After logging 2,090 games and 18,080.1 innings in the field over 15 seasons in red pinstripes, shortstop Jimmy Rollins will be returning to South Philadelphia tonight for the first time in a different uniform.
Rollins, 36, was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers on December 19 in exchange for minor league pitchers Zach Eflin and Tom Windle. Both with the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils this season, Eflin is 6-6 with a 3.41 ERA over 17 starts, while Windle is 3-5 with a 4.78 ERA over 23 appearances.
On June 14, Rollins surpassed Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt in becoming the franchise's all-time hits leader with 2,235 base-knocks. He finished the season with 2,306 after going 1-2 in his final game as a Phillie on September 8 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
In 100 games this season with the division-leading Dodgers, Rollins is batting a career-low .216/.272/.359 with 11 home runs and 33 runs-batted-in. The switch-hitting, three-time All-Star is projected to finish the season with 122 hits, which would be his lowest total since playing only 88 games in 2010 because of a strained right calf.
Starting Pitching Matchup:
| Los Angeles Dodgers (60-45) | Philadelphia Phillies (41-65) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LHP | Alex Wood | RHP | Jerome Williams | ||
| (7-6, 3.54 ERA) | (3-8, 6.36 ERA) | ||||
Wood, 24, is 1-1 with a 2.22 ERA in four career starts at Citizens Bank Park. He has faced the Phillies three times this season, while with the Atlanta Braves, and has allowed 24 hits, seven runs, six walks and one home run over 16.0 innings on the mound.
The Dodgers acquired Wood on July 30 as a part of the three-team trade that sent Bronson Arroyo, Jim Johnson, and others to Los Angeles, Paco Rodriguez and two minor leaguers to Atlanta, three minor leaguers to the Marlins, as well as Mat Latos and Mike Morse to the Dodgers.
Morse was since flipped to the Pittsburgh Pirates, a day later, in exchange for infielder Jose Tabata.
Wood will be making his Dodgers debut tonight. He last threw on July 27, tossing seven and one-third shutout innings at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland.
Williams, 33, is 2-3 with a 4.97 ERA in five career starts against the Dodgers. Tonight will be his third start since being activated from the disabled list on July 20 with a strained hamstring.
Over the right hander's last ten starts, he has allowed 70 hits, 39 runs (38 earned) and 13 walks over 47 and two-thirds innings to yield a 1.741 WHIP ratio.
Starting Lineups:
| Los Angeles Dodgers (60-45) | Philadelphia Phillies (41-65) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Player | Bats | Position | Player | Bats | ||
| 1 | SS | Jimmy Rollins | S | 1 | 2B | Cesar Hernandez | S |
| 2 | 2B | Howie Kendrick | R | 2 | CF | Odubel Herrera | L |
| 3 | 1B | Adrian Gonzalez | L | 3 | 3B | Maikel Franco | R |
| 4 | LF | Andre Ethier | L | 4 | RF | Jeff Francoeur | R |
| 5 | C | Yasmani Grandal | S | 5 | 1B | Ryan Howard | L |
| 6 | RF | Yasiel Puig | R | 6 | LF | Darin Ruf | R |
| 7 | CF | Joc Pederson | L | 7 | SS | Freddy Galvis | S |
| 8 | 3B | Alex Guerrero | R | 8 | C | Carlos Ruiz | R |
| 9 | P | Alex Wood | R | 9 | R | Jerome Williams | R |
Rollins rocking the Dodger blue in his return to Philadelphia for the first time since he was traded in offseason. pic.twitter.com/7JZX8pVFZ9
— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) August 4, 2015
Game Notes:
- The Phillies are 17-18 all-time against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park. Over the last ten games played in South Philadelphia between the two historic franchises, the Phillies have fallen in eight of them, having been shutout in four and averaging two runs per contest. Josh Beckett's no-hitter on May 25, 2014 was the first of its kind by an opposing pitcher at the venue, and the second overall (Roy Halladay 2010 NLDS). Beckett announced his retirement on October 7.
- Over 803 games, 3,601 plate-appearances and 3,242 at-bats at Citizens Bank Park, Jimmy Rollins is batting .279/.343/.449 with 904 hits, 177 doubles, 47 triples, 94 home runs, 357 runs-batted-in and 177 stolen bases.
- Darin Ruf, who will start in left field tonight for the 15th time of the season, has five hits with one home run, three runs-batted-in and two walks in 12 career at-bats against Wood.
Broadcast Information:
- First-pitch: 7:05 pm EST
- TV: CSN
- Radio: 94 WIP, 1210 WPHT, WTTM 1680 (Sp.)
What's Next:
- Wednesday, August 5, 2015: vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, 7:05 pm
- LHP Brett Anderson (5-6, 3.14 ERA) vs. RHP Aaron Harang (5-11, 3.97 ERA)
- TV: CSN; Radio: 94 WIP, 1210 WPHT, WTTM 1680 (Sp.)
- Thursday, August 6, 2015: vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, 1:05 pm
- RHP Zack Greinke (10-2, 1.41 ERA) vs. RHP David Buchanan (2-5, 6.44 ERA)
- TV: NBC10, MLBN; Radio: 94 WIP, 1210 WPHT, WTTM 1680 (Sp.)
Matt Rappa (@mattrappasports) is managing editor of Philliedelphia.com.
