Dodgers Diamondbacks Game One Preview

Dodgers home opener is this afternoon as they face the Arizona Diamondbacks for the first time at Chavez Ravine this year.

After falling to the Giants three times in a four game series the Dodgers are looking to pick up a few wins against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Today as the sell out crowd of over 50,000 people enter the gates at Chavez Ravine, they will be entering new territory on Vin Scully Avenue and about to see a totally different Arizona Diamondback team. This past offseason the Diamondbacks picked up Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller to add to the rotation. This will be the first time the Dodgers see their former teammate in a different dugout across the field.

Kenta Maeda will be making his second start of the season with the Dodgers in game one and Patrick Corbin will be doing the same for the Diamondbacks. Maeda set the bar very high in his first outing so it will be interesting to see how he does this time and if he can be a consistent starter in the rotation. In his fist start, Maeda pitched a solid six innings, ideally the Dodgers would like him to pitch a little longer and quite frankly I agree. Let’s avoid the bullpen for as many innings as possible and just hand the ball to Kenley Jansen please.

Corbin pitched two games last season against the Dodgers and in those two games he gave up 13 hits, allowed six runs and struckout seven batters. The 26 year-old left hander throws four different pitches: a fourseam fastball (93mph), a sinker (93mph), a slider (82mph) and a change (86mph). He primarily relies on his fourseam fastball and sinker while mixing in his slider and change. In Corbin’s first start this season he pitched seven innings, allowed eight hits and four earned runs, with three of those earned runs coming from homeruns.

Enrique Hernandez gets the start in left due to an injured Carl Crawford and Andre Ethier. Howie Kendrick is finally back in the lineup and just in time to join the boys at home. Trayce Thompson is also starting in center for a scheduled day off for Joc Pederson.

Dodger Stadium gates open at 10AM today and they will be honoring Vin Scully as part of the home opener festivities. Scully has been with the Dodgers for 67 seasons in the broadcast booth. Today will be his last Dodger Stadium Opening Day in the broadcast booth. The end of an era for such a legendary broadcaster is quickly approaching and the Dodgers want to honor all he has done for the organization.

First pitch is scheduled for 1:10PM and the game will be shown on SportsNetLA, as well as MLB Network! If you are in the area head down to Vin Scully Avenue and grab a Dodger dog for a great afternoon of baseball.