Dodgers vs Padres: Lineups, Pregame Matchups, and More for September 2
After losing their first series in over a month, the Dodgers come home for a six-game homestand against the Padres and Giants. What looked like a potentially pivotal six-game stretch when we looked at the schedule in April now is almost entirely meaningless, as the Dodgers have an insurmountable 18-game lead over San Diego in the National League West and a comfortable seven-game lead over the Mets for best record in baseball.
The Padres, meanwhile, come into Los Angeles with a lot on the line, holding a 2.5-game lead over the Brewers for the third and final Wild Card spot. San Diego had lost 13 of its last 22 games before a three-game sweep in San Francisco helped right their ship a bit.
Game one of the series will have Dustin May on the mound for the Dodgers, making his third start since returning from Tommy John surgery. He has a 1.64 ERA in his first two starts, and even that is inflated by what should have been an unearned run if the official scorer hadn’t decided both errors in the sixth inning in Miami were hits.
May has faced the Padres several times, and seven current Padres have faced him, including more than 10 plate appearances for Manny Machado, Trent Grisham, and Wil Myers. Jake Cronenworth is the only Padre with any notable success against May, going 3-for-8 with a home run. Machado and Jurickson Profar have also homered off May, but the seven Padres have combined for an overall slash line of .172/.213/.345, an OPS of just .558.
On the mound for the Padres will be Yu Darvish, who comes in at 11-7 with a 3.41 ERA. After a no-decision in a six-inning gem against the Dodgers back in April, Darvish took losses in Los Angeles in early July and early August, allowing seven earned runs in 12 innings between the two games.
Pretty much everyone on the Dodgers has seen plenty of Darvish, with former teammate Hanser Alberto and rookie Miguel Vargas the only players who have never faced him and everyone except Trayce Thompson and former teammate Joey Gallo having at least nine plate appearances against him. Freddie Freeman (7-for-19, 2B, 2 HR, 1.191 OPS) and Trea Turner (6-for-17, 2 2B, HR, 1.000 OPS) have been especially good against the right-handed Darvish, while Mookie Betts, Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger, Will Smith, and Austin Barnes have also homered off him.
For the first time all season, Trea Turner isn’t in the starting lineup. Hanser Alberto gets the start at shortstop, with Gallo in left and Chris Taylor at second.
Updated lineup:
Betts RF
Freeman 1B
Smith C
Muncy DH
J. Turner 3B
Gallo LF
Taylor 2B
Bellinger CF
Alberto SS
May P https://t.co/HVpPN7Pzaf— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 2, 2022
Today’s game will mark the 131st game of the season for LA. They are currently 90-40, on pace for just over 112 wins. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 pm PT.
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