Dodgers Vs. Giants Game Preview: Gavin Stone Debuts New Number

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Francisco Giants in a 6-4 win on Monday, powering their way in extra innings at Oracle Park. They’ll shift gears to the middle game of the three-game set, with a chance to secure a series victory.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has guided his club to a 28-15 record, and since April 23, they’ve gone 15-4.

Evaluating the National League West, the Dodgers have an early 6.5 game lead over the San Diego Padres. They’re currently nine games ahead of the fourth place Giants, who enter play at 19-24.

Gavin Stone makes his eighth start of the year and looks for continued success. The right-hander has allowed two runs or fewer in five consecutive outings dating back to April 13, throwing at least six innings in four of those.

“I would say probably just confidence, conviction,” Stone said of what has led to his success. “I feel like that’s key for me, but for every pitcher. If you pitch with conviction, more often than not, good things will happen.”

Stone carries a 3-1 record with a 3.55 ERA, 3.77 FIP and 1.26 WHIP in 38 innings pitched this season. He is 0-1 with a 6.23 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in one career start against the Giants.

He’s set to debut his a fresh jersey number, going from No. 71 to No. 35, which carries a certain level of significance with fans because of former Dodgers player, Cody Bellinger.

For the Giants, 26-year-old Keaton Winn gets the ball for his ninth start of 2024. He’s posted a 5.63 ERA, 1.23 WHIP with just 29 strikeouts in 38.1 innings pitched.

Winn grades out in the 92nd percentile in chase rate (34.3%), but he’s among the league’s worst in hard-hit rate (48.2%). He faced the Dodgers on April 1, allowing three earned runs on four hits over five innings pitched.

He struggled in his last two starts, allowing 12 earned runs on 12 hits, recording one strikeout with just 4.1 innings pitched. Winn relies on a four-pitch mix of a splitter, four-seam fastball, slider, and a sinker, a pitch that has yielded a .720 slugging percentage thus far.

Against right-handers this season, the Dodgers possess the league’s No. 1 offense with a 126 wRC+ and a league-leading .784 on-base plus slugging.

Among Major League hitters with at-least 70 at-bats against righties, Shohei Ohtani (243 wRC+), Freddie Freeman (189 wRC+) and Mookie Betts (188 wRC+), all slot within the top four across baseball.

Dodgers lineup

SS: Mookie Betts
DH: Shohei Ohtani
1B: Freddie Freeman
C: Will Smith
LF: Teoscar Hernández
3B: Max Muncy
RF: Andy Pages
2B: Gavin Lux
CF: James Outman

Giants lineup

RF: Mike Yastrzemksi
2B Thairo Estrada
3B: Matt Chapman
1B: Lamonte Wade Jr.
DH: Wilmer Flores
LF: Heliot Ramos
C: Blake Sabol
CF: Luis Matos
SS: Casey Schmidt