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Dodgers Vs. Padres Game Preview: Series Rubber Match At Petco Park

Matthew Moreno
3 Min Read
Kiyoshi Mio/USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Dodgers clawed out a victory after having their season-best six-game winning streak snapped and now have a chance to take the weekend series from the San Diego Padres. The Dodgers are 5-5 in a series finale this season.

A win would give them a third consecutive series victory for the first time this year. The matchup at Petco Park is being played in front of a national audience for ESPN Sunday Night Baseball. Mookie Betts is going to be mic’d up for a portion of the broadcast.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has long stated momentum begins with the starting pitcher, and that now falls to Julio Urías. The southpaw snapped a personal three-game losing streak with a strong performance against the Philadelphia Phillies and now looks to continue his success against the Padres.

Urías is a career 6-1 with a 2.19 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 15 games (10 starts) when facing San Diego. Included in that is a 3-1 record and 2.56 ERA in eight games (six starts) at Petco Park.

Urías’ 41 wins since the start of the 2021 season are most in the Majors, well ahead of Gerrit Cole (34) and Dylan Cease (29).

The Padres counter with Joe Musgrove, who was originally scheduled to start in the series opener but had his outing pushed back due to developing blisters on his feet after running barefoot on the artificial turf at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú during the Mexico Series as part of his between-starts routine.

Musgrove developed blisters, prompting the Padres to err on the side of caution. He previously suffered a fractured left big toe due to dropping a kettlebell during Spring Training.

Musgrove is 1-0 with a 10.80 ERA and 1.68 WHIP in two starts this season. His inflated ERA is largely due to allowing seven runs to the San Francisco Giants in just 3.1 innings pitched on April 29.

The right-hander is facing the Dodgers for the first time since starting the decided Game 4 of the 2022 National League Division Series.

Dodgers lineup

RF: Mookie Betts
1B: Freddie Freeman
C: Will Smith
3B: Max Muncy
DH: Jason Heyward
CF: James Outman
2B: Miguel Vargas
LF: David Peralta
SS: Chris Taylor

Padres lineup

RF: Fernando Tatís Jr.
3B: Manny Machado
LF: Juan Soto
SS: Xander Bogaerts
DH: Nelson Cruz
1B: Jake Cronenworth
2B: Ha-Seong Kim
C: Austin Nola
CF: Adam Engel

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Matthew Moreno is a journalist from Whittier, Calif., who is a credentialed reporter and is currently the Managing Editor of DodgerBlue.com and LakersNation.com. In addition to covering Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angels Lakers, Matthew has a strong passion for keeping up to date with the sneakerhead culture. It began with Michael Jordan and Air Jordan shoes, and has carried over to Kobe Bryant's signature line with Nike. Matthew previously was the lead editor and digital strategist at Dodgers Nation, and the co-editor and lead writer at Reign of Troy, where he covered USC Trojans Football. Matthew graduated from California State Long Beach University with a major in journalism and minor in communications. Contact: matt@mediumlargela.com