LOS ANGELES DODGERS NOTES:
TONIGHT’S STARTER at ROCKIES: LHP CLAYTON KERSHAW (9-4, 2.72 ERA in 15 GS)
2023 SEASON NOTES:
- Over 15 starts, the Texas native owns a 9-4 record with a 2.72 ERA (27 ER/89.1 IP) with 103 strikeouts against 23 walks and has generated a 1.10 WHIP
- Notched his 200th career win in his start on April 18 against the Mets, making him the only Los Angeles Dodger to win 200 games with the same franchise…joins Don Sutton (233) and Don Drysdale (209) on the Dodger all-time list
- Currently 21st all-time on the Major League strikeout list with 2,910…he needs 90 more to become the 20th player in Major League history with 3,000 strikeouts
- Has fired 6.0+ strikeouts in 11 out of his 15 starts this season
- On June 20th, Kershaw had his 83rd career start with 6.0+ scoreless innings for the fourth time this season (last: 6/8/23 at CIN). He holds the franchise record and ranks 8th all-time in MLB history
- He was named the National League Pitcher of the Month for April after posting a 5-1 record with a 1.89 ERA (8 ER/38.0 IP) and 41 strikeouts and a 0.76 WHIP
VS. ROCKIES:
- Will face the Angels for the 49th time in his career…is 26-11 with a 3.40 ERA (111 ER/294.0 IP) and 310 strikeouts against 88 walks
- Last faced the club on October 5, 2022, firing five one-hit innings, giving up one run and one walk while punching out nine en route to the win
COLORADO ROCKIES NOTES:
HOMECOMING
- The Colorado Rockies continue their season-long nine-game homestand today with the first of three-straight night games against the Dodgers … will host the Detroit Tigers Friday-Sunday to conclude the homestand, with fireworks following the Friday and Saturday night games.
- After going 15-13 in May the Rockies have gone 7-16 in June, including 6-15 over their last 19 games … have been outscored 144-76 (-68) over that span.
- The start of the homestand marked the end of a stretch of 33 games in 34 days for Colorado from May 19-June 21 … the Rockies went 10-23 through the stretch, including 3-13 in their stretch of 16-straight days with a game from June 6-21 … the Rockies play 22 games in the month of July.
RUN DIFFERENTIAL IS FOR THE BIRDS
- The Rockies beat the Angels 4-3 on Sunday to capture a 2-1 series win following Saturday’s 25-1 loss (won 7-4 on Friday) … it’s the second time in Major League history that a team won a series despite being outscored by 20 or more runs in the series, joining the Louisville Colonels, who took two of three from the Chicago Colts June 28-30, 1897 despite being outscored 45-22.
- Colorado’s win on Sunday also improved the Rockies’ record to 5-4 following a game in which the allowed 20 or more runs … the 25 runs allowed Saturday was the second-most in franchise history, while the 28 hits allowed set a new franchise record.
AIN’T IT GRAND
- C Elias Díaz connected on his third career grand slam on Friday, his ninth home run of the season overall … it was the first grand slam for any Rockie since his own on Sept. 10, 2021 at Philadelphia, snapping a franchise-long 258-game span without a grand slam … it was the first grand slam by a Rockies player at Coors Field since Charlie Blackmon on Sept. 2, 2021.
- Díaz became the ninth Rockies player in franchise history to hit a go-ahead grand slam in the eighth inning or later, the first since Blackmon hit a walk-off grand slam against the Angels on Sept. 11, 2020.
A LONG TIME AGO
- The Rockies are hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field for the first time since a four-game series July 28-31, 2022 … Colorado lost two games at Los Angeles on April 3-4 in the second series of the 2023 season.
- 11 players on the Rockies’ current 26-man active roster were not active for the Rockies two games in Los Angeles earlier this season.
BIG MAC
- 3B Ryan McMahon has slashed .342/.430/.658 with seven doubles, two triples, eight home runs and 22 RBI over his last 29 games since May 25 … over that span, ranks among NL leaders in OPS (1.087, 1st), total bases (73, T-1st), slugging (2nd), average (3rd), home runs (T-3rd), OBP (3rd), hits (4th), extra-base hits (T-4th) and RBI (T-6th)
- Career-best 11-game hitting streak June 8-19 … recorded is ninth career multi-home run game on June 18 at Atlanta, surpassing Ellis Burks for the 12th-most in franchise history.
- On the season, McMahon’s 20 doubles are tied for the sixth-most in the National League while his 35 extra-base hits are tied for the ninth-most in the NL.
- McMahon’s 2.5 WAR (Baseball Reference) leads all NL players with at least 75% of their games at third base … his 10 defensive runs saved at third base are tied for the most at the position (Sports Info Solutions).
MR. JONES
- INF/OF Nolan Jones has been deemed as retaining rookie-eligible status for the 2023 season after it was determined that he did not exceed 45 days on the Cleveland active roster in the 2022 season.
