The Los Angeles Dodgers expect to have third baseman Justin Turner back in the starting lineup Monday when they open a three-game series at the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix.
Turner, hitting .306 with six home runs, has missed most of the past four games because of left hamstring tightness.
Turner did walk in a pinch-hitting appearance in the seventh inning in an 8-0 home win against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, but manager Dave Roberts told reporters before the game he wanted to wait another day to put him into the lineup, citing the need to “not put him in harm’s way at all.”
Turner’s right-handed bat amid the Dodgers’ lefty power could come in handy against Arizona left-hander Robbie Ray (4-2, 3.59 ERA).
Ray is 7-3 with a 2.82 ERA in 16 career starts against Los Angeles, striking out 130 in 95 2/3 innings. He took a no-decision on March 29, when he went five innings, allowing three runs and three hits, walking five and fanning nine.
With the Diamondbacks starting a lefty, that should be another opportunity for right-handed-hitting David Freese, who mostly has been used as a platoon first baseman. The 36-year-old has homered in two consecutive games, including Sunday after he entered as an injury replacement.
He is hitting .294 with six homers in 82 at-bats.
“He does so many things for this ballclub — in the clubhouse and obviously on the field,” Roberts said after the game Sunday. “Just the buy-in and the professionalism. He epitomizes a lot of what we’re about.”
The Dodgers, who have won five consecutive games and nine of the past 10, enter with a nine-game lead in the National League West. They play 26 of their next 32 games against teams in the division.
“We know the Dodgers are marching in here, and we’re excited about that,” said Arizona manager Torey Lovullo, whose team is 11 games back. “We’re playing much better than we were playing last week.”
The D-backs took both weekend games from the New York Mets to get back to .500 at 30-30, but they will have to navigate a formidable Dodgers’ pitching staff, starting with Walker Buehler (5-1, 4.03).
The 24-year-old righty has a 4.70 ERA without a decision in three career starts against Arizona, spanning 15 1/3 innings. He gave up five runs on three innings on March 31.
Arizona could get back a key bat in the middle of its order. Left fielder David Peralta, who was eligible to come off the 10-day injured list Saturday, is hoping to be activated Monday after recovering from a right shoulder strain.
Peralta is hitting .309 with 16 doubles, seven homers and 30 RBIs in 46 games. He had eight at-bats in extended spring training on Saturday.
“(Monday), we’re going to see how he feels when he comes into the ballpark,” Lovullo said. “I know he wants to be out there, but we don’t want to put our athletes in a position where they take a swing or two and they go backward.”
The Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger, who is hitting .376, went 1-for-4 on Sunday to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. Diamondbacks outfielder Ketel Marte has five home runs in his past nine games, including a 482-foot shot Sunday that tied for the longest in the majors this season.
