Thursday not only brought about the first day-night doubleheader for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019 Spring Training, but it’s also amounted to a reunion.
They faced Yasiel Puig and the Cincinnati Reds at Camelback Ranch, which ended in a tie, and now send a travel group to see Manny Machado and the San Diego Padres at Peoria Stadium.
After a relatively slow-moving free agency period over the winter, Machado signed a 10-year, $300 million contract in the middle of February. The pairing seemed unlikely at the beginning of the offseason, though Machado claimed the Padres were a team he’s long envisioned playing for.
Machado went hitless in his Padres debut but has at least one hit in five of the past six games. Though, that includes a March 12 contest that was rained out and never made official; Machado hit his first home run with the Padres, only for it to be washed away.
He enters play with four hits in 17 at-bats this spring, with two doubles and two RBI. Machado is batting third in the Padres lineup.
He’ll see Kenta Maeda, as the right-hander makes his fourth start of the spring. Two of his outings thus far have been scoreless efforts, and Thursday’s is the first in which Maeda will bat for himself.
The Dodgers lineup otherwise includes expected regulars A.J. Pollock, Cody Bellinger, Chris Taylor and Austin Barnes. They’ll face Robbie Erlin, as he looks to bounce back from a shaky start against the Texas Rangers.
Dodgers lineup:
CF: A.J. Pollock
1B: David Freese
RF: Cody Bellinger
2B: Chris Taylor
LF: Joc Pederson
C: Austin Barnes
3B: Brad Miller
SS: Omar Estevez
P: Kenta Maeda
Padres lineup:
CF: Manuel Margot
1B: Eric Hosmer
3B: Manny Machado
DH: Franmil Reyes
LF: Wil Myers
RF: Franchy Cordero
SS: Fernando Tatis Jr.
2B: Luis Urias
C: Austin Hedges
