Los Angeles Dodgers: Starting a true road test against the Tampa Bay Rays

After the team’s third off-day in the last eight days, the Los Angeles Dodgers find themselves with a true road challenge against the Tampa Bay Rays.

After a brutal first month of the season that saw a lot of traveling and very few off days, the Los Angeles Dodgers have had an 11-day window where the off-days have been stacked heavy.

Monday served as the team’s third off-day since last Monday. The off-day that was likely used to fly to Tampa Bay (if the team didn’t on Sunday). After a two-game set against the Rays, the team will have yet another off-day as the Boys in Blue are starting a three-game set in Pittsburgh on Friday.

The two-game set in Tampa Bay will serve as a challenge for the Dodgers as the team is not only far out on the East Coast but is coming up against a Rays team that has been great thus far in 2019.

It is funny too because the Dodgers and Rays are polar opposites, at least in terms of markets and how the two teams are usually perceived. However, since Andrew Friedman took over as President of Baseball Operations, the two teams have been run fairly similar.

The Dodgers are 31-17 heading into this two-game set while the Rays are 27-17. With Clayton Kershaw and Rich Hill taking the mound, the Dodgers have legitimate sweep potential for this two-game series.

With the way the pitching has been the offense just has to deliver a decent day and the Dodgers can get the win. As part of our Los Angeles Dodgers Beat the Streak series, here is who we think will get at least one base hit.

Jason’s pick (Current streak: 2): Max Muncy

It is hard to use trends to figure out who is going to get a base hit against the Rays as the Los Angeles Dodgers never really play the Rays so there is no real matchup data available. With that, the decision turns into a gut one, which actually might fare better than relying on stats.

And my gut is telling me that Max Muncy is not just going to get a base hit today but that the power-hitting lefty is going to send a ball into the right-field seats in his first two at-bats.

I really have no rhyme or reason for thinking this. It came to me like a prophecy and if this ends up happening then maybe I need to go and by a lottery ticket.

Regardless of the home run, Muncy will get a hit. That feels like a guarantee. He hopefully won’t be alone as winning the first game of this two-game series is huge as it guarantees at least a series split.