SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

at LOS ANGELES DODGERS

First pitch: Sunday, 8:00 p.m. ET
Line: N/A

Jeff Samardzija and the Giants take on Kenta Maeda and the rival Dodgers in the series finale at Dodger Stadium.

In the finale of the three-game series, RHP Jeff Samardzija (1-0, 3.38 ERA, 11 SO, 5 BB in 13 1/3 IP) will take the ball for the Giants. On the mound for the Dodgers will be rookie RHP Kenta Maeda (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 8 SO, 1 BB in 12 IP), who has yet to give up a run in two major-league starts. Samardzija, who signed a five-year, $90 million contract with the Giants in December, wasn’t especially sharp in his first outing with San Francisco (3 ER on 8 H in 5 1/3 innings against Milwaukee). He rebounded nicely in his second start, defeating Colorado—in Denver—for his first win as a Giant (2 ER on 6 H in 8 IP). The 28-year-old Maeda—who pitched in Japan from 2008-15 before signing an eight-year contract with LA in January—has made a seamless transition into Major League Baseball. Thus far, he’s exceeded any and all expectations. In the right-hander’s first start he dominated the light-hitting Padres for his first career MLB win, throwing six scoreless frames and scattering five hits. Maeda’s second start was nearly identical to his first. Though he didn’t get a win, he again tossed six scoreless—allowing five hits—in an efficient outing against the Diamondbacks.

The Giants will face a challenge on Sunday night, not just because Maeda has been brilliant, but because none of Bruce Bochy’s hitters have ever faced him. The Giants’ lineup has been incredibly productive thus far, but don’t expect Maeda to be intimidated. Though he beat a lifeless Padres team in his first start, he proved himself by navigating a dangerous Diamondbacks lineup with relative ease. He’ll also be pitching in the friendly confines of Dodger Stadium, a pitcher’s park that should suit him well. Maeda has been stellar against both left-handed hitters (4-for-20 with two doubles and a walk) and right-handed hitters (6-for-25 with no walks and no extra-base hits). Maeda has done a solid job of pitching out of the stretch and escaping jams, as hitters have gone 0-for-11 against him with runners in scoring position.

The Dodgers aren’t overly familiar with Samardzija, but they do have some experience against the former Notre Dame wide receiver. Manager Dave Roberts might be inclined to start 2B Chase Utley—formerly a star but now a backup—because he has six hits in 15 career at-bats with three doubles, a triple, a home run and five RBIs against the 6’5” righty. After Utley, the Dodger with the most at-bats against Samardzija is RF Andre Ethier (2-for-8), who’s on the 60-day disabled list with a leg injury. RF Yasiel Puig is 2-for-3 against him with a walk and 1B Adrian Gonzalez is 1-for-3 with an RBI and a strikeout. Backup catcher A.J. Ellis is the only other Dodger—along with Utley—who has homered off of Samardzija. Both of Samardzija’s first two starts have come away from AT&T Park, so he’s used to pitching on the road. Right-handed hitters are batting .273 against Samardzija, while lefties are hitting .263.