The Los Angeles Dodgers officially announced their lineup for their fourth game of the season against the Cleveland Guardians on Monday.
Their lineup against Cleveland is nearly the same as their final game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, as they will be facing another left-hander—Parker Messick—on the mound in the contest.
Designated hitter Shohei Ohtani will still lead off as he’s done all season, and right fielder Kyle Tucker will hold onto the No. 2 spot in the order. Shortstop Mookie Betts remains as the No. 3 hitter, and left fielder Teoscar Hernandez will bat cleanup for the first time this season.
First baseman Freddie Freeman will bat fifth as the Dodgers try to space out their lefties at the top of the order, and center fielder Andy Pages will rise to No. 6 in the lineup. Third baseman Max Muncy makes a return to the lineup to replace Santiago Espinal, who made his first start with the Dodgers on Saturday. Second baseman Miguel Rojas will move up to eighth in the lineup, and Dalton Rushing will replace Will Smith and make his first start of the season, rounding out the lineup.
Roki Sasaki will make his first start of the regular season for the Dodgers, and fans will hope to see some improvement following his rough spring stretch. The young right-hander pitched 8.2 innings during the preseason, allowing 15 earned runs and walking 15 batters throughout his appearances.
While his recent outings have been shaky, manager Dave Roberts still believes Sasaki can be great.
“I believe in him, I really do,” Roberts said after Sasaki’s last start. “So for me, I’m going to keep pouring into him, like our staff is, and expect it to get better.”
Dodgers’ Lineup Against Guardians on Monday
1. Shohei Ohtani, DH
2. Kyle Tucker, RF
3. Mookie Betts, SS
4. Teoscar Hernandez, LF
5. Freddie Freeman, 1B
6. Andy Pages, CF
7. Max Muncy, 3B
8. Miguel Rojas, 2B
9. Dalton Rushing, C
P. Roki Sasaki, RHP
The Guardians had a decent opening series against the Seattle Mariners, splitting four games against last year’s AL West champs.
They still have the ever-present talents of third baseman Jose Ramirez, but the emergence of rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter—who homered in each of his first three regular season games—could be trouble for LA. The Dodgers will look to continue their win streak during the homestand as they continue their journey to defending their World Series title.
What are your predictions for tonight?
