The Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals are now scheduled to begin Sunday’s series finale at 12:45 p.m. PT after heavy rain pushed back the original first pitch of 10:05 a.m. PT. The change was announced after weather conditions kept the teams in a delay, but the game remained on the schedule as both clubs waited for a playable field at Nationals Park.
The adjustment gives Los Angeles a later start as it tries to complete a sweep and continue an early stretch in which its offense has finally broken out. The Dodgers have scored at least 10 runs in each of the first two games of the series, the first time this season they have reached double figures in consecutive games.
Dodgers offense heats up in Washington
Los Angeles entered the finale riding back-to-back high-scoring wins, including a 13-6 result on Friday and a 10-5 victory on Saturday. The total output has been a welcome sign for a lineup that had been looking for rhythm early in the season, with several key hitters beginning to find their timing.
The Dodgers hit five home runs in the series opener, and one of them was Shohei Ohtani’s first homer of the season. Andy Pages also kept his strong start going in the second game, adding to the club’s recent surge at the plate.
Lineup changes after Mookie Betts’ injury
The Dodgers entered Sunday with a reshuffled lineup because Mookie Betts remains on the injured list. That forced manager Dave Roberts to adjust the batting order again for the finale, with Shohei Ohtani leading off and Miguel Rojas batting second.
- Shohei Ohtani, DH
- Miguel Rojas, SS
- Teoscar Hernández, LF
- Freddie Freeman, 1B
- Andy Pages, CF
- Alex Call, RF
- Santiago Espinal, 3B
- Dalton Rushing, C
- Alex Freeland, 2B
The revised order keeps several established bats in the middle of the lineup while giving younger players and depth options larger roles. It also reflects the Dodgers’ effort to stay productive despite the absence of one of their top hitters.
Roki Sasaki gets the ball
Roki Sasaki is set to make his second start of the season for Los Angeles. He gave the Dodgers four innings of one-run baseball against the Cleveland Guardians earlier in the week, a strong first impression as he continues to build into the rotation.
Sunday’s outing offers another chance for Sasaki to show consistency after the rain delay and help the Dodgers finish the road series on a high note. A quality start would also give Los Angeles a better chance to complete its second sweep of the season.
What comes next for Los Angeles
After the Nationals series, the Dodgers travel north to face the Toronto Blue Jays in a World Series rematch. Toronto entered Sunday sitting at 4-4, and the upcoming set will continue a busy early schedule for Los Angeles.
The pitching plan for that series is expected to include Justin Wrobleski, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Shohei Ohtani in the first three games. For now, though, the Dodgers are focused on the delay in Washington and the chance to improve to 7-2 with one more win at Nationals Park.
Read more at: sports.yahoo.com
