Jake Burger Returns to Lineup for Series Opener versus Los Angeles Dodgers

The Miami Marlins have their power hitting corner infielder back in the lineup for the road trip

Miami Marlins third baseman Jake Burger has been activated off the injured list and is in the starting lineup tonight. / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Marlins are going from the frying pan into the fire.  

A day after finishing off a series with the Oakland Athletics by winning the finale to avoid a sweep, Miami gets to take their 10-26 record into Los Angeles to face the NL West-leading Dodgers, who have one of the best offense in baseball and are fresh off of a sweep of the defending NL champ Atlanta Braves over the weekend.  

Miami is sending up young Roddery Muñoz, making his third career start, to square off with returning Walker Buehler. 

Lineups for the Miami Marlins and Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday, May 6th

Here's how Miami will line up for the contest:

CF Jazz Chisholm Jr.
DH Bryan De La Cruz
3B Jake Burger
1B Josh Bell
RF Jesús Sánchez
SS Tim Anderson
LF Nick Gordon
2B Vidál Bruján
C Nick Fortes

Muñoz, 24, is making his third Major League start of his career. The first two went well - a 1-0 record and 2.45 ERA, allowing only three runs on five hits in his first eleven innings. He’s struck out fourteen and allowed only two walks, although he’s also given up three homers. While no Dodgers have ever seen him in the bigs, the homers could be an issue against a lineup that launched nine against Atlanta, including three each by Shohei Ohtani and Max Muncy. 

Here is LA’s lineup:

SS Mookie Betts
DH Shohei Ohtani
1B Freddie Freeman
C Will Smith
3B Max Muncy
LF Teoscar Hernández
RF Andy Pages
2B Gavin Lux
CF James Outman

Buehler’s been one of baseball’s best starters when healthy (46-16, 3.02 ERA)...but that “health” caveat is big here. He’s making his MLB return from August 2022 Tommy John surgery tonight after mixed results in six rehab starts in the minors, most with AAA Oklahoma City: 0-2 record, 4.16 ERA. He has not faced the Marlins since 2021 and very few Miami hitters have faced him in their careers: Josh Bell is 2-6, Jazz Chisholm Jr. is 1-3 with a RBI, and Jesús Sánchez is 0-2.  

How to Watch the Miami Marlins and Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday, May 6th

Today's series opener is scheduled for 10:10 PM ET and there’s a full suite of broadcast options: In-market, the Marlins broadcast is on Bally Sports Florida and the Dodgers are on SportsNet LA. For audio, the Miami broadcast is available on Fox Sports 940AM (WINZ) and WAQI 710, while the Dodgers are on DodgersRadio AM570 & KTNQ 1020.