Los Angeles Dodgers: Going for the sweep against a new arm

After two come from behind wins, the Los Angeles Dodgers are looking for the series sweep over the San Diego Padres against an arm they have never seen.

The Los Angeles Dodgers‘ performance against the San Diego Padres has been very promising and has proven why the Dodgers are still the team to beat in the National League West. There is a lot of baseball left to play and this series does not guarantee anything, but it has been a nice statement by the Dodgers.

The Dodgers have two come from behind victory over the Padres, one a 3-0 comeback and the other a 3-1 comeback. In the first game, Clayton Kershaw and the bullpen settled down and were lights out and allowed the offense to chip away slowly at the three-run deficit.

In the second game, the Dodgers exploded with a five-run sixth inning to take a 6-3 lead, however, Joe Kelly allowed a run and the bases to be loaded before Yimi Garcia hit a batter to allow a run and walked in the next run.

That part of the series was definitely frustrating but Scott Alexander, Ross Stripling and Kenley Jansen allowed just one base runner over the last three innings and the Dodgers scored in the ninth on a bases-loaded walk.

Both wins also saw the Dodgers score the winning run in the top of the ninth against Kirby Yates, who was the best closer in baseball in April. While he still does not have a blown save, Yates has now allowed more runs against the Dodgers than he did in all of April.

If the Dodgers can complete the sweep it will be a statement to the Padres. If the team can do it with an offensive barrage, it will be a statement to all of the National League West, showing this is still the Dodgers’ division to lose.

As part of our Los Angeles Dodgers Beat the Streak series, here is who we think will get a base hit against a pitcher the team has never faced before, Nick Margevicius.

Jason’s pick (Current streak: 0): David Freese

Yesterday we went with Cody Bellinger, who did not log an at-bat for the Los Angeles Dodgers as the team was being precautious with his shoulder that he seemed to hurt on Friday.

It does not appear to be anything serious but with another left-handed pitcher on the mound and an off-day on Monday, the Dodgers decided to give Bellinger another day off. It is the smart thing to do with your best player.

He still could come in as a pinch hitter in a big spot and might even play the latter half of the game if the Padres bring in a right-handed reliever. However, we are still going with the guy that is starting at first base instead, David Freese.

Freese did not get a base hit on Saturday and really has not been that great outside of his three-run home run against the San Francisco Giants this week. Freese destroyed left-handed pitching and was a huge bat to bring off the bench last year for the Dodgers, this year he has been rather mediocre.

However, he is still a veteran that will come through with some big hits when it matters. It is that veteran impact that is fueling us to select him, after all.

A veteran right-handed hitter facing an inexperienced southpaw that has never faced this team before? That matchup seems all too easy to predict. Base hit David Freese.