The San Francisco Giants travel to UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, September 19 for a 9:10 PM ET showdown against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers will send Tarik Skubal to the mound — one of the most dangerous arms in baseball — while the Giants have yet to announce a starter. With late September stakes in the NL West, this is not a game San Francisco can afford to sleepwalk through, and the lineup they're sending to the plate reflects a team that knows it.

Pitching Matchup: Skubal Looms Large, Giants TBD

Tarik Skubal is the defining challenge here. The Dodgers' right-hander has established himself as one of the premier starters in the National League, and facing him on the road in September is about as tough a task as the Giants will see down the stretch. San Francisco has not yet named a starter for this one, which is worth monitoring closely. Whoever takes the ball for the Giants will need to keep Los Angeles off the board early — this Dodgers lineup punishes pitchers who fall behind in counts.

Giants Lineup: Young Pieces, Familiar Names

San Francisco is rolling out a lineup that mixes youth with proven contributors. Jonah Cox leads off from center field, with Turner Hill batting second in left. Victor Bericoto slots in at DH in the three hole, and Jung Hoo Lee bats cleanup from right field — a statement of confidence in Lee's ability to handle high-leverage situations. Brett Harris is at first base batting fifth, followed by Shay Whitcomb at third. Andrew Knizner catches and bats seventh, Osleivis Basabe handles second base in the eight spot, and Christian Koss rounds out the order at shortstop.

Dodgers Lineup: A Gauntlet from Top to Bottom

The Dodgers are throwing out exactly the kind of lineup that makes road trips to Los Angeles so difficult. Mookie Betts leads off at shortstop, Freddie Freeman hits second at first base, and Will Smith bats third behind the plate. Max Muncy is at cleanup at third base. Teoscar Hernández and Kyle Tucker follow in left and right field. Josue De Paula serves as the DH batting seventh, Tommy Edman is in center batting eighth, and Alex Freeland rounds out the order at second base. There is no soft spot in this order.

Keys to Watch

• Giants' starter identity: San Francisco has not announced a pitcher. Who takes the ball — and how deep they can go — shapes everything about this game plan.
• Jung Hoo Lee batting cleanup: Lee in the four spot signals that the Giants need him to be a middle-of-the-order force against an elite starter. His at-bats against Skubal will be a storyline to track from the first inning.
• Keeping Betts and Freeman in check: The first two Dodgers hitters are capable of changing a game before it starts. Getting through the top of that order without damage is essential for any Giants starter.
• Broadcast: Catch the game on NBCS BA or listen on KNBR 680.

Prediction

Tarik Skubal against an unannounced Giants starter on the road in late September is a tough equation to solve. The Giants have the lineup depth to scratch across some runs — Lee, Bericoto, and Harris are capable of doing damage — but Skubal is the kind of arm who can make a lineup look ordinary in a hurry. Until San Francisco names a starter, this previews as an uphill climb. Dodgers 5, Giants 2.