Madison Bumgarner Working Hard to Get Back to Who He Was

Dodgers at Diamondbacks Game Preview for April 7th

The Diamondbacks host the Dodgers for game two of a four game series at Chase Field tonight, game time 6:40 P.M. MST

Watch: 

D-backs - Bally Sports Arizona Extra, Dodgers - SportsNet LA

Listen: 

D-backs - ESPN Phoenix 620, KHOV Univision 105.1 

Dodgers - Dodgers Radio AM570, KTNQ 1020

STARTING PITCHERS

Madison Bumgarner and Clayton Kershaw will face off in a rematch of last week's game in Los Angeles. That game did not go well for Bumgarner and the D-backs. Giving up five run first inning, including a grand slam to Trayce Thompson, started things off badly. He recovered to throw three more innings of scoreless baseball, but the damage was done, as the D-backs went on to lose 10-1. 

After the game Bumgarner mentioned feeling fatigued and was sent back to Phoenix early for testing and imaging. Given a clean bill of health after the  medical exam however, the team decided to keep him on regular rest and make tonight's start against L.A.

Speaking to media  in the clubhouse yesterday, Bumgarner explained the fatigue feeling by stating:

"I just overdid it for a little while honestly. Especially the last week leading up to the season starting. But everything bounced back, we got some work done, took a couple days off, and then eased back into it. "

Bumgarner has felt tantalizingly close to finding whatever it is that would allow him to get back to effectiveness. Asked if part of overdoing it was due to trying too hard to get back to who he was, Bumgarner felt sure that was the case. 

"That was definitely it, 100%. I knew I was probably doing more than I should at the time. You feel like your just so close to something and one more day I'll have have it, and then you end up saying that a few times and then wind up where we are now." 

Bumgarner came into camp in excellent shape, slimmed down, and has worked hard to become an effective pitcher again. While he's had little success in Sedona Red, he's not giving up on trying to get better. 

Kershaw went six innings against the D-backs last week in L.A., giving up just the one run on four hits. He didn't walk a batter and struck out nine. Historically the D-backs have had a lot more success against Kershaw at Chase Field than they have in Dodger Stadium. Having made exactly 21 starts in LA and 21 in Arizona, Kershaw is 13-1 against the D-backs in L.A. but just 8-10 against them in Arizona.  Last year however he threw seven shutout innings giving up just two hits in his lone visit to Arizona. 

LINEUPS

Jack Sommers

Alek Thomas is back in at centerfield tonight with Corbin Carroll shifting over to right field and Jake McCarthy getting a night off. The rest of the lineup is the D-backs typical right handed lineup. As per usual, the matchup to watch from the D-backs perspective is Christian Walker against Kershaw. Last week Walker hit his fifth career homer against him. That's tied with Nolan Arenado for the most home runs against the future hall of famer. Walker's 1.188 OPS is also far and away the highest of any player against Kershaw, (min 25). The next closest, Pat Burrell, is 228 OPS behind Walker.  Report Link

Rookie Miguel Vargas, who leads MLB with nine walks, (eight against Arizona) in just 18 plate appearances is back in the lineup after missing a couple of games with a sore thumb.