Dodgers To Begin Three-Game Series Against Tampa Bay Rays Friday evening

LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The Dodgers will face the Tampa Bay Rays Friday evening to begin a three-game series, two days after they completed a three-game sweep of the Seattle Mariners to give them the best record in baseball.

Right-hander Bobby Miller will make his second start for the Dodgers following his recall from their Triple-A Oklahoma City affiliate Aug. 17, when he allowed four runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings in a 5-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Miller is 1-3 with an 8.02 ERA. The Dodgers are 3-5 in his eight starts. Miller will be facing the Rays for the first time.

Left-hander Tyler Alexander will pitch for Tampa Bay. He is 5-3 with a 5.17 ERA in 16 appearances. The Rays are 3-3 in his six starts.

Alexander will be making his second appearance against the Dodgers. He allowed four runs and three hits in 2 1/3 innings in the Detroit Tigers' 5- 1 loss on April 29, 2022.

Dodgers' designated hitter Shohei Ohtani is 4-for-6 with one home run and two RBIs against Alexander.

Ohtani is one home run and one stolen base away from becoming the sixth player in MLB history -- and first Dodger -- with 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in the same season.

Ohtani enters Friday's play second in Major League Baseball with 39 home runs, second with 37 stolen bases, tied for second with 74 extra-base hits and third with 302 total bases.

The Dodgers (76-52) lead the National League West by four games over the Arizona Diamondbacks (72-56). They are 1 1/2-games ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies (74-53) in the race for the National League's best record and one game ahead of the New York Yankees (75-53) for baseball's best record.

Tampa Bay (64-63) is fourth in the American League East, 10 1/2 games behind the division-leading Yankees and seven games behind the Minnesota Twins in the race for the third and final American League wild-card berth.

The activated infielder/outfielder Chris Taylor from the injured list Thursday and designated outfielder Jason Heyward for assignment.

Taylor, 33, was placed on the injured list on July 25 with a right groin strain. He made five rehab appearances between the Dodgers' Class-A Rancho Cucamonga affiliate and Oklahoma City, going 6-for-18 with two doubles and four RBIs. Taylor is batting .167 with three homers and 15 RBIs in 64 games for the Dodgers this season.

The 7:10 p.m. game will be televised by SportsNet LA.