Dodgers Vs. Marlins Game Preview: Miguel Rojas & Austin Barnes Start In Chance For Sweep

The Los Angeles Dodgers aim to secure a series sweep over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday, after taking the previous two matchups in commanding fashion.

Riding a six-game win streak, the Dodgers own a +31 run differential in that span, scoring 5.2 runs per game. Since May 1, Shohei Ohtani, Max Muncy and Teoscar Hernández rank within the top-25 of big league hitters in slugging, home runs and individual fWAR.

The Dodgers enter the day with a 25-13 record, being the only team in the National League West with a positive record. Their 6.5 game lead over the second place team is the largest gap in any division in Major League Baseball.

Gavin Stone gets the ball for his seventh start of the year, carrying a 2-1 record, with a 4.06 ERA, 3.76 FIP and a 1.35 WHIP.

In his two most recent outings have been his best work, facing both the Toronto Blue Jays and Atlanta Braves, Stone allowed just two earned runs on seven hits over his prior 13 innings.

Stone is looking more like a solid middle of the rotation arm for the Dodgers, finding a solid mix with his cut-fastball and elite changeup. Both of which he’s deployed against left, and right-handed hitters, respectively.

He squares off against left-hander Ryan Weathers, making his eight start of the season.

In 35.2 innings pitched, Weathers is 2-3 with a 4.54 ERA, 5.08 FIP, 1.37 WHIP and a .241 batting average allowed. The 24-year-old relies on his four-seam fastball, changeup and sweeper, however, he falls in the 27th percentile in strikeout rate.

His surrounding metrics favor the Dodgers’ offense, as Weathers allows 41.8% hard hit rate to opposing hitters.

The Dodgers rank fifth in MLB against lefties, amassing a 125 wRC+ with a combined .350 on-base percentage and a 14.6 weight runs above average as a group. Their 131 hits against southpaws leads the league.

With the day game after a night game and a lefty on the mound, Austin Barnes, Miguel Rojas and Kiké Hernández are all in the lineup.

Dodgers lineup

SS: Mookie Betts
DH: Shohei Ohtani
1B: Freddie Freeman
RF: Teoscar Hernández
LF: Kiké Hernández
3B: Max Muncy
CF: Andy Pages
2B: Miguel Rojas
C: Austin Barnes

Marlins lineup

CF: Jazz Chisholm Jr.
DH: Bryan De La Cruz
3B: Jake Burger
1B: Josh Bell
RF: Jesús Sánchez
LF: Nick Gordon
SS: Vidal Bruján
C: Nick Fortes
2B: Otto López