Chicago @ Los Angeles preview
Dodger Stadium
Last Meeting ( Jul 9, 2010 ) Chi. Cubs 7, LA Dodgers 9
Andre Ethier has rediscovered his early-season batting average form, so the next task is seeing if his power is about to return.
Ethier was one of the top players in baseball over the first six weeks of the season before breaking his right pinkie finger in mid-May. At the time, he was leading the National League with a .392 average, 11 homers and 38 RBIs.
The Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder missed two-plus weeks due to the injury and just recently began stroking the ball well again. Ethier had his second three-hit game of July on Friday night and will look to continue his recent torrid hitting when the Dodgers meet the Chicago Cubs on Saturday in the third of the four-game series.
Ethier is batting .394 (13-of-33) in July with two homers. The power output already surpasses his June home run total when Ethier went deep just once in 105 at-bats while batting just .229.
Injuries to the hands and wrists often strip a player of power - and that looks to have certainly happened with Ethier. He returned to the lineup relatively quickly but was wearing a splint and didn’t have the same torque in his swing.
But the recent hitting splurge lends hope that the power could soon be returning. Ethier (.322 overall) has 14 homers and 52 RBIs and could still challenge the career-high 31 homers he hit last season.
Baseball fans took notice of Ethier’s strong start as he was voted to Tuesday’s All-Star Game as a starting outfielder. It will be Ethier’s first All-Star appearance.
Cubs left-hander Tom Gorzelanny will attempt to cool Ethier down on Saturday. Ethier is just 1-for-6 (.167) lifetime against Gorzelanny.
Gorzelanny lost to the Dodgers earlier this season when he gave up seven runs – five earned – in five innings. He defeated Arizona in his last start for his first victory since May 19.
Gorzelanny is 3-5 overall but has a respectable 3.31 ERA.
John Ely starts for Los Angeles. Ely lasted just 2 2/3 innings against the Florida Marlins in his most-recent outing, giving up six runs – five earned – and nine hits.
Ely (4-6) has lost four of his last five starts and has seen his ERA rise to 4.07. He lost to the Cubs earlier this season despite allowing just one run and four hits in 7 1/3 innings.
Chicago center fielder Marlon Byrd had a four-hit game on Friday after having three hits in Thursday’s series opener. Byrd is 9-for-14 over his last three games to raise his batting average to .319.
Byrd, who will play in Tuesday’s All-Star Game, is a .403 career hitter (31-for-77) against the Dodgers.
Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez got his average up to .200 for the first time since early April with his fourth consecutive multi-hit game. Ramirez went 3-for-4 on Friday and is 9-for-17 (.529) over the last four games.
Ramirez, who was batting .168 as recently as June 27, is now hitting .204.