Dodgers load Game 3 lineup with right-handed bats against Giants’ Alex Wood - San Francisco Chronicle

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LOS ANGELES - Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, as promised, loaded his lineup with right-handed hitters to face Giants left-hander Alex Wood in Game 3 of the NLDS on Monday at Dodger Stadium.

Wood’s splits weren’t all that extreme this season - left-handed hitters had a .258 average and .674 OPS against him, right-handed a .230 average and .682 OPS. But Wood’s career numbers are a bit more skewed - a .701 OPS for right-handed hitters and .631 for left-handed batters against Wood.

As a team, the Dodgers ranked fourth among NL teams in OPS (.757) against left-handed pitching in the regular season but first in the majors in home runs (79).

Albert Pujols’ inclusion at first base is the most notable change to the Dodgers’ lineup from the first two games. Pujols, the future Hall of Famer, had stark splits against right- and left-handed pitching this year. He had a .500 OPS against righties but .939 against lefties with 13 home runs in 136 at-bats.

“I know I’m excited to write his name in the lineup,” Roberts said. “I think the fans certainly understand and have seen what he’s done for our ballclub this year.”

Roberts made a couple other lineup tweaks. Trea Turner will hit second against Wood as Corey Seager slots third. Seager is the lone left-handed hitter in the Dodgers’ order. By placing Seager between Trea and Justin Turner, the Dodgers make it more complicate to match up against the top of their lineup.

Giants vs. Dodgers

“I think the driver was obviously (them) starting Alex tonight, the guys that they have in their ’pen that I think they trust, and making them make a decision at some point in time, third time through,” Roberts said. “Setting a lineup to win the game, to get a lead, beat the starter, but also to win the middle innings and the back end of the game. That’s kind of how I thought about structuring it.”

Chris Taylor, who was 2-for-4 with three runs scored in Game 2, slots in the fifth spot and AJ Pollock hits sixth after batting eighth in Game 2. Career numbers against Wood could be a factor. Pollock has faced Wood most among the Dodgers and is 10-for-25 with five extra-base this. Taylor is 4-for-12 lifetime with two home runs against Wood.

Here’s the full Dodgers lineup against Wood:

RF Mookie Betts

2B Trea Turner

SS Corey Seager

3B Justin Turner

CF Chris Taylor

LF A.J. Pollock

1B Albert Pujols

C Will Smith

P Max Scherzer

Matt Kawahara is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mkawahara@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @matthewkawahara

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