The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Pittsburgh Pirates face off this Friday at Dodger Stadium, in an interleague matchup featuring two teams heading in opposite directions.
The first pitch is scheduled for this August 21 at Los Angeles’ iconic stadium, which has a capacity of 56,000 fans. The Boys in Blue come in red-hot; the Buccos are looking to pull off an upset away from home.
How do Dodgers – Pirates enter the weekend series? Latest results and standings in the table
The overall standings photo sums up the disparity. The Dodgers rank third in Major League Baseball with a record of 77 wins and 51 losses, while also leading the National League West Division. Their offensive production is one of the most fearsome in the league: 640 runs scored, just below the leader in that category, with a +145 run differential that speaks to a dominant team on both sides of the game.
On the other side, Pittsburgh is having a season of resilience. The Pirates are in 16th place overall with a record of 63 wins and 66 losses, and they are fourth in the National League Central Division. Even so, they are not a harmless opponent: they have produced 646 runs, even more than the Dodgers themselves, although their pitching (615 runs allowed) has cost them that difference that separates a contender from a middle-of-the-pack team.
The Dodgers stumbled into August — a tough stretch against the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs slowed them down —, but they have regained their stride emphatically. They are coming off a sweep of the Colorado Rockies in Denver with 11-5, 7-6, and 6-4 victories, and before that they had taken care of the Kansas City Royals in a three-win series (6-5, 5-4, and 4-2). The Los Angeles bats roared back to life in Colorado, a worrying sign for any starting pitcher who comes to face them.
Pittsburgh, for its part, has shown inconsistency, but also flashes of danger. The Buccaneers closed their most recent series by winning two of three against the Detroit Tigers at home (4-1 and 4-3 after falling 5-8). Their offense is all or nothing: in recent weeks they crushed Miami 13-1 and the New York Mets 9-0, but they were also shut out and routed 0-11 by the Cubs and 1-11 by the Mets. When their pitching holds up, they can beat anyone; when it does not, blowout losses start piling up.
The matchup within the matchup: possible lineups for Dodgers – Pirates
The great attraction of this series is the Dodgers’ arsenal of arms against Pittsburgh’s jewel. Los Angeles rolls out a luxury rotation led by the Japanese pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, accompanied by left-handers Blake Snell and veteran Tyler Glasnow, all capable of dominating any lineup. In the bullpen, the presence of Edwin Díaz, Tanner Scott, and Blake Treinen gives Los Angeles an elite late-game finish to protect late leads.
Pittsburgh hangs much of its hopes on Paul Skenes, the 24-year-old starter who has become the reason to buy a ticket every time he takes the mound. Behind him, youngsters like Jared Jones and Bubba Chandler, along with the experienced Mitch Keller, make up a rotation with rising talent. The problem for the Buccaneers is depth: against a lineup like the Dodgers’, a single stumble from the bullpen —where Gregory Soto and David… sorry, Chris Devenski stand out— can cost them the game.
Pittsburgh Offense: Ozuna, the heavy hitter
Although the Pirates do not have Los Angeles’ offensive depth, they do have hitters capable of punishing mistakes. The 35-year-old Dominican designated hitter Marcell Ozuna brings power and experience to the heart of the lineup, while catcher Henry Davis and Dominican catcher Endy Rodríguez add youth behind the plate.
That production of 646 runs in the season shows that, when they connect, the Pirates can turn any game into a slugging battle.
Implications for the Playoff and World Series race
For the Dodgers, every win counts in their fight for the lead in the National League West Division, where they already hold a comfortable advantage, and in the chase for the top overall spot currently held by the Milwaukee Brewers (78-49). With only a one-game difference compared to Milwaukee in the overall standings, Los Angeles cannot afford to give away games at home against theoretically inferior opponents.
For Pittsburgh, October math is an uphill battle: with a losing record and in 16th place, the regular season has become a showcase for its young core looking ahead to the future. A victory at Dodger Stadium, however, would serve as a statement of intent for a project that is still being built around Skenes.
Players to watch during the Dodgers – Pirates
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Dodgers): the Japanese ace is the kind of starter who can silence Pittsburgh’s offense for seven innings.
- Paul Skenes (Pirates): the number one reason not to take your eyes off the screen; his arm is capable of stealing a game from anyone, even the home favorites.
- Marcell Ozuna (Pirates): if the Pirates are going to trouble the Dodgers, his bat in key moments will be the key.
Read the full article here
