First pitch is 9:10 PM PT in Chavez Ravine, and the Phillies (29-28) are trying to crawl back into a series that already feels uphill against the 37-20 Dodgers. Luzardo (4-4, 4.38) versus Roki Sasaki (3-3, 4.93) is the marquee, and both guys come in with reasons to feel good about how the last month has gone.
Luzardo just put up 6 shutout innings on the Padres in his last outing, but the season-long file on him is wild swings — he's either pitching like an ace or coughing up a five-spot, with very little in between. Sasaki's surface ERA still looks ugly, but he's quietly stitched together a 3.52 ERA over his last four starts after a brutal April, leaning more on the splitter and less on the forkball. The Dodgers were comfortable enough with the turnaround that the rotation slot is no longer a question — especially with Blake Snell going back under the knife for the same nano-scope procedure Tarik Skubal had.
The Dodgers have won 5 in a row and have absolutely battered everyone in their path — a 15-6 demolition of Colorado in the middle of that stretch, then a 4-2 win over the Phillies in the opener Friday. Philly's hardly been a pushover either, taking 3 of 4 from San Diego before flying west, but that opener loss snapped the heater and now they're staring at a do-not-get-swept spot on the road.
- Day-To-DayCarson DeMartini SS
- Day-To-DayBryan Rincon SS — The Phillies promoted Rincon from Single-A Clearwater to High-A Jersey Shore on Aug. 15.
- Day-To-DayKeaton Anthony 1B — Anthony suffered a fractured toe after fouling a ball off his foot during Monday's Grapefruit League game versus the Red Sox, Lochlahn March of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
- Day-To-DayRene Pinto C — Pinto (undisclosed) began a rehab assignment Monday, Kristie Ackert of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
- Day-To-DayDaniel Robert RP — Robert suffered a cardiac incident Sunday while preparing to throw a bullpen session and was taken to a local hospital, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
- Day-To-DayAndrew Bechtold 3B — Bechtold signed a minor-league contract with the Blue Jays on Dec. 1.
- Day-To-DayMark Kolozsvary C — Kolozsvary (undisclosed) agreed to a minor-league contract with the Phillies on Friday that includes an invitation to spring training, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.
- paternityAaron Nola SP — Nola (3-4) allowed two runs on three hits and struck out five without walking a batter over six innings to earn the win over the Padres on Tuesday.
- 10-Day-ILTeoscar Hernandez LF — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters Friday that Hernandez was diagnosed with a Grade 1 hamstring strain and does not have a timeline for a return, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
- 10-Day-ILEnrique Hernandez 1B — Hernandez is expected to be out for 6-to-8 weeks after sustaining a "significant tear" of his left oblique during Tuesday's 15-6 win over the Rockies, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
- 15-Day-ILJack Dreyer RP — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Friday that Dreyer (shoulder) will not go on a rehab assignment and will be activated from the 15-day injured list when eligible June 1, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
- 15-Day-ILTyler Glasnow SP — Glasnow (back) played catch Monday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
- 15-Day-ILBrock Stewart RP — Stewart (foot) has started a throwing program, per MLB.com.
- 60-Day-ILBlake Snell SP — Snell (elbow) will undergo the same "nano scope" procedure Tuesday that Tarik Skubal had earlier in May, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILEvan Phillips RP — Phillips (elbow) is facing hitters Tuesday for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
- 60-Day-ILEdwin Diaz RP — Diaz (elbow) is expected to start a throwing progression Tuesday or Wednesday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
The injury list is where this matchup gets weird. The Dodgers are missing Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Teoscar Hernández (Grade 1 hamstring), and Kiké Hernández, who's looking at 6-to-8 weeks with a significant oblique tear suffered in that Rockies blowout. That should help Philly. What doesn't help: Aaron Nola is away on paternity leave, which is the right call for him and a real one for the rotation depth. Either way, the line tells you exactly what Vegas thinks — Dodgers sit around -1766 on the moneyline, and Pinnacle has the total at 6.5.
If Luzardo brings the Padres version, this is a live dog spot. If he brings the version that gives up five, it's going to get ugly fast against a Dodgers lineup that just hung 15 on a big-league team three nights ago. Lock in for 9:10 PM PT.