Los Angeles Dodgers vs San Diego Padres: Detailed Game Preview, Key Highlights, and More
The Los Angeles Dodgers are currently leading Major League Baseball in run differential (plus-74) and are tied with the Philadelphia Phillies for most wins (26). The Dodgers’ recent performance includes a perfect six-game homestand, which leads to their current seven-game winning streak. They have also maintained a significant lead in the National League West, holding a 6.5-game margin over the San Diego Padres.
Recent Performances: The Dodgers have registered wins in 14 of their last 16 games. They wrapped up a six-game homestand with a sweep against the Marlins, which included a notably fast-paced final game, clocking in at under two hours. In their game against the Marlins, Teoscar Hernández played a pivotal role, hitting a two-run home run and driving in all three runs.
Statistical Highlights: Offensively, the Dodgers lead Major League Baseball in several categories, including batting average, runs scored, and on-base percentage. Noteworthy contributions come from Hernández and Shohei Ohtani, with Hernández leading the team in RBIs and Ohtani standing out in the league with the highest batting average and OPS. Additionally, the Dodgers’ pitching staff boasts a record of allowing four or fewer runs in their last 16 games, which is nearing a franchise record.
Individual Performances: Gavin Stone and the Dodgers’ bullpen have had a substantial impact on the season. Stone matched his season high with a seven-inning game, allowing only one run in Wednesday’s win over the Marlins, while the bullpen has collectively maintained an ERA of 0.89 over its last 52 innings. Rookie Andy Pages has also made significant contributions. Despite starting the season in Triple-A, he has quickly adjusted to the major leagues, ranking first among rookies in batting average (.308).
As the Dodgers head into their Friday night game against the Padres at Petco Park, they are riding a streak of wins in the last 13 head-to-head regular season series. They’re currently 2-3 against the Padres this season.
Future Outlook: Following their series in San Diego, the Dodgers will continue their road trip against the San Francisco Giants — potentially with a franchise record on the line. The Dodgers have held opponents to four runs or less for 16 consecutive games, one short of matching the team record of 17, set from Aug. 23 to Sept. 9, 1977.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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We’ve said it and said and said it. Michael Grove does not belong in the Big Leagues. He’s a Mitch White AAA pitcher, and tonight proved it AGAIN! Whomever is pushing him to be on the 26 man roster needs to be fired! His ERA is 6. Check his ERA last year. Believe it was higher. Its been years since I played, but I could hit this ‘meat’ He has ONE pitch…a not sharp, no velo, hittable slider. Bad loss tonight, and we called it as soon as he took the hit in the 9thl! He doesn’t fool anyone, and AGAIN…he has ONE pitch-a funky slider! If Scout Master Dave Roberts is behind this kid, it shows how little he knows about pitchers, and pitching!
You are correct sir!! The best team in baseball can only be brought down by Dave Roberts
Serving up a centercut fastball to batting champion is not smart, but that is not all his fault. He should be used as a last resort. Roberts had Hudson to hold the tie and get Campusano out or walk Arraez to pitch to a struggling Tatis and ground into a DP. Then have Vesia available to face Cronenthworth. Roberts brought in the wrong guy again at the wrong time or should’ve put Arraez on with 1st base open, Shildt did it with walking Smith in same kind of situation and got out of it.
So King has not been good at all until his last 2 starts and now he’s Cy Young. Didn’t see much Checking for substances tonight, just sayin’
Doesn’t hurt when the umpire is giving you the calls he got.
Lat night’s Dodger loss was another example of Dave Roberts’ lack of excellence in late game ‘crunch time’ situations.
Here’s why. In the top of the 9th, LA had runners on 2nd & 3rd with no outs. After Freddie Freeman’s Sac Fly scored Mookie Betts to tie the game at 1-1, Shohei Ohtani remained on 2nd. What did Padres manager, Mike Shildt, do? He smartly walked Will Smith to set up a potential double play, allowing left handed hitter, Max Muncy, to face Padres left hander, Yuki Matsui. As in the case, in most clutch situations, Roberts’ pet, Muncy, hit into a double play. Inning over.
Bottom of the 9th, Roberts elects right hander, Michael Grove, to pitch. We have said, numerous times, Michael Grove doesn’t have “IT” to be in the Big Show. And, he proved it again by first allowing a double to left by Luis Campusano, and with one out, allowing left-handed hitter, Luis Arraez, to hit, and ultimately ‘walk off’ the game winner with a hit to center.
HOWEVER, if Roberts was a competent, “in game,” manager, who truly was experienced enough to understand late game pitching strategy, Arraez should NEVER have been allowed to hit off of Grove, a Triple A, right-handed pitcher with ONE pitch, low veto slider, that breaks into a left-handed hitter’s ‘swing path.’
The SMART baseball move should’ve been to walk Arraez, since his run meant nothing because the winning run was on second. Knowledgeable baseball people know you walk him, a left on right hitter, to SET UP A DOUBLE PLAY to get you out of the inning, especially because Fernando Tatis was the next hitter, who’s had trouble with breaking balls away; he’s also a right-handed hitter to face Grove, a right-handed pitcher.
But utility player, Dave Roberts, has proven to panic in tight situations. Why? Because he’s not an experienced, knowledgeable crucial ‘in game’ manager, especially with pitchers, ala Bruce Bochy, who knows how to handle pitchers, and who the Dodgers should’ve hired when he was available. Instead they hired ‘Mr. Nice Guy’ Roberts, who over the years, has made absolutely stupid baseball moves, mostly with pitchers, that have sabotaged outstanding Dodger teams and, in our opinion, have cost them a World Series…or maybe two.
Beware Dodger Nation! Roberts has been given a monstrous baseball team, talent-wise, to work with. The BLUNDER he made last night has happened before. He panicked early, in the 2017 World Series, second game vs Houston, by replacing starter Rich Hill in the 5th with Kenta Maeda, and basically forced an over-use of the Dodger bullpen…way too early. He then brought in Kenley Jansen in, with LA up 3-1 in the 8th, to get a 6 out, 2 inning save in the crucial second game of the 2017 World Series in LA, with the Dodgers up 1-0 vs Houston. It backfired. Jansen blew the save, perhaps because psychologically he was not used to 2 inning saves, and LA lost the game in extra innings. Roberts panic by his use of too many pitchers, too early, also was a big reason why it cost them the 2017 World Series.
Similarly, by allowing Arraez to hit in the bottom of the 9th last night, with the game on the line, NEVER should’ve been allowed, and is truly another example of Roberts’ numerous dumb moves that have cost Dodger losses! We all watched another one last night as Arraez, who should’ve been walked, lined a hit to center. Game over! Dodgers lose!!
Last night’s Dodger loss was another example of Dave Roberts’ lack of excellence in late game ‘crunch time’ situations. Here’s why. In the top of the 9th, LA had runners on 2nd & 3rd with no outs. After Freddie Freeman’s Sac Fly scored Mookie Betts to tie the game at 1-1, Shohei Ohtani remained on 2nd. What did Padres manager, Mike Shildt, do? He smartly walked Will Smith to set up a potential double play, allowing left handed hitter, Max Muncy, to face Padres left hander, Yuki Matsui. As in the case, in most clutch situations, Roberts’ pet, Muncy, hit into a double play. Inning over. Bottom of the 9th, Roberts elects right hander, Michael Grove, to pitch. We have said, numerous times, Michael