The Los Angeles Dodgers (31-20) will be trying to increase their lead in the NL West standings when they face the Tampa Bay Rays (36-15) in the first game of their three-game interleague series on Friday night.
Noah Syndergaard, 1-3, 5.88 ERA, will get the start for the Dodgers. The Rays have not announced their starter for the game.
Los Angeles is 6-4 in its last 10 games against Tampa Bay.
**This preview was written before Thursday’s game was played**
The Dodgers had their two-game winning streak snapped by the Braves in their last game. They will try to bounce back from the loss with a win over the Rays, which will give them their third win in their last four games.
Los Angeles is averaging 5.47 runs per game. Their .236 batting average is 23rd in the league. Their .326 on base percentage is 11th, while their .450 slugging percentage is fourth.
Freddie Freeman leads the Dodgers with a .325 batting average, while Max Muncy leads the team with 15 home runs and 35 RBI.
Los Angeles’ pitching has been good, with the team giving up 4.37 runs per game. Opponents have a .241 batting average against the Dodgers, which is 13th in the league. Their 4.25 ERA is 17th, while their 1.23 WHIP is seventh.
In his last start, Syndergaard gave up four hits a nd three runs in five innings, leading to a 6-5 loss to St. Louis. They will need a better effort from him if they want to win this game.