Philadelphia Phillies vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Pick & Prediction AUGUST 6th 2024

Preview and Prediction

Clayton Kershaw, a seasoned player for the Los Angeles Dodgers, will make another attempt at regaining his top form when he takes on the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday.

Since returning from shoulder surgery in the offseason, Kershaw has made two starts. In his first start on July 25 against the San Francisco Giants, he allowed two runs in four innings. However, in his most recent start against the San Diego Padres on Wednesday, he gave up seven runs, three of which were earned, in just 3 2/3 innings.

Another cause for concern is that Kershaw, who currently holds a record of 0-1 with a 5.87 ERA, did not strike out any of the 21 batters he faced in his last start. This was the first time in his 17-year career, spanning over 424 regular-season starts, that he failed to record a strikeout.

Kershaw himself admits that he was not executing his pitches and was frustrated with his performance. He insists that there are no physical issues affecting his game.

Despite dealing with shoulder discomfort last season, Kershaw still managed to achieve a 13-5 record with a 2.46 ERA in 24 regular-season starts. The Dodgers have faith that he will return to this level of success.

Manager Dave Roberts stated, "I think it's hard to ever bet against Clayton... (His current form is) part of the process."

Perhaps Kershaw can rely on his past success against the Phillies, who currently hold the best record in the National League. In 16 career regular-season starts against Philadelphia, he has a 2.76 ERA and a record of 4-6.

The Dodgers, who have the second-best record in the NL, are looking to gain ground on the Phillies in this series. They started off strong with a 5-3 victory in the series opener on Monday, which included home runs from Teoscar Hernandez and Shohei Ohtani.

The game also marked the return of Freddie Freeman for the Phillies, who had missed eight games while his young son was ill. Freeman received a standing ovation from the fans before his first at-bat and went on to record one hit in four at-bats.

"I just can't really thank the fans enough. I really can't," Freeman expressed his gratitude.

On Tuesday, the Phillies will send left-hander Cristopher Sanchez to the mound. Sanchez, who was named an All-Star for the first time this season, is coming off a rough outing against the New York Yankees where he gave up six runs in 5 2/3 innings.

Although Sanchez has a record of 7-7 with a 3.36 ERA, he struggled in July with a 6.59 ERA in five starts. However, his one win in July came against the Dodgers on July 10, where he gave up just two runs in six innings.

As the Phillies have lost seven of their last eight games, their lead in the NL has been reduced to just half a game over the Dodgers. In Monday's game, they had hits against all three Dodgers relievers but only managed to go 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

Right fielder Nick Castellanos acknowledged that the team is currently in a slump, but praised their effort and competitiveness in Monday's game. He stated, "I think we're grinding right now. I think we're just in a funk... We were in the competition. It was a good baseball game. A couple things here, a couple things there and it changes."

PREDICTION

Philadelphia Phillies

5

4

Los Angeles Dodgers

Philadelphia Phillies vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Recap AUG 6TH 2024