A Sunday of familiar faces in new places
Spring Training, Dodgers at Giants, 12:05 p.m. PT:
Chris Taylor CF
Chase Utley 2B
Cody Bellinger 1B
Yasiel Puig RF
Yasmani Grandal C
Joc Pederson LF
Logan Forsythe 3B
Austin Barnes DH
Kiké Hernández SS
Kenta Maeda RHP
by Rowan Kavner
Sunday afternoon is all about familiar faces in new places.
On the Dodgers’ side, the illness that enveloped the clubhouse appears to be in its waning stages with most players back healthy, allowing them to field a lineup of all Major League players behind Kenta Maeda. However, a couple of them are in different spots on the field than their norm.
Second basemen Chase Utley and Logan Forsythe are both in Sunday’s lineup, so Forsythe shifts over to third base. And with Corey Seager still in the midst of his throwing program, which was delayed by illness this week, Kiké Hernández will man shortstop.
Hernández, too, was among the Dodger players struck by sickness this week back in the lineup Sunday. He’s only had nine plate appearances this spring, but he’s taken advantage of them with a home run, triple, double and three walks.
Manager Dave Roberts said Seager will get back to designated hitting Monday and has resumed his throwing program. As of now, there’s no specific timetable for when Seager will make his debut in the field.
Catchers Yasmani Grandal and Austin Barnes are also both in Sunday’s lineup, with Barnes in the DH role he’s been in all spring. Barnes — who, like Seager, is on a throwing program for his elbow — is expected to catch for the first time this spring Tuesday against the Cubs, according to Roberts, who said Barnes has been throwing to bases.
Maeda’s start Sunday afternoon comes after he threw two scoreless innings in his first 2018 Cactus League outing.
Roberts said he expects another two innings from Maeda on Sunday against the Giants, who will also feature familiar faces in different places. For them, the difference is in the roster itself.
Sunday will mark the Dodgers’ first look at two new major additions to the National League West Division, as Giants newcomers Andrew McCutchen and Evan Longoria are both in the lineup Sunday. Neither player was in the lineup the first time the Dodgers and Giants met this spring.
The game can be seen on Spectrum SportsNet LA, which is airing 20 Dodgers Spring Training games this spring, including live games every Saturday and Sunday.
