Dodgers Reds Game One Preview

After a much needed off day, the Dodgers are in Cincinnati to open up a three-game series against the Reds.

It’s been nine days since the last Dodger victory, and Alex Wood gets his fifth start as a Dodger. He’s given up exactly five hits, three runs and three walks in each of his last three starts and has only pitched into the seventh inning once in that span. His biggest issue as a Dodger has been his control, as his walks/9 rate has jumped from 2.7 to 4.2 since becoming a Dodger. Cincinnati ranks seventh in baseball in team walks, so that’s something to look out for today.

Wood pitched against the Reds on August 14 at Dodger stadium, and went six 1/3 innings before being pulled after 82 pitches. Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips and Eugenio Suarez are the only Reds with hits against Wood, and Votto has a homer and a double in four plate appearances.

Aug 24, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Detroit Tigers in the ninth inning at Great American Ball Park. The Reds defeated the Tigers 12-5. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

The Reds were reeling, having lost nine straight before putting up 10 in the sixth inning against Detroit yesterday. They’re in the basement of the NL Central and they basically blew up their rotation at the trade deadline. John Lamb will be making his third career start, and he made his first against Wood and the Dodgers earlier this month. He went six innings in that first game, allowing five runs and striking out seven.

Justin Turner, Enrique Hernandez and Jimmy Rollins each had two hits against Lamb in that first game, and Adrian Gonzalez hit a homer off him. Turner, Rollins and Wood were the only Dodgers that Lamb failed to strike out.

Fortunately for the Dodgers, the Reds will be without Billy Hamilton for the series. He’s on the DL with a shoulder sprain, and despite a low batting average and OBP, he leads baseball with 54 stolen bases in 61 attempts.

The thing about the “Joc Pederson benched for Hernandez” stuff is that it’s still kind of hard to tell how accurate that is. He sat Saturday in Houston against a lefty and Sunday marked his first non-start of the season against a right handed starter. The Dodgers face two lefties during the Reds series, so him not playing isn’t all that surprising. He’s getting the same platoon treatment that many lefties have gotten under Mattingly, so until he starts consistently sitting against righties that narrative is pretty useless.

A.J. Ellis is getting his second consecutive start, as he’s started the majority of his games with a lefty on the hill. This is his first time catching Wood since his acquisition.

First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 PST and will be shown on Sportsnet LA.