The Dodgers can venture into rare territory on Tuesday night, but to do so they have to beat one of the best pitchers in the National League this season in Matt Harvey of the Mets. But perhaps on International Left-Handers Day, Dodgers southpaw Hyun-jin Ryu can make everyone scramble for weird-handled scissors to cut out the clippings.

Starting Lineups Mets Dodgers LF Young (S)

LF Crawford (L) CF Lagares 2B Ellis 2B Murphy (L)

1B Gonzalez (L) RF Byrd RF Puig 1B Satin CF Schumaker (L) 3B Turner C Elis C Buck 3B Uribe SS Quintanilla (L)

SS Punto (S)

P Harvey P Ryu Andre Ethier was scratched from the lineup with left calf tightness. Skip Schumaker, who has nine hits in his last 15 at-bats, gets the spot start in center field instead.

The Dodgers are 39-10 in their last 49 games and with a win on Tuesday will become the first National League team since the 1975 Reds to win at least 40 games in a 50-game span.

It has happened in the American League a few times since then, with the 1977 Royals, 1977 Yankees, 1998 Yankees, 2001 Athletics, 2001 Mariners and 2005 Athletics all turning the trick. But winning 40 out of 50 has only happened 12 times since 1950, roughly once every five years or so.

But the Dodgers aren't just 39-10. The front end of that streak features a win and two losses. The Dodgers are 38-8 in their last 46 games, so they could really move into the stratosphere with four more wins. The last MLB team to go 42-8 was the 1942 Cardinals. Getting at least 42 wins in 50 games is a feat only accomplished four times since 1901, topped by the 1906 Cubs, who were an absurd 45-5 over their best stretch.

The best 50-game stretch in Dodgers franchise history came in 1899, when Brooklyn was 41-9. Every single MLB team that has won at least 41 of 50 games, 15 in all, has gone to the World Series in that season.

But first things first, the Dodgers will need to beat Harvey, who leads the majors in FIP (1.99), xFIP (2.54) and fWAR (5.6), and leads the National League with 178 strikeouts, four ahead of Clayton Kershaw. Harvey is second in the NL to Kershaw in both ERA (2.09) and rWAR (5.4).

Harvey is coming off his first career shutout in his last start, though it wasn't his only start this season with nine scoreless innings. Harvey in his last five starts has a 1.47 ERA with 37 strikeouts against just two walks.

The Dodgers scored three runs off Harvey in six innings at Citi Field on April 24.

Ryu has been similarly stingy with walks of late, with just one free pass issued in his last three starts, to go with 22 strikeouts in 19⅓ innings. Ryu is 5-1 with a 1.83 ERA in 10 home starts, with 58 strikeouts and 18 walks in 68⅔ innings in his starts at Dodger Stadium.

Ryu struck out eight in seven innings against the Mets on April 25. He allowed just one run but got a no-decision in a game ultimately won by the Dodgers, 3-2.

MLB teams since 1901 to go 40-10 Year Team Record 1906 Cubs* 45-5 1912 Giants* 43-7 1941 Yankees* 42-8 1942 Cardinals* 42-8 1909 Pirates* 41-9 1913 Giants* 41-9 1914 Athletics* 41-9 1931 Athletics* 41-9 1938 Yankees* 41-9 1939 Yankees* 41-9 1944 Cardinals* 41-9 1946 Red Sox* 41-9 1953 Dodgers* 41-9 1975 Reds* 41-9 1998 Yankees* 41-9 1902 Pirates 40-10 1904 Giants 40-10 1907 Cubs* 40-10 1908 Cubs* 40-10 1910 Cubs* 40-10 1911 Giants* 40-10 1928 Yankees* 40-10 1929 Athletics* 40-10 1947 Yankees* 40-10 1951 Indians 40-10 1953 Dodgers* 40-10 1954 Indians* 40-10 1954 Giants* 40-10 1977 Yankees* 40-10 1977 Royals 40-10 2001 Mariners 40-10 2001 Athletics 40-10 2005 Athletics 40-10 *went to World Series; Source: Baseball-Reference Play Index

Game info

Time: 7:10 p.m.

TV: KCAL

MLB Gameday