The Los Angeles Dodgers will begin a nine-game homestand Monday evening which will include the first Christian Faith & Family Day since 2019 and Orel Hershiser’s induction as a Legend of Dodger Baseball.
The Dodgers will hold Christian Faith & Family Day Sunday, featuring pregame and postgame musical performances by Grammy-nominated contemporary Christian music singer-songwriter Jeremy Camp, player interviews and testimonials.
The Dodgers announced on May 26 they would hold Christian Faith & Family Day on July 30. The announcement came in the midst of the team receiving criticism from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and other Catholic groups for giving a Community Hero Award to a group of self-described “queer and trans nuns” at their LGBTQ+ Pride Night June 16.
The Dodgers honored the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence for their efforts to promote human rights, diversity and “spiritual enlightenment.”
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles said in a statement “the decision to honor a group that clearly mocks the Catholic faith and makes light of the sincere and holy vocations of our women religious who are an integral part of our church is what has caused disappointment, concern, anger, and dismay from our Catholic community. The Archdiocese stands against any actions that would disparage and diminish our Christian faith and those who dedicate their lives to Christ.”
Hershiser will be inducted into the Legends of Dodger Baseball before Saturday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds.
The Dodgers will be facing the Toronto Blue Jays, Cincinnati Reds and Oakland Athletics during the homestand. All three teams will be making their lone 2023 regular-season visits to Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers (57-41) enter Monday night’s game against Toronto with a four-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks (54-46) and San Francisco Giants (54-46) in the National League West after winning 11 of their last 15 games, including six of nine on the road trip that concluded Sunday.
The Blue Jays (55-45) have lost four of their past six games, are third in the American League East, 6 1/2 games behind the division-leading Baltimore Orioles, and third in the race for the American League’s three wild-card playoff berths, two games ahead of the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, both 53-47.
Rookie Michael Grove will pitch for the Dodgers Monday evening, while fellow right-hander José BerrÃos will pitch for Toronto in the Blue Jays’ first game at Dodger Stadium since Aug. 22, 2019.
Grove (2-2) allowed one run and five hits in five innings in his most recent start Tuesday and was credited with the victory in a 10-3 victory over Baltimore. The Dodgers are 6-3 in Grove’s starts in 2023. He will be facing Toronto for the first time in his major league career.
BerrÃos (8-7) is winless in his last four starts. He allowed two runs and four hits in six innings with a season-high tying nine strikeouts in his most recent start, Wednesday at San Diego, and was charged with the defeat in the 2-0 loss.
BerrÃos is 12th in the American League with a 3.39 ERA. The Blue Jays are 12-8 in BerrÃos’ starts.
BerrÃos has faced the Dodgers once, allowing four runs and seven hits in four innings and was charged with the defeat in the Minnesota Twins’ 6-2 loss to the Dodgers July 25, 2017.
