The Chicago Cubs will attempt to avoid a sweep on Sunday afternoon at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers, but they’ll face a stiff challenge as they go up against one of the best pitchers in baseball.

That pitcher is Clayton Kershaw, and he has been his usual dominant self this season, with a 7-2 record and a 2.01 ERA. He also is currently sitting at 1990 career strikeouts, and if he can get 10 or more punchouts in Sunday’s game, he’ll become the third-fastest pitcher to reach the 2000-strikeout plateau.

He has had some success in his career against the Cubs, going 5-3 with a 2.18 career ERA in eight starts. He has struck out 68 batters in those games while walking just 13.

His last outing against the Cubs was one to forget for the southpaw, as he gave up a pair of home runs and four earned runs as the Cubs beat the Dodgers 5-0 to finish off Los Angeles in the 2016 NLCS.

Meanwhile, Kershaw will be matched up against the Cubs’ top lefty, as Jon Lester will take the hill for the North Siders. Lester is 3-2 on season with a 3.19 ERA, and he is at 1925 career strikeouts. He’s always hoping to get to 2000 career punch-outs this season, but barring an astounding miracle he won’t on Sunday.

Lester pitched twice against the Dodgers in the playoffs last year, with the Cubs winning both games and Lester giving up just two earned runs and striking out nine in 13 innings of work as Chicago won the series.  

The Dodgers have had the upper hand in a big way so far in this series, shutting out the Cubs in both games. According to the Cubs’ Vineline magazine, the Cubs have not been shutout in three consecutive games since the 1992 season, so they’ll be looking to avoid ending that drought at Dodger Stadium on Sunday afternoon.