Within the moments after the Dodgers clinched the Nationwide League West with a late-September victory over the Padres, Manny Machado sat at his locker within the visiting clubhouse and made a proclamation.
“No disappointment,” Machado mentioned. “We’re within the postseason. We’re going to see them in a couple of weeks.”
He wasn’t unsuitable. For the third time up to now 5 postseasons, the Dodgers and Padres will meet within the Nationwide League Division Collection, with Recreation 1 slated for Saturday night time at Dodger Stadium.
Los Angeles swept the Padres in 2020, earlier than the Padres exacted their revenge with a four-game victory in 2022. Now, after the 2 groups staged a dramatic division race that went to the season’s last week, they’ll meet once more in October.
Right here’s what you might want to find out about Saturday’s Recreation 1.
When is the sport and the way can I watch it?Recreation 1 of the best-of-five sequence can be on Saturday at 5:38 p.m. PT at Dodger Stadium and can air on FS1.
All video games can be found within the U.S. on MLB.TV (authentication to a taking part Pay TV supplier is required). Dwell video games are additionally accessible in choose international locations outdoors the U.S. For full particulars, click on right here.
Who’re the beginning pitchers?
Padres: RHP Dylan Stop (14-11, 3.47 ERA)Stop was slated to start out Recreation 3 of the Wild Card Collection in opposition to Atlanta (which by no means occurred). He was largely sharp down the stretch, posting a 2.97 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP in September. His last regular-season begin got here in L.A., the place he allowed three runs over 5 innings.
Dodgers: RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (7-2, 3.00 ERA)Initially, the Dodgers had been going with Jack Flaherty in Recreation 1, however president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman introduced a change on Thursday, and L.A. can be going with Yamamoto as a substitute.
These are the moments the Dodgers envisioned once they signed Yamamoto to a report 12-year, $325 million deal this winter. The Japanese right-hander handled a proper shoulder harm, however was strong when wholesome all season lengthy. Giving Yamamoto the ball in Recreation 1 would permit the right-hander to be accessible in Recreation 5, if mandatory.
What are the beginning lineups?
The Padres haven’t altered their lineup a lot down the stretch, although they’ve sometimes began David Peralta rather than Solano in opposition to sure right-handers, with Arraez shifting to first base. Neither Solano nor Peralta had but signed with the Padres once they final confronted Yamamoto in April.
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Padres: By sweeping the Braves within the Wild Card Collection, the Padres ought to have a totally contemporary ’pen for Recreation 1. They’ve used lefty Tanner Scott and righty Jason Adam as the first high-leverage choices to arrange nearer Robert Suarez. Bryan Hoeing, Jeremiah Estrada and Adrian Morejon have all pitched in high-leverage spots, as nicely.
Dodgers: The Dodgers can be aggressive with their bullpen all postseason lengthy. With the beginning pitching being an actual query mark for the membership, the Dodgers imagine their bullpen can be a giant energy. Evan Phillips, Blake Treinen and Michael Kopech would be the huge right-handed choices for the Dodgers. On the left-hand facet, Anthony Banda and Alex Vesia give them greater than sufficient choices. Veterans Daniel Hudson, Joe Kelly and Ryan Brasier additionally give them protection if their beginning pitchers don’t have their finest stuff early on.
Padres: On Saturday, the Padres formally shut down Ha-Seong Kim, who will bear season-ending shoulder surgical procedure. Since Kim’s mid-August harm, Bogaerts has moved again to shortstop, with Cronenworth sliding to second.
In the meantime, right-hander Joe Musgrove will miss the rest of the postseason with a UCL tear and can bear Tommy John surgical procedure. The Padres haven’t introduced a substitute for Musgrove, who would’ve presumably began Recreation 4 in San Diego.
Dodgers: Freeman is working by a sprained proper ankle that he suffered within the Dodgers’ final residence recreation on Sept. 26. The harm compelled Freeman to overlook the final three video games of the common season and will restrict his mobility through the NLDS. Nonetheless, Freeman is predicted to be within the Dodgers’ lineup.
Rojas can be battling by a tear in his left adductor muscle, an harm he’s been working by for at the very least a few weeks. Rojas was sidelined for the final 4 regular-season video games, however like Freeman, he’s anticipated to be within the lineup on Saturday.
Kershaw has been conserving his arm free, however a left huge toe harm will hold him out of the NLDS except one thing drastic modifications within the subsequent few days. Kershaw is hopeful to make an look in some unspecified time in the future within the postseason if the Dodgers have a deep run.
Who’s scorching and who will not be?
Padres: Tatis has opened the postseason on a tear, homering in Recreation 1 of the Wild Card Collection earlier than following it up with three hits in Recreation 2. In the meantime, after Profar completed the common season in a 3-for-20 funk, he recorded solely an infield single in two video games in opposition to Atlanta.
Dodgers: There is no such thing as a hotter hitter within the sport than Ohtani, who took residence back-to-back Nationwide League Participant of the Week honors to shut out the common season. Ohtani, who turned the primary participant in Main League historical past with 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in a single season, put the ending touches on his MVP marketing campaign by hitting .393 with 10 homers and 32 RBIs in September.
The rest followers may need to know?
