LOS ANGELES DODGERS NOTES:
GOOD NIGHT TO KEEP STREAKING: The Dodgers won their third game in-a-row last night, downing the Diamondbacks, 5-2, and spoiling Arizona’s 2023 home opener at Chase Field. Dustin May continued his stellar start to the season, giving up just one run in 6.0 innings. May’s scoreless innings streak to start the campaign ended at 12.0 innings and is the current Dodger season high. At the plate, Freddie Freeman homered and had two hits, while James Outman collected his third multi-hit game of 2023. Tonight, the Dodgers continue their seven-game road trip (1-0) with the second of four with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Following their stay in Arizona, the Dodgers will fly to San Francisco Sunday evening and begin a three-game series with the Giants on Monday night. This evening, the Dodgers will turn to future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw, who is set to make his 400th career start with the club. In the history of Major League Baseball, just 33 pitchers have made 400 or more starts with one team and Kershaw is slated to join that club tonight. The last pitcher to enter this exclusive club was Felix Hernandez in 2018 for Seattle. Cardinals’ hurler Adam Wainwright has made 390 starts with St. Louis and could become the 35th pitcher to join the club later this year. Kershaw is seeking career-win No. 199 tonight. He first beat Arizona on April 13, 2010 at Dodger Stadium for his 14th-career win.
DIGGING THE LONGBALL: The Dodgers belted another home run Thursday night, as six-time NL all-Star Freddie Freeman notched his first homer and first RBI of the 2023 campaign with a solo shot in the seventh inning. The Dodgers have hit 14 home runs this season, which ranks second in the big leagues, trailing only the San Francisco Giants (15). Los Angeles leads the National League in OPS with an .883 mark and their 43 runs scored leads the Senior Circuit. In contrast, the Diamondbacks are tied for 27th in the Majors with just four home runs. The Dodgers have homered in seven straight games to begin the season and their 14 longballs are the club’s most through seven games since 2019 (18). That 2019 club homered in their first 10 games to begin the campaign.
LET’S GET IT STARTED: Dodger right-hander Dustin May kept the ball rolling for the Dodgers starting pitchers, allowing just one run in 6.0 innings while striking out five and yielding just two hits. Dodger starters have now posted a quality start in six of their seven contests. The club’s six quality starts leads the Major Leagues, ahead of the Guardians (4), Rays (4) and Rockies (4). Dodgers starters have posted a 1.76 ERA (8 ER/41.0 IP) in the first seven games of the season, which ranks second in the Majors, trailing only the Twins (1.08). The starters have struck out 40 and walked just five and their 0.71 WHIP leads all of baseball, just ahead of Minnesota (0.90).
WILL I AM: Will Smith was held without a home run last night, but he did rip a double in the third inning, extending his hitting streak to a Dodger season high six games. Smith is hitting .391 (9-for-23) with three homers, 10 RBI and a 1.377 OPS. He has reached 13 times in 28 plate appearances. In 51 games against the Diamondbacks, he is slashing .301/.384/.596 with 12 homers and 34 RBI.
OUTTIE 5000: Rookie Dodger outfielder James Outman collected two hits and an RBI last night, raising his average on the season to .353 (6-for-17) and his OPS to 1.287. His six RBI rank third on the team, trailing just Will Smith (10) and Trayce Thompson (8). Outman has appeared in 10 career games with an at-bat and in those contests has racked up 24 total baes. Those 24 TB are the third-most all-time by a Dodger in his first 10 contests with an AB, trailing just Yasiel Puig (2013, 30) and Dick Gray (1958, 25).
vs. THE SNAKES: The Dodgers split their four games with Arizona last week and with last night’s victory are now 17-7 in their last 24 against the Diamondbacks, including an 8-3 record in their last 11 at Chase Field. Since the start of the 2020 season, the Dodgers are 41-12 against the Diamondbacks overall with a 20-8 mark in the desert. According to Sportradar, the Dodgers record against the Diamondbacks is the best record against a division opponent since 2020:
HOW THE WEST IS BEING WON: The Dodgers improved their mark to 5-2 on the season and are now 59- 24 (.711) against the National League West dating back to last season. The Dodgers have posted nine straight winning seasons against the National League West division, including four 50+ win seasons against their NL West foes (2014, 2019, 2021-22). In that nine-year span, the Dodgers are 412-244 (.628) against the NL West.
TODAY’S STARTER vs. D-BACKS: LHP CLAYTON KERSHAW (1-0, 1.50 ERA in 1 GS)
2023 SEASON NOTES:
• Started his 2023 campaign by tossing six innings of one run ball, giving up four hits, one walk and striking out nine to record his 198th career victory…he is now two wins shy of becoming the 121st man in MLB history with 200 wins.
