and in the MLB app. It will also air on radio on AM570 in English and KTNQ 1020 AM in Spanish.
In Other News...
Red Sox Eye One More Deadline Move To Fix A Lingering Problem
The Red Sox have already done business with the Nationals twice in the past nine months, landing pitcher Jake Bennett and infielder Curtis Mead, but the work in Washington may not be finished. Mead is currently out with a broken wrist, and Boston still appears to be searching for a cleaner answer on the infield as the trade deadline approaches.
According to reports, the club has continued to monitor Washingtons infield market while looking for another move that would address the lingering issue. The interest points toward a player who has been productive this season, and the price could require Boston to part with a notable major league piece or a pitcher from the current roster mix. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Wild Card Push Suddenly Hinges On Two Unsettled Developments
Roman Anthony is back to batting as he continues to work his way back from a torn ligament in his ring finger, a small but meaningful step for a Red Sox club trying to keep its Wild Card hopes alive while managing a few moving parts. At the same time, Willson Contreras is rejoining the lineup after clearing concussion protocol, giving Boston another healthy bat at a moment when every at-bat seems to carry extra weight in the standings race.
The bigger organizational questions are still simmering behind the scenes. Tanner Houcks recovery from UCL surgery has reached the point where he is throwing in bullpen sessions, and the possibility of a late-season return adds another layer to Bostons pitching picture. On the roster front, the Red Sox have also had interest in Luis Garca Jr., but the Yankees are close to getting there first, which would force Boston to keep looking for help as the deadline pressure and the playoff chase continue to overlap. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Face One Huge Deadline Decision On A Star Catcher
The Red Sox are staring at a late-breaking catcher decision with real consequences, as Boston and Baltimore have already lined up the framework of a potential deal involving Adley Rutschman. Prospects have been identified, medical information has been exchanged and the sides have gotten far enough along that the only remaining hurdle is Bostons final approval.
Rutschmans status adds another layer to the pause, since he is dealing with an injury that has kept him out. For a Red Sox club weighing both the short-term fit and the long-term cost, that makes this less about simply adding a name and more about deciding whether the timing, health and price all line up well enough to move forward. [Read more 🡒]