The Los Angeles Dodgers have released their lineup for the first game of a highly anticipated three-game series against the Atlanta Braves on Friday. Fresh off a series win on the road against the Houston Astros, where they took two out of three games, the Dodgers are riding some serious momentum. Outfielder Andy Pages was the star of that finale, smashing three home runs and driving in six runs to fuel a 12-run explosion.
On the mound, right-hander Emmet Sheehan gets the start. He's looking to bounce back after a tough outing against the St. Louis Cardinals last week, where he allowed four runs on eight hits over just 4.2 innings. Sheehan has had a rocky return to the rotation after spending last postseason in the bullpen, posting a 5.23 ERA through six starts. However, he's shown flashes of dominance with 36 strikeouts in 31 innings pitched.
The Dodgers' lineup packs a punch from top to bottom. Shohei Ohtani leads off as the designated hitter, with catcher Will Smith sliding into the No. 2 spot. First baseman Freddie Freeman bats third, followed by the red-hot Andy Pages in the cleanup role. Teoscar Hernandez takes the fifth spot, with fellow outfielder Kyle Tucker hitting sixth. Shortstop Miguel Rojas bats seventh, third baseman Max Muncy hits eighth, and second baseman Santiago Espinal rounds out the order.
But the Braves won't make it easy. They're sending left-hander Chris Sale to the hill for his eighth start of the season. Sale has been nothing short of electric, tossing 42 innings with a sparkling 2.14 ERA and 49 strikeouts. He's already emerging as an early frontrunner for the NL Cy Young award, and the Dodgers will need their bats to stay hot to keep pace with the team holding the best record in the National League.
Can Los Angeles carry their momentum into this home series and take down the Braves? It's going to be a battle, and every at-bat will count.