• He moved into 23rd all-time on the Major League strikeout list, surpassing Mike Mussina (2,813) on Saturday night…he needs 184 more to become the 20th player in Major League history with 3,000 strikeouts
• Started four games in Spring Training, going 2-1 with a 3.44 ERA (7 ER/18.1 IP)with 16 strikeouts against just two walks…held a 1.04 WHIP
• Two victories came in his last two starts against the Guardians on March 21 and the Angels on March 26 at Dodger Stadium
VS. D-BACKS:
• Last faced the Snakes on April 1st, snagging the victory after firing 6.0 innings of one-run ball, striking out nine
• Owns a lifetime 21-11 record against the club with a 2.67 ERA (76 ER/256.0 IP) and 285 strikeouts against 65 walks…has secured 12 of those victories at Dodger Stadium
2022 NOTES:
• Veteran southpaw had a stellar season, going 12-3 over 22 starts with a 2.28 ERA (32 ER/126.1 IP) with 137 strikeouts against just 23 walks
in 493 total batters faced…produced his 11th season of double-digit victories in 15 years
• Became the Dodgers’ all-time strikeout leader on April 30, 2022 against Detroit, striking out Spencer Torkelson in the fourth inning, passing Don Sutton (2,696)…has 2,816 career strikeouts and stands 23rd on the all-time Major League strikeout list…passed Cy Young with strikeout 2,804 in game 162
• Tabbed a 9.76 strikeout-per-nine innings mark and limited hitters to a .206/.246/.310 slashline…did not allow a run in six of 22 starts, securing victories in five of the six outings: April 13 at MIN, May 7 at CHC, July 3 vs. SD, July 15 at LAA, Sept. 13 at ARI, Sept. 30 vs. COL
• Took a perfect game into the eighth inning against the Angels on July 15 before a single by Luis Rengifo broke up his Perfect Game bid… finished with 8.0 scoreless and became the first pitcher in Major League History to have two games of 7.0 perfect baseball in the same season since 1961…other occurrence was his first start and win of the year in Minnesota on April 13, striking out a season-high 13-batters on 80 pitches
• Tossed 5.0+ innings in 18 of his 22 starts, notching 12 quality starts for a .800 winning percentage, his highest mark since the 2017 season…also fired double-digit strikeouts three times: April 13 at MIN, July 9 vs. CHC, Sept. 19 vs. ARI
CAREER NOTES:
• Since the start of the live-ball era in 1920, has the lowest all-time career ERA (2.48) and WHIP (1.00) among starting pitchers with at least 1,500.0 innings pitched…his .209 opponents’ average ranks third among pitchers with that qualifier, behind only Nolan Ryan (.204) and Sandy Koufax (.205) and his strikeout-per-nine mark of 9.80 ranks 6th
• Became the ninth all-time pitcher to win three or more Cy Youngs after the 2014 season since the award was instituted in 1956…became the 4th NL pitcher to win the award via a unanimous vote in 2014…by winning the award in 2013-14, he became the ninth pitcher in either league to win the award in consecutive seasons…finished second in the 2012 and 2017 Cy Young voting, third in 2015 and fifth in 2016
• Became the Dodgers’ all-time strikeout leader on April 30, 2022 against Detroit, striking out Spencer Torkelson in the fourth inning, passing Don Sutton (2,696)…has 2,807 career strikeouts and stands 24th on the all-time Major League strikeout list…passed Cy Young with strikeout 2,804 in game 162
• Became the all-time leader in postseason strikeouts with 207 after striking out six batters in Game 5 of the 2020 World Series…passed Justin Verlander (205) to earn the distinction
• Started his first Midsummer Classic in 2022 at Dodger Stadium, firing a scoreless frame and striking out one…was a member of his ninth All-Star team
• Topped the Majors with 301 strikeouts in 2015 and led the NL in Ks in 2011 and 2013…has collected 200-plus strikeouts in seven of his 11 big league seasons, which is the most in franchise history and the fourth most in National League history
• Obtained his 2,000th career strikeout in the second inning against Milwaukee on June 2, 2017, reaching the milestone in 1,837.2 innings, the fourth fastest all-time behind only Pedro Martinez (1715.1 IP), Randy Johnson (1734.0 IP) and Max Scherzer (1784.0)…His 13 career postseason victories are the most by a Dodger pitcher in franchise history and is fifth overall in MLB history…also holds the franchise lead in postseason starts (30), innings pitched (189.0), strikeouts (207), and losses (12)
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS NOTES:
HERE’S THE STORY
♦ The D-backs are 0-1 in their opening homestand of the 2023 season vs. Dodgers (0-1) and Brewers (April 10-12).
♦ Christian Walker has reached base safely in 6 of his first 7 games this season… is batting .333 (6-for-18) with 1 home run and 2 RBI in 5 games vs. Dodgers this season.
♦ Nick Ahmed is hitting .333 (4-for-12) with 1 double and 1 RBI in his first 4 games this season.
ROSTER MOVES
♦ The D-backs made the following roster moves:
• Recalled RHP Luis Frías from Triple-A Reno.
• Placed RHP Cole Sulser (strained right shoulder) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive April 6).
OPENING DAY SELLOUT
♦ Last night’s Chase Field Opening Day featured a sellout attendance of 48,034 fans.
