The Dodgers’ beginning lineup for Sport 5 of the World Collection contained a handful of tweaks, most notably catcher Will Smith sliding as much as the No. 2 spot and Alex Name incomes the beginning in left area whereas Andy Pages sits. The adjustments observe feedback from supervisor Dave Roberts after Tuesday’s 6-2 loss to the Blue Jays — during which the Dodgers had been held to 6 hits — that lineup changes may very well be on the horizon.
Roberts’ Sport 5 lineup additionally signifies that Tommy Edman, beginning at second base as an alternative of middle area, continues to be slowed by a young proper ankle. Kiké Hernández will get the beginning in middle as an alternative, and Miguel Rojas stays out there off the bench.
Mookie Betts additionally drops right down to No. 3 from 2, batting in that spot — in both the postseason or common season — for the primary time since Sept. 8, 2021. Betts’ eighth-inning single in Sport 4 was solely his fifth hit in 34 at-bats for the reason that begin of the NLCS.
Pages has struggled all postseason, with a .080 common, no walks and a .100 slugging proportion in 14 video games. Name, a 31-year-old enjoying in his first postseason after being acquired from the Nationals in July, is 4-for-9 with two walks this October and pinch-hit for Pages in Sport 4.
Smith, who batted cleanup within the first 4 video games of the collection, has reached base at a .350 clip through the Fall Basic however went hitless in 4 at-bats on Tuesday.
This is the Dodgers’ Sport 5 beginning lineup:
1. Shohei Ohtani, DH2. Will Smith, C3. Mookie Betts, SS4. Freddie Freeman, 1B5. Teoscar Hernández, RF6. Tommy Edman, 2B7. Max Muncy, 3B8. Kiké Hernández, CF9. Alex Name, LF
