The Astros' morning got worse before first pitch. Carlos Correa was scratched with a left ankle issue, Yainer Diaz just hit the 10-day IL with an oblique, and Jeremy Pena is still working back from a hamstring. That's the entire left side of the infield and the everyday catcher gone on the same day they have to face a guy striking out 11-plus per nine. Hunter Brown and Josh Hader are still weeks away.
- Day-To-DayTyler Glasnow (SP) — Glasnow was removed from Wednesday's start against the Astros due to back spasms, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.05/06
- 10-Day-ILMookie Betts (SS) — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Monday that Betts (oblique) is on track to face live pitching in a simulated game Thursday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.05/05
- 10-Day-ILTommy Edman (2B) — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Monday that Edman has been backed off his rehab a bit after feeling residual soreness in his surgically repaired right ankle, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.05/04
- 15-Day-ILBlake Snell (SP) — Snell (shoulder) completed four innings in a rehab outing with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday, allowing two earned runs on two hits and one walk while striking out four batters.05/03
- 15-Day-ILBrusdar Graterol (RP) — Graterol (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday, Triple-A Oklahoma City broadcaster Alex Freedman reports.05/02
- 15-Day-ILEdwin Diaz (RP) — Diaz said Monday that he's feeling "really good" following right elbow surgery and expressed confidence that he will be back to full strength in the second half of the season, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.04/30
- 15-Day-ILBen Casparius (RP) — Casparius said Saturday at DodgerFest, the team's fan event, that he prepared himself as a starting pitcher this offseason, Steve Webb of DodgersBeat.com reports.04/13
- 60-Day-ILEnrique Hernandez (1B) — Hernandez (elbow) will kick of a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.05/06
- 60-Day-ILLandon Knack (SP) — The Dodgers placed Knack on the 15-day injured list Monday due to an intercostal strain, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.04/29
- 60-Day-ILGavin Stone (SP) — Stone (shoulder) has resumed throwing, per MLB.com.04/04
- 60-Day-ILJake Cousins (RP) — The Dodgers transferred Cousins (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.04/02
- 60-Day-ILEvan Phillips (RP) — Phillips (elbow) threw a bullpen session to a squatting catcher March 17, per MLB.com.03/25
- 60-Day-ILBobby Miller (SP) — The Dodgers placed Miller (shoulder) on the 60-day injured list Monday.03/25
- Day-To-DayLance McCullers Jr. (SP) — McCullers (2-2) earned the win Thursday in the second game of a doubleheader with the Orioles, allowing three runs on two hits and four walks over six innings. He struck out nine.05/06
- Day-To-DayLucas Spence (OF) — Spence (neck) will start in left field and bat seventh in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/05
- Day-To-DayWalker Janek (C) — The Astros have selected Janek with the 28th overall pick in the 2024 First-Year Player Draft.05/05
- 10-Day-ILCarlos Correa (SS) — The Astros placed Correa (ankle) on the 10-day injured list Wednesday.05/06
- 10-Day-ILYainer Diaz (C) — The Astros placed Diaz (oblique) on the 10-day injured list Tuesday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.05/05
- 10-Day-ILTaylor Trammell (CF) — The Astros announced Monday that Trammell (groin) has begun a running progression in addition to taking part in light baseball activity, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/05
- 10-Day-ILJoey Loperfido (LF) — The Astros announced Monday that Loperfido (quadriceps) has started light running and light baseball activity, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/05
- 10-Day-ILJeremy Pena (SS) — Pena (hamstring) could begin a rehab assignment this weekend, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.05/04
- 10-Day-ILJake Meyers (CF) — The Astros announced Monday that Meyers (oblique) has started swinging a bat and reincorporating other baseball activities, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.05/04
- 15-Day-ILTatsuya Imai (SP) — Astros general manager Dana Brown said Tuesday that Imai (arm) will rejoin the rotation next week versus the Mariners, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.05/06
- 15-Day-ILHunter Brown (SP) — Brown (shoulder) could throw a bullpen session as soon as this weekend, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.05/04
- 15-Day-ILNate Pearson (RP) — Pearson (elbow) permitted one run on one hit and four walks over two innings in his first rehab start with Triple-A Sugar Land on Thursday.04/24
- 60-Day-ILHayden Wesneski (SP) — The Astros announced Monday that Wesneski (elbow) is continuing to complete regular bullpen sessions as part of his throwing progression, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/05
- 60-Day-ILCristian Javier (SP) — The Astros announced Monday that Javier (shoulder) will begin a throwing progression this week, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/05
- 60-Day-ILRonel Blanco (SP) — The Astros announced Monday that Blanco (elbow) is continuing to complete regular bullpen sessions as part of his throwing progression, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/05
- 60-Day-ILJosh Hader (RP) — Hader (biceps) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.05/02
- 60-Day-ILBrandon Walter (SP) — The Astros placed Walter (elbow) on the 60-day injured list.03/25
The Dodgers aren't exactly whole either — Mookie Betts (oblique) is only now ramping toward live BP, Tommy Edman has been backed off his rehab, and the pitching IL reads like a phone book with Snell, Graterol, Phillips, Stone, and Miller on it. Doesn't matter much when Shohei and Freeman are healthy and the rotation's ace is rolling. LA has won 22 games with half its stars in street clothes.
Recent form is split. The Dodgers are 3-2 over their last 5 but coming off back-to-back losses, while Houston has actually gone 3-2 in their last 5 and is playing slightly better than their season record suggests. Don't read too much into it — small samples on a 162-game grid — but if you're squinting for a live-dog angle on the Astros' +191, this is the spot where their bats have shown a pulse.
Total sits at 9 with the under getting the heavier ticket count (56% of bets) but the over taking the bigger handle. Makes some sense: McCullers' ERA suggests crooked numbers are coming, but Glasnow's whiff rate plus a banged-up Astros lineup is a recipe for a quiet afternoon on one side of the scoreboard. Lean on the matchup, not the line.
Bottom line: this is a game the Dodgers should win, and the public knows it. The interesting question is whether McCullers can keep the Astros within striking distance long enough for their bullpen to do something, because the offense behind him is being asked to score off the wrong starter on the wrong day.