FIRST IN THE BOOKS FOR GAJOWNIK
♦ High-A Hillsboro Hops manager Ronnie Gajownik made her managerial debut yesterday @ Tri-City and became the first female manager at the High-A level (second overall female manager in affiliated professional baseball since Yankees’ Rachel Balkovec).
♦ The Hops feature 4 of the D-backs’ top 30 prospects: OF Wilderd Patino (No. 15), RHP Dylan Ray (No. 24), RHP Yilber Diaz (No. 27) and RHP Conor Grammes (No. 29).
FACING KERSHAW
♦ Christian Walker’s 5 home runs off Clayton Kershaw since 2018 are the most against in the Majors while his .333 average and 1.188 OPS are the highest against:
NAME HR NAME AVG NAME OPS
C. Walker …………..5 C. Walker …… ..333 C. Walker ….. 1.188
C. Blackmon ………….3 C. Blackmon ……304 C. Blackmon ….1.080
K. Marte ……………2 E. Longoria … .290 K. Marte……… .792
E.Escobar/M.Machado …..2 W. Myers ………….269 W. Myers ………… .729
WALKER IS A DODGER DELIGHT
♦ Christian Walker’s 15 homers and 37 RBI vs. Dodgers since 2019 are the most in baseball:
NAME HR NAME RBI
Christian Walker …………….. 15 Christian Walker ……………. 37
Manny Machado …………………… 13 Manny Machado …………………. 31
Fernando Tatis Jr. ………………….. 13 Nolan Arenado ……………………. 30
Charlie Blackmon ……………………. 9 Charlie Blackmon ………………… 28
Eduardo Escobar …………………….. 9 Eduardo Escobar …………………. 24
A TALE OF TWO SOUTHPAWS
♦ Veteran MLB lefties Madison Bumgarner and Clayton Kershaw face off tonight for the second time this season and 13th time overall .
♦ The April 1 matchup between Bumgarner and Kershaw marked the first occurrence since Aug. 13, 2018 @ Dodger Stadium (Giants won 5-2).
♦ Tonight marks the fi rst time since 2016 where Bumgarner is facing off with Kershaw in consecutive starts vs. Dodgers (also: April 9 and April 15, 2016).
♦ In his career, Bumgarner has gone 4-4 in matchups vs. Kershaw (0-1 while with Arizona)….6 of the 12 games ended in a diff erence of 2 of fewer runs.
LEFTY WORKHORSE
♦ Madison Bumgarner’s 351 starts since 2010 ranks atop all active lefties, ahead of Clayton Kershaw (348), Jose Quintana (289), Wade Miley (286) and Patrick Corbin (262).
MERRILL SURPASSES MILEY
♦ With 4 strikeouts last night, Merrill Kelly’s 502 career strikeouts with the D-backs surpassed Wade Miley (499) for 8th all-time in franchise history among starters, behind Randy Johnson (2,077), Brandon Webb (1,065), Robbie Ray (998), Patrick Corbin (897), Curt Schilling (875), Zack Greinke (683) and Dan Haren (570).
LHP MADISON BUMGARNER ♦ #40
AT A GLANCE: Fourth season with the D-backs…agreed to a 5-year deal through 2024 on Dec. 17, 2019.
• 4-time NL All-Star (2013-16), 3-time World Series champion (’10, ’12, ’14), 2014 World Series MVP and 2-time Louisville Slugger® Silver Slugger Awards™ winner (’14-15).
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Is making his 42nd career start vs. Dodgers and just his 3rd @ Chase Field.
• Since 2009, has made more starts (41) against the Dodgers than any other pitcher in the Majors (14 more than the next pitcher – Jhoulys Chacin).
LAST START: Lost in his last start on April 1 @ Dodgers (5 ER in 4.0 IP).
VS. DODGERS: Is 16-18 with a 3.03 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and .232 opponent avg. in 42 career appearances.
• In 3 starts in 2022, was 1-2 with a 4.76 ERA (9 ER in 17.0 IP) and .219 opponent avg… lost on May 27, 2022 in his last start @ Chase Field, yielding 5 runs over 6.0 frames.
MOUND MILESTONES: Needs 12 strikeouts to tie Fernando Valenzuela (2,074) for 79th place on the all-time strikeout list.
LOOKING FOR ANOTHER FAST START: In 2022, was 1 of 2 NL pitchers to not allow more than 3 runs in his fi rst 8 starts (also: Miles Mikolas/STL).
• His 2.29 ERA was the second lowest of his career through 8 games behind his 2.18 mark set in 2013.
A WORKHORSE: Since 2011, is 1 of 4 pitchers to make at least 30 starts in 8 or more seasons along with Max Scherzer (9), Jose Quintan (8) and Just Verlander (8).
2022 RECAP: Went 7-15 with a 4.88 ERA (86 ER in 158.2 IP) in 30 starts in his third season with Arizona.
• Was 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA (4 ER in 24.0 IP) in his first 6 starts of the season.
