The Dodgers head into Tuesday night at Coors Field trying to keep the bats humming after an 11-5 win over the Rockies in the series opener, and the lineup card comes with one notable shakeup: Kyle Tucker has been moved down to the No. 7 spot because of his struggles, with Edman sliding into the sixth slot.
Monday belonged to Los Angeles offensively. Shohei Ohtani powered the attack with a four-hit night and two homers, including a 452-foot shot.
Max Muncy added a 461-foot blast, while Freddie Freeman and Andy Pages each chipped in three-hit performances. The result was the kind of outburst the Dodgers needed, and now they’ll try to build on it in what should be another game with plenty of offense.
There’s also a major roster development before first pitch: the Dodgers are placing All-Star closer Edwin Diaz on the injured list amid his struggles.
On the mound, Los Angeles is turning to left-hander Eric Lauer, who looks to carry over the momentum from his last outing. After his first rough appearance as a Dodger, Lauer bounced back against the Kansas City Royals by allowing one earned run, two total runs, over 6.1 innings with six strikeouts. The Dodgers won that game, moved to 10-1 in Lauer’s outings this year, and he improved to 6-1 with a 3.48 ERA with LA.
Lauer has already seen the Rockies twice since being traded to the Dodgers. In his Dodgers debut on May 26, he threw six innings of one-run ball with four strikeouts. On July 6, he worked six innings again and gave up three runs with three strikeouts.
Colorado will counter with right-hander Ryan Feltner, who is making his 19th start of the season. He enters at 5-6 with a 5.59 ERA in 87 innings, with 61 strikeouts, 36 walks, and 18 home runs allowed. Feltner has faced the Dodgers once this season, giving up three runs, two earned, over 5.2 innings with five strikeouts on April 18.
First pitch for Dodgers-Rockies on Tuesday, Aug. 18 is set for 5:40 p.m. PT/8:40 p.m.
ET. The game will air on SportsNet LA and in the MLB app, with radio coverage on AM570 in English and KTNQ 1020 AM in Spanish.
In Other News...
Hunter Goodman Concern Keeps Growing For Rockies Lineup
Hunter Goodman was supposed to be in the Rockies' starting lineup against the Dodgers, only to be scratched at the last minute because of a shoulder issue that has continued to linger. Brett Sullivan slid in behind the plate in his place, another reminder of how quickly Colorados plans can change when one of its everyday bats is suddenly unavailable.
The lineup shuffle came on a busy day for the Rockies, who also designated Michael Lorenzen for assignment, recalled TJ Shook and prepared to give Tanner Gordon Lorenzens spot in the rotation. For now, Goodman remains day-to-day, which at least keeps the door open for a quick return, but the repeated uncertainty around his availability is starting to become a real concern for a lineup that can ill afford to keep patching holes. [Read more 🡒]
Freddie Freeman Just Made The Rockies Task At Coors Even Tougher
Freddie Freeman briefly turned a routine play into a scare when he tumbled into the visitors dugout while chasing an infield fly ball during the Dodgers series against the Royals. He came out of it with body soreness, sat out a game to rest, and then reported a full recovery, a reassuring update for a Los Angeles club that leans on him as one of its most reliable bats.
For the Rockies, the timing is hardly ideal, especially with the Dodgers coming through Coors Field looking to keep pressure on the division race. Freeman has continued to hit well this season and remains the kind of steady force that can change a series in a hurry, which only raises the degree of difficulty for Colorado when these clubs meet. [Read more 🡒]