Friday night at Chase Field, the Dodgers and Diamondbacks kick off a crucial four-game series. The D-backs, once trailing by 11.5 games, are now only four games behind the Dodgers.
NL West standings as of Friday:
- Los Angeles Dodgers: 80-54
- Arizona Diamondbacks: 76-58 (4 GB)
- San Diego Padres: 76-60 (5 GB)
- San Francisco Giants: 67-68 (13.5 GB)
- Colorado Rockies: 50-85 (30.5 GB)
The D-backs have been on fire since July, boasting a record of 35-14, while the Dodgers are at 27-21 during the same period .
Series Details:
This weekend’s matchups:
Friday, Aug. 30 – Zac Gallen vs Clayton Kershaw at 9:40 p.m. ET on D-backs TV and SportsNet LA.
Saturday, Aug. 31 – Merrill Kelly vs Gavin Stone at 8:10 p.m. ET on D-backs TV and SportsNet LA.
Sunday, Sept. 1 – Brandon Pfaadt vs TBA at 4:10 p.m. ET on Roku.
Monday, Sept. 2 – Eduardo Rodriguez vs Jack Flaherty at 4:10 p.m. ET on D-backs TV and SportsNet LA.
Fans might think this series is make-or-break for both teams’ playoff hopes.
Kelly is confident about their chances against the Dodgers saying, "I definitely think we’re a better team than we were last year."
The Tiebreaker Scenario:
This is their final regular-season face-off with Arizona leading the season series at 5-4; they need just two wins to clinch it and secure a potential tiebreaker for the division title.
Splitting this weekend’s games would help with the tiebreaker but won’t close the gap in standings significantly; winning three or more would be ideal for Arizona.
Corbin Carroll’s Hot Streak:
Carroll started poorly this season but has turned things around dramatically since mid-May with impressive stats including .265/.345/.662 in his last stretch of games—his resurgence has been pivotal for Arizona’s rise in standings.
Freeman’s Return:
Freddie Freeman injured his finger recently but is expected back Friday night after sitting out against Baltimore Orioles earlier this week.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Freeman will play through pain as long as he can tolerate it without worsening his injury.
Utility man Enrique Hernández filled in for Freeman during his absence; Max Muncy could also step up if needed.
Roster Expansions:
On Sunday rosters expand to include one extra pitcher and one extra position player per team—Dodgers likely adding Justin Wrobleski while Andy Pages joins as an outfielder; D-backs might add Blaze Alexander or Jorge Barrosa among others depending on injuries within their Triple-A roster.
What do you think about these upcoming games?
