Comparing the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers position-by-position
Jul 3, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) pitches during the seventh inning against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
LHP Clayton Kershaw LHP Madison Bumgarner
RHP Zack Greinke RHP Chris Heston
LHP Brett Anderson VS. RHP Matt Cain
(4-man rotation) RHP Mike Leake/RHP Ryan Vogelsong
According to Fox Sports on Wednesday, the Dodgers announced that they would be going to a 4-man rotation becoming the only team in the MLB to do that this season. This comes after the poor outings from recently acquired Matt Latos, and the fact that the Dodgers have had trouble winning games all year when Greinke and Kershaw aren’t pitching. In games that Kershaw and Greinke start, the Dodgers are 30-18, when they don’t, they are just 37-35.
As for San Francisco, Bumgarner has been more consistent than Kershaw, but I give Greinke the honor of being the best pitcher in the National League this year. The Giants 1-2 punch of Kershaw and Greinke have the slight edge over Bumgarner and Heston, but the lower guys in the Giants rotation in Peavy, Vogelsong, and Cain have the advantage over Anderson and Wood of the Dodgers. To add, after a long couple weeks Mike Leake is scheduled to come off the DL and start this Sunday for San Francisco.
Ultimately, in a three game series, with each team starting their best guys, I give the edge to the Dodgers as Kershaw and Greinke are too nasty and talented. Although the Giants have beaten Kershaw three times this season, he has not pitched bad as he has just a 3.54 ERA in those three starts.
Giants Starting Rotation: 51-42, 3.85 ERA, 707 2/3 innings pitched, 216 walks, 564 strikeouts, and 1.26 WHIP.
Dodgers Starting Rotation: 44-31, 3.23 ERA, 727 2/3 innings pitched, 186 walks, 650 strikeouts, and 1.16 WHIP.
Advantage Dodgers.
9th Inning: Giants 5–Dodgers 4
Next: Bench/Bullpen/Final Score