The Los Angeles Dodgers avoided a series loss to the Colorado Rockies behind Shohei Ohtani’s game-tying home run and a walk-off blast by Mookie Betts, and now head into a highly-anticipated matchup against the San Diego Padres with the best record in baseball.
The Dodgers hold a three-game lead over the Padres in the National League West standings and their magic number to clinch the division is down to four.
Thus, the Dodgers could wrap up the NL West by taking two of three from the Padres, who hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.
“I think it’s pretty easy to see that when we’ve played them, I think 10 times this year, they came out more intense than we did. That’s got to change, I expect it to change,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
“Playing those guys, in certainly very, very meaningful games, will bring out the best in us.”
Padres and Dodgers starters
Michael King vs. Landon Knack
The series starts with an expected pitching matchup between Michael King and Landon Knack. King is taking the mound on two days of extra rest, while Knack starts with one more day than normal for an MLB rotation.
Knack is facing the Padres for the first time in his career. He’s pitched well this season but San Diego presents a tough task given their success against right-handers.
Dylan Cease vs. Jack Flaherty
Wednesday’s game could lend to a pitchers’ duel with Dylan Cease and Jack Flaherty squaring off.
Cease held the Dodgers to just one run over 5.2 innings to earn a win at Petco Park on July 31.
Meanwhile, Flaherty gets his first look at the Padres this season. He’s regressed a bit over the last two starts, allowing a combined seven runs. That’s come after Flaherty shined on a sweltering afternoon at Dodger Stadium, but fatigue has not been suggested to be an issue.
Joe Musgrove vs. Walker Buehler
For the series finale, the Padres plan to hand the ball to Joe Musgrove, and Walker Buehler is the Dodgers’ current probable.
Unlike with Knack and Flaherty, Buehler’s start would come on regular rest. The Dodgers historically have given their starters extra rest between outings, and that could ultimately come into play.
“That’s how it’s penciled in right now,” Roberts said.
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