Diamondbacks take aim at Roki Sasaki, Dodgers in rematch

Let the rivalry resume.

The Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers got their first look at each other Thursday, when Arizona benefited from Gabriel Moreno's fourth-inning grand slam and 6 1/3 scoreless innings from Brandon Pfaadt for a 5-3 win in the opener of a four-game set in Phoenix.

The record between the last two teams to represent the National League in the World Series is now even over the last two-plus seasons.

The teams each won eight of the 16 games in 2023, although the Diamondbacks recorded a three-game sweep in the NL Division Series. The Dodgers went 7-6 against Arizona in 2024.

Both teams relish the rivalry.

"We love to compete against the Dodgers," Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. "They are an elite franchise. They have done it for a long time. Whenever they come into town, it is exciting."

Dodgers' rookie right-hander Roki Sasaki (1-1, 3.86 ERA) will oppose Arizona left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (1-3, 5.92) on Friday.

Sasaki, like Los Angeles' Yoshinobu Yamamato on Thursday, will make his first start of the season on five days' rest. He and Yamamoto had stuck to a once-a-week regimen, but rotation injuries and a schedule that includes 10 games in 10 days mandated a change.

"We seem to bring out the best in them," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "It's an athletic team. They really defend well. They are good on the bases. Playing in the same division, obviously there is a lot of familiarity. It could be a fun series."

Sasaki has been a staple in the rotation since the Japan Series in Tokyo on March 18-19, but he did not get his first victory until his last outing, a 10-3 victory at Atlanta last Saturday.

Sasaki threw a season-high 98 pitches and gave up three runs for the second consecutive contest, but he benefited from seven runs in the first three innings and cruised.

"That's the plan," Roberts said about keeping Sasaki on five days' rest between starts. "There might be other days with six days' of rest, given the off days,"

Sasaki has better splits in four road starts than in three at home - 3.50 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 18 innings.

Rodriguez has struggled in his last three starts, giving up 16 runs in 16 innings since a 6-4 victory at Miami on April 17. He had 10 strikeouts in his last outing, a no-decision in the Diamondbacks' 11-9 victory at Philadelphia on Sunday.

He is one of eight major leaguers with at least two double-digit strikeout games this season.

"I would prefer to go seven (innings) with two (strikeouts)," Rodriguez said. "That's my main reason to go out there. I feel like when I strike out a lot of guys, I go five innings and 100 pitches. So for me, I try to get contact, and if I get a guy to strike out with three or four pitches, that will be great.

"I don't call myself a strikeout pitcher. I'm here to try to give the team the opportunity to win the game every time I go out there."

Rodriguez is 1-4 with a 6.00 ERA in five career meetings versus the Dodgers.