Dodgers Seek Offense Boost Against Struggling Astros Bullpen

The Dodgers salvaged a win against the Cardinals on Sunday, avoiding a sweep despite struggling offensively throughout the series. Averaging just 2.33 runs per game in St. Louis, the team is eager to turn the page as they prepare to face the Houston Astros. On Monday, Yoshinobu Yamamoto will take the mound in what appears to be a favorable matchup for the Dodgers, who will be up against an Astros bullpen still grappling with injury woes.

Houston’s decision to employ a bullpen game comes as no surprise given their rotation’s struggles this season. The Astros are missing key pitchers, including Tatsuya Imai and Hunter Brown, the latter being one of their most promising young arms. Additionally, the loss of Framber Valdez to free agency has left a noticeable gap. In this matchup, left-hander Steven Okert will serve as the opener for Houston. Although he carries a 4.20 ERA, the real trouble for the Astros lies in what follows him.

Without their star closer, Josh Hader, the Astros are currently dealing with the worst bullpen in Major League Baseball. As they enter Monday’s game, their relievers have a collective ERA of 6.20, the highest in the league. This puts them significantly above the second-worst bullpen, the Angels, who sit at 5.62. While Houston’s relievers showed some improvement during their recent series against the Red Sox, the potential for damage remains. This presents an ideal opportunity for a Dodgers offense looking to break out of its slump.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.