Dodgers Reconfigure Lineup and Deploy Emmet Sheehan for Series Opener Against Cardinals
Manager Dave Roberts shifts Will Smith to the third spot in the batting order as the team seeks a rebound following losses to the Miami Marlins.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have adjusted their batting order ahead of the series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Manager Dave Roberts has moved catcher Will Smith to the third spot in the lineup, a strategic shift designed to optimise offensive output for the Friday evening contest. This reconfiguration marks the team's first opportunity to bounce back after dropping their home series against the Miami Marlins.
For the pitching matchup, Emmet Sheehan is set to start for the Dodgers, following his previous outing against the Chicago Cubs on April 24. Sheehan, who holds a record of 2-0, previously allowed four hits and one run over 6.1 innings while striking out 10 batters in that appearance. According to data from Baseball Savant, the right-hander excels in breaking run value, ranking in the 99th percentile, though he struggles with fastball run value, which sits in the seventh percentile.
The opposing Cardinals will begin their rotation with Matthew Liberatore, who enters the game with a record of 0-1. Liberatore has recorded 19 strikeouts in 30.1 innings this season but carries an ERA of 4.75. Analysis from Baseball Savant indicates that Liberatore is struggling in many pitching categories, particularly breaking run value, where his performance is worse than 99 per cent of pitchers, alongside overall pitching run value, which ranks worse than 96 per cent of peers.
Offensively, the Dodgers have maintained key positions for designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, first baseman Freddie Freeman, and left fielder Teoscar Hernandez, who bats cleanup. Kyle Tucker is scheduled to bat fifth, while right fielder Andy Pages takes the sixth spot. Veteran Miguel Rojas is playing shortstop and batting eighth, and Santiago Espinal is at second base batting last.
The specific impact of these batting order changes on the outcome of the game remains unknown, as the probability of victory for the Dodgers is not yet determined. While Sheehan has shown recent success against the Cubs, his performance against the Cardinals in this specific matchup remains unproven.
