The Los Angeles Dodgers are making a bold lineup change against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday, inserting Kyle Tucker into the starting lineup.
The move comes as the Dodgers return home after a three-game winning streak, with Tucker hoping to emerge from his season-long slump. The 23-year-old right fielder has been getting support from fans, including a standing ovation in his last outing.
The Dodgers' lineup for the Pirates series is as follows: Shohei Ohtani, DH; Freddie Freeman, 1B; Andy Pages, CF; Max Muncy, 3B; Mookie Betts, SS; Kyle Tucker, RF; Tommy Edman, 2B; Teoscar Hernandez, LF; and Hunter Feduccia, C.
The Pirates will face off against Dodgers' ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is expected to have a long outing if he can generate weak contact from the Pirates' aggressive hitters.
Yamamoto has been dealing with an illness that affected him in his last start, but should be fully recovered for the Pirates series. The Dodgers are looking to build on their winning streak and will feel confident in their chances against the young Pirates rotation.
The key to beating the Pirates will be for the Dodgers to use a postseason approach and fight each at-bat to make Bubba Chandler earn every out. Chandler has the stuff to make it a long night for the Dodgers, but his command can fluctuate.
Mookie Betts has been on a hot streak, and the Dodgers will be counting on him to make an impact against Chandler. The rest of the lineup, including Ohtani, Freeman, Tucker, and Muncy, will also be crucial in determining the outcome of the game.
The Dodgers are facing a right-hander in Chandler, who has a 4.23 ERA this season with 108 strikeouts. The Dodgers will need to be patient and make him work if they want to come out on top.
Yamamoto is set to take the mound for the Dodgers on Friday, and the team is feeling confident about their chances against the Pirates.
Source: Yahoo Sports