Dodgers at Mets
The Los Angeles Dodgers already wrapped up the National League West title but are not taking their foot off the gas as the season winds to a close. The New York Mets, who host the Dodgers in the second of a three-game series on Saturday, would probably prefer for Los Angeles to ease up a tad as they try to stay in the wild card race.
The Mets swept a four-game series from the Arizona Diamondbacks this week while allowing a total of four runs but watched Noah Syndergaard get knocked around on Friday in a 9-2 setback and fell three games behind the Chicago Cubs in the race for the second NL wild card. New York, which also has to fight past the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers before getting to the Cubs, will play 10 straight games against sub-.500 teams after finishing up with the Dodgers. Los Angeles is still in a race with the Houston Astros and New York Yankees for the best record in baseball and is cruising right along with wins in four of the last five games. The Dodgers will try to clinch at least a split of the series behind left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu while the Mets counter with ace righty Jacob deGrom on Saturday.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SportsNet Los Angeles, WPIX (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Hyun-Jin Ryu (12-5, 2.45 ERA) vs. Mets RH Jacob deGrom (9-8, 2.70)
Ryu had his last start skipped to give him a break after a string of four poor outings saw his ERA jump from 1.45 to its current 2.45. The South Korea native failed to make it through six innings in any of those four turns and was reached for three runs and six hits in 4 1/3 frames in his last outing on Sep. 4 against Colorado. Ryu had little trouble with the Mets at home on May 30, when he scattered four hits over 7 2/3 scoreless innings to earn a win.
DeGrom worked seven innings in each of his last five starts and is coming off a win over Arizona on Monday in which he allowed one run and three hits while striking out 11. The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner surrendered one or no earned runs in eight of his last 11 outings. DeGrom did not stick around long enough to factor in the decision at Los Angeles on May 27 and was charged with two runs and seven hits in five frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. Dodgers 1B Max Muncy (fractured wrist) played on Friday for the first time since Aug. 28 and went 0-for-3 with two walks.
2. New York 2B Robinson Cano (hamstring) is 10-for-25 in eight games since coming off the IL.
3. Los Angeles rookie 2B Gavin Lux is 6-for-13 with two home runs in his last four games.