One day after coming up short against the cellar-dwelling Padres, the Dodgers have decided to employ yet another lineup variation to face 22-year-old righty Jacob Nix in the second game of the series on Saturday night.
The biggest change for Los Angeles is Manny Machado moving to the cleanup spot. Max Muncy, who normally plays first base against southpaws and hits fourth or fifth, assumes Machado’s spot in the three-hole.
Two other new looks for the Dodgers occur as right fielder Yasiel Puig hits out of the sixth hole, while Chris Taylor garners a start at second base and hits eighth.
In the series opener, the Dodgers outhit the Padres 9-8 with primarily their right-handed lineup, but were ultimately defeated, 5-3. Young lefty Eric Lauer went five strong innings for San Diego, giving up just one earned run on four hits and two walks.
With the defeat, the Dodgers saw their division lead shorten to 1-1/2 games as the Rockies secured a 6-2 victory against the Diamondbacks.
Rich Hill, who has given up four earned runs in each of his last three starts, will take the mound for the Dodgers. The good news is that the Los Angeles offense has been producing behind Hill, scoring an impressive 49 runs in the last five games he has started.
First pitch is set for 6:10 p.m. Los Angeles time.
Saturday’s lineup vs. righty Nix:
- Pederson LF
- Turner 3B
- Muncy 1B
- Machado SS
- Bellinger CF
- Puig RF
- Grandal C
- Taylor 2B
- Hill P
Think Blue Planning Committee 
I don’t believe lineups matter with this group. I would put Turner and Machado in the middle and draw the other names out of a hat. But that’s me.
As of today, at 8-2 we are the warmest team in the NL. That could change of course. I don’t like the idea of starting the playoffs on the road but who knows, maybe that would be good for this particular squad.
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I think confidence will play a bit of a role in the success (i can see all the saber folks cringing as I write this.) Just seems to me that they expected to win last year, while this year you get the feeling they’re saying “let’s take the field and see what happens.”
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