Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers – Series Preview (Aug 8-10): Pitching Matchups, Insights, TV/Game Info
The Diamondbacks come home to Chase Field after a somewhat bumpy ride on their latest road trip. They finished the trip with a 5-5 record, taking 2-of-3 games from the Cubs, but were only able to split the series against the Cardinals, and dropped 2-of-3 against the last-place Giants.
Needless to say, this series against the Los Angeles Dodgers is going to be a tough one. The thought of a sweep is almost unthinkable, especially since the Dodgers are 18-3 since the All-Star break. Although, let’s not forget that the Diamondbacks played this team as close as any team has lately, in their series just before the break. All three games in that series were decided by one run. Going into that series the Dodgers held a 2 1/2 game lead over the D-backs. They now lead the D-backs by 16 games. Perhaps this series can change the tides once more, this time in favor of the Snakes.
Game Time and Broadcast Info
- Tuesday, Aug 8 at 6:40 MT on FS-AZ, 98.7 FM
- Wednesday, Aug 9 at 6:40 MT on FS-AZ, 98.7 FM
- Thursday, Aug 10 at 6:40 MT on FS-AZ, 98.7 FM
Starting Pitchers
| Date | Pitcher | Age | T | W/L | ERA | FIP |
| 8/8 | Zack Godley | 27 | R | 5-4 | 2.86 | 2.98 |
| Kenta Maeda | 29 | R | 10-4 | 3.79 | 3.80 | |
| 8/9 | Zack Greinke | 33 | R | 13-4 | 3.10 | 3.24 |
| Alex Wood | 22 | L | 13-1 | 2.33 | 2.57 | |
| 8/10 | TBD | – | – | – | – | – |
| Yu Darvish | 30 | R | 7-9 | 3.81 | 3.81 |
What To Watch For
- Paul Goldschmidt has been crushing it lately for the D-backs and you can bet the Dodgers have noticed. The fact is that Goldschmidt is just as good against right-handed pitchers — slashing .323/.438/.613 — as he is against left-handed pitchers — slashing .323/.440/.527. So there’s no real way to neutralize him. If Goldy can continue to swing a hot bat, the D-backs have a real chance to win the series.
- Jake Lamb and J.D. Martinez are going to need to play really well against the Dodgers for the D-backs to have a chance. Sure, Goldy will likely continue to rake, but if his supporting cast isn’t hitting around him then this series could get ugly fast.
- Lamb’s second half batting average (.197) has dropped 82 points when compared to his first half (.279), but his OBP in the second half (.379) is actually 2 points higher than his first half (.376). The biggest reason for that is he’s boosted his BB% in the second half by 5 points — 18.4% vs. 13.4%. Having him on base when Goldy comes up to bat is what matters most, regardless of how he gets there.
- Martinez has been a home run machine since being traded to the D-backs on July 18. He’s hit six homers in 15 games. While that’s certainly impressive, I was equally excited by his performance on Saturday in San Francisco. He went 3-for-4 with a single, a double, a triple and a walk. If he can start to put together games like that, particularly in this series against the Dodgers, the D-backs may be in for a winning streak at just the right time in the season.
