With the tables now turned, it will be the San Diego Padres on top in the National League West when they pay a visit to the second-place Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday to resume a regional rivalry that has been full of spice of late.
The Padres and Dodgers not only faced off in a tense NL Division Series last season, when Los Angeles advanced and went on to win the World Series, but tempers flared between the teams during a June series in Los Angeles.
San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr. was hit by pitches twice in the series, with Los Angeles’ Shohei Ohtani getting hit twice in retaliation.
When the Padres avoided a four-game sweep with a 5-3 victory on June 19, both benches emptied behind home plate. Amid posturing that was more words than fisticuffs, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and Padres manager Mike Shildt were ejected.
At the time, the Padres were in third place and five games behind the Dodgers. They were nine games back on the morning of July 4. After winning 14 of their last 17 games, while fortifying the roster at the trade deadline, San Diego has become the complete package and leads Los Angeles by one game.
“I feel like we’ve continued to pitch well, continue to play defense, continue to do all the little things that are required to help you win a ball game,” Schildt said. “But the offense is really dictating and setting the tone and really taking over the game.”
The Dodgers will send veteran left-hander Clayton Kershaw (6-2, 3.14 ERA) to the mound on Friday. The Padres’ plans to start right-hander Michael King (4-2, 2.81 ERA) were altered when they placed him on the 15-day injured list on Thursday due to left knee inflammation.
San Diego didn’t immediately announce a new starter for Friday’s game. The Padres recalled right-hander Randy Vasquez from Triple-A El Paso in a corresponding move. Vasquez is 3-5 with a 3.93 ERA, 48 walks and 55 strikeouts in 22 games (all starts) with San Diego this season.
King had just returned from an injury that sidelined him for nearly three months. He gave up two runs and four hits in two-plus innings against the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.
Kershaw is 23-11 with a 2.19 ERA in 47 starts against the Padres.
He has been one of the few bright spots for the Dodgers over the past month. He has made 14 starts since returning from offseason knee and toe procedures, allowing one combined run over his last two starts.
Ohtani has produced on the mound, as well as on offense where he is batting .422 with five home runs in 12 games this month. Mookie Betts (.244, 12 homers, 55 RBIs) is much improved while on an eight-game hitting streak during one of the worst seasons of his career.
But the bottom of the order has been a collection of easy outs. Max Muncy’s return from a bone bruise in his knee was stalled with a right side injury that forced him out of Wednesday’s 6-5 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
The Dodgers not only are on a four-game losing streak, they were just swept by the Angels for the second time this season and finished 0-6 against their crosstown foe.
As bad as the bottom of the order has been, the back end of the bullpen has been worse, giving up the go-ahead run in the eighth inning or later in four of the past five defeats.
The Dodgers needed bullpen help at the trade deadline, but their only acquisition — right-hander Brock Stewart — has a sore right shoulder. Michael Kopech (knee), Tanner Scott (elbow) and Kirby Yates (back) all are on the injured list.
“It’s not like these guys aren’t going out there and giving it their all,” Betts said. “Sometimes you just don’t get it done. … I think it’s encouraging to know that we’re giving ourselves a chance to win every night. So it’s not like we’re going out there just laying eggs.”
–Field Level Media
