The recent schedule has been kind to the Dodgers, with them facing the likes of the Nationals, Rockies, and currently the White Sox. Los Angeles has taken advantage of that rather well, and now they get one more game against the White Sox before over a month of games strictly against teams over .500. The only exception is the currently 43-45 Boston Red Sox, who are a couple of good series away from being back in contention.

Thursday in particular has a bit of lasting significance as it’s the first of hopefully not too many with a new-look lineup, missing the powerful bat of Max Muncy. The Dodgers’ starting third baseman is out with a knee issue of yet unknown severity as we wait for further tests.

Normally, if everything is clicking, one might assume the Dodgers could get by without Muncy for a bit, but that isn’t quite the case at the moment. His game-tying sacrifice fly in Wednesday’s victory notwithstanding, Mookie Betts is tight in the thick of things, as a player who needs to raise his game. Betts is currently experiencing his most trying season in the big leagues, and the offense needs him now more than ever.

Coming off an emotionally draining walk-off win, the Dodgers want to avoid the beginning of a trend that could be looked as just an anomaly, but it’s worth pointing out one way or another. While they did well coming off walk-off victories earlier in the year, that hasn’t been the case as of late with the Dodgers losing their last two games after a walk-off win. The latest was a 5-3 defeat at the hands of the Padres with Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound. Before that, the Dodgers lost 6-1 to the Mets at the beginning of June.

Counting Justin Wrobleski’s six innings of shutout ball against the Royals last Sunday, the Dodgers will put on the line a streak of 14 scoreless innings by the bullpen, a unit that hasn’t seen Tanner Scott in action for a while. Scott last pitched on Friday, after he pitched three times in four days. Regardless of the result, Scott is likely to be used in this game against the White Sox. The same could be said about Kirby Yates, who has yet to take the mound this week.

Thursday game info

Teams: Dodgers vs. White Sox
Stadium: Dodger Stadium
Start time: 7:10 p.m. PT
TV: SportsNet LA
Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)