CHICAGO WHITE SOX NOTES:
No team release available.
LOS ANGELES DODGERS NOTES:
SWEET HOME, L.A.: The Dodgers dropped the rubber match of their three-game series in Philadelphia, 7-3, on Sunday and closed out the road trip with two series losses and a 2-4 record. Los Angeles has now lost three straight series overall and tonight will look to bounce back as they begin a six-game homestand with the first of three contests against the American League Central’s Chicago White Sox, who are making their first trip to Dodger Stadium since 2017. Following the mid-week series, the Dodgers host the NL West-rival San Francisco Giants for three games this weekend. The Dodgers are in second place in the National League West, a season high 4.0 games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks. Los Angeles is 20-10 (.667) at Dodger Stadium this season, which is the best home record in the National League. Los Angeles is 13-15 all-time vs. the White Sox, including a 7-7 mark at Dodger Stadium. The club is 4-5 in Interleague play this season. The Dodgers hold the third best record in the National League, behind the Arizona Diamondbacks (.621) and Atlanta Braves (.606). The first 40,000 ticketed fans in attendance this evening will receive a Will Smith Bobblehead, presented by Security Benefit. Smith ranks second on the club with a .291 batting average and is hitting .320 (16-for-50) with runners in scoring position this season.
ROAD DIP: The Dodgers lost four of six on their recent road trip, falling to 17-19 (.472) away from home. In the Sunday finale with Philadelphia, the Dodgers gave up seven runs in a “bullpen game” while mustering just five hits. Two of those hits were home runs, as Freddie Freeman blasted his 13th of the season and Jason Heyward hit his seventh. Freeman finished with two hits and the reigning National League Player of the Month now has 28 multi-hit games, which is tied with Luis Arraez for the most in the Major Leagues. Yesterday, Major League Baseball released its first All-Star ballot update, and three Dodgers are currently holding down starting spots (Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and J.D. Martinez), while a fourth, Will Smith, is currently in second place that would put him in the “finalist phase,” beginning on June 26. Freeman currently has 775,503 votes at first base, nearly 400,000 more than Pete Alonso, who is in second. Betts ranks second among outfielders, trailing top vote-getter Ronald Acuña Jr. and more than 300,000 votes up on the third-place outfielder. Martinez leads the DH position by roughly 32,000 votes over Bryce Harper. Smith trails Atlanta’s Sean Murphy by less than 200,000 votes and Max Muncy is less than 10,000 votes from catching Austin Riley at third base and being in the finalist phase. The 2023 Scotts MLB All-Star Ballot, which is available exclusively online and via mobile devices at MLB.com/vote, all 30 Club web sites, the MLB App and the MLB Ballpark App, will be accessible until the voting period for Phase 1 concludes at 9:00 a.m. PT on Thursday, June 22. During the initial voting period, fans can submit up to five ballots per 24-hour period on MLB platforms.
WHY STOP AT FIRST?: The Dodgers’ offense continues to sizzle, leading the National League in various categories, including runs per game (5.56), runs scored (367), home runs (113), extra-base hits (246), and walks (277) while ranking second in OPS (.789) and slugging (.460). The Dodgers own MLB’s extra-base hits leaderboard, with three of the top eight:
Major League Baseball – Extra Base Hit Leaders
Freddie Freeman LAD 38
J.D. Martinez LAD 35
Ronald Acuña Jr. ATL 35
Shohei Ohtani LAA 35
Luis Robert, Jr. CWS 34
Corbin Carroll ARI 34
Mookie Betts LAD 32
Matt Chapman TOR 32
TONY TIME: Dodger starter Tony Gonsolin is 29-7 in his career and this evening will try to win his 30th game in just his 37th decision. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, a win tonight would tie Gonsolin with Al Spalding (CHC, 1876), Bill Hoffer (BAL, 1896) and Russ Ford (NYY, 1909-11) for the second fewest decisions among pitchers with 30 wins (37). Howie Krist (STL, 1937-43) reached 30 victories in just 36 decisions.
LOCKED IN: Dodger designated hitter J.D. Martinez went 0-for-4 on Sunday, but still has seven homers in his last 13 games and leads the NL with a .619 slugging percentage. In his career against the White Sox, he is batting .307 (98-for-319) with 15 homers, 26 doubles and 51 RBI in 85 games.
STEADY FREDDIE: Dodger first baseman Freddie Freeman went 2-for-4 with a homer on Sunday and is tied for first in the Majors in runs scored with Marcus Semien (57). Freeman, who has hit safely in 27 of his last 29 games, leads the Major Leagues with 24 doubles, 38 extra-base hits and 154 total bases and he is second in batting average (.338) and third in hits (89). He is just eight hits shy of 2,000 for his career.
LONG BALLS: The Dodgers hit two homers on Sunday in Philadelphia and have 113 home runs on the season, which is tied with Tampa Bay for the MLB lead. Los Angeles recorded their 19th 3+ homer game on Wednesday, which leads the Majors. The Dodgers also rank second in the Majors with 54 games with at least one homer, behind the Rays (56), who have homered in all but 13 games this season
TONIGHT’S STARTER vs. WHITE SOX: RHP TONY GONSOLIN (3-1, 2.21 ERA in 8 GS)
2023 SEASON NOTES:
- Got his third win of the season in his start against Washington May 30th, tossing six innings of one-run ball on three hits, two walks and punching out two…had wins in back-to-back starts (5/14 and 5/19) • 2022 All-Star tossed his first win of the season on May 14th against San Diego after firing five scoreless innings and giving up two hits, one walk, and tying a season-high six strikeouts
- In his rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City on April 20th, he hurled three innings, allowing one hit, two earned runs, two walks while sitting down seven
- Made one Spring Training start, tossing 2.1 innings, allowing no runs on three hits, while walking two and striking out two
VS. WHITE SOX:
- Has pitched in one start against Chicago on June 8, 2022… spun 6.0 innings, only allowing three hits, one run and one walk while striking out five en route to the win
