The Los Angeles Dodgers lead the San Francisco Giants by 2.5 games in the National League West and are within a game of the best record in the National League which brings home field advantage throughout the NL playoffs. The Cubs are seven games out of the cellar.
Felix Doubront gets the call for the Cubbies against Roberto Hernandez. Doubront has used the extra rest between starts to fashion a 2-1 record and 1.50 ERA in three starts since coming over from Boston in late July. Hernandez, often described as crafty, which is writer speak for “I don’t know how he wins games”, has limped to a 2-3 record and 4.76 ERA since his trade to the Dodgers.
Given both starters experience in the American league, neither has much of a history against the opposing hitters so we look at who’s hot heading into the matchup. On the Cubs side, the pickings are slim, as aside from Jorge Soler, who has hits in eight of his last nine starts and is hitting .368 16 games into his career, there are mini-streaks from Luis Valbuena, Chris Coghlan and Arismendy Alcantara.
Dee Gordon has two hits in five consecutive starts heading into Friday’s game and has stolen three bases in his last four games, Yasiel Puig is 7 for his last 18 with three multi-hit games and Hanley Ramirez, who returned to the lineup Friday after a few days of rest, was 7-12.
Doubront may be fulfilling promise but he’s facing a lineup full of hot bats, while Hernandez is, well, Hernandez. Look for this game to go to the bullpens early and for the Dodgers to win a high-scoring affair.