- He has reached safely in 24 of his 27 starts since his recall on May 26 … overall, is slashing .316/.391/.551 with eight doubles, five home runs and 14 RBI … ranks 12th in the NL in batting, 13th in slugging and T-16th in OBP since joining the club on May 26.
- Jones reached base in a career-long 15 games June 7-21, slashing .385/.492/.712 through this stretch … third-longest on-base streak among Rockies this season, trailing Jurickson Profar (37 games) and Charlie Blackmon (19 games).
EASY E
- Ezequiel Tovar was reinstated from the paternity list Friday … the 21-year-old has hit safely in a career-best nine straight (.351, 13-for-37), and in 22 of 25 since May 27 (.330, 32-for-97) … was batting .198 through April 28, but has hit .287 (50-for-174) in 47 games
since.
ROCKIES STARTING PITCHER – #43 CONNOR SEABOLD RHP
STARTING THINGS OFF
- Laguna Hills, Calif., native is in his seventh professional season, his first with the Rockies organization.
- Selected by Philadelphia in the third round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of Cal. State Fullerton … first selected by Baltimore in the 19th round of the 2014 First Year Player Draft but did not sign.
- On Aug. 21,2020 was traded by the Philadelphia Phillies with Nick Pivetta to the Boston Red Sox for Heath Hembree and Brandon Workman.
- Designated for assignment by Boston, Jan. 12, 2023 … acquired by Colorado via trade for cash considerations or a player to be named later, Jan. 17.
- Made his Major League debut with Boson on Sept. 11, 2021 vs. Chicago-AL.
ONE GAME AT A TIME
- Took his third loss of the season after allowing nine runs on nine hits over three innings on June 17 in Atlanta, walking one and striking out one.
- Established a career-high with four home runs allowed … nine hits and seven runs allowed matched career-highs.
DODGE THIS
- Tossed three innings in relief on April 3 against the Dodgers in Los Angeles … it is his only career appearance against the club … over the three innings, he allowed four runs on five hits with four strikeouts.
- He has made four career appearances (two starts) against NL West foes … putting up a 4.58 ERA (17.2 IP, 9 ER) in those contests … Seabold has 16 strikeouts to just four walks against divisional opponents.
CLICKING
- Prior to his last outing in Atlanta, had set or matched a career-high in innings pitched in each of his three starts, from June 1-12, pitching 5.1 innings on June 1 at Arizona, completing a career-high six innings in his start on June 7 vs. San Francisco and matched that career-high his last outing on Monday in Boston.
- Had posted a 2.08 ERA over those three outings (17.1 IP, 4 ER) with 15 strikeouts.
- Allowed two runs on two hits with two walks and four strikeouts on June 7 against the Giants at Coors Field … tossed 5.1 no-hit innings before allowing a one-out single to LaMonte Wade Jr. in the sixth inning … exited after facing two batters in the seventh, both of whom reached and came around to score … left with the Rockies leading 4-0.
START YOUR ENGINES
- Earned his first Major League win May 9 at Pittsburgh … allowed one run on three hits with a career-high three walks and three strikeouts across five innings in the 10-1 Rockies win.
- Made his first start of the season May 4 vs. Milwaukee at Coors Field … did not factor into the Rockies’ 9-6, allowing three runs on seven hits with no walks and one strikeout in five innings.
SHIPPED UP TO BOSTON
- On June 12, allowed one run over six innings, striking out six and walking one … matched a season-high six innings pitched and six strikeouts.
- First time in his career he has thrown six or more inning while striking out at least six and walking one or fewer.
- Had made six starts with the Red Sox across the 2021-22 seasons, going 0-4 with a 10.55 ERA (21.1 IP, 25 ER) … allowed 38 hits, including six home runs, with 10 walks and 19 strikeouts.
- His Major League debut came on Sept. 11, 2021 with Boston at Chicago-AL … went three innings and allowed two runs on three hits in a 9-8 Boston win.
ARM BARN
- Made seven relief appearances across two stints this season before joining the rotation … allowed eight runs on 18 hits across 13.2 innings (5.27 ERA).
- Has allowed 3.24 walks per nine on the year.
- Made his first career Opening Day roster this season with the Rockies before being optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque on April 18 … recalled on April 28.
START ME UP
- Has made 15 career Major League starts dating back to his Major League debut on Sept. 11, 2021, going 1-7 with an 7.55 ERA (64.1 IP, 54 ER).
- As a starter, has struck out 49 and walked 26 while allowing 16 home runs.
DOING THE SPLITS
- Posted a 6.35 ERA (22.2 IP, 16 ER) in May compared his current 5.75 ERA (20.1 IP, 13 ER) in June.
- The first time through the lineup, opponents are hitting .284 (33-for-116) compared to .264 (23-for-87) the second time through and .360 (9-for-25) the third time around.
- Opponents are slashing .295/.368/.533 with no runners on and .274/.333/.472 with runners on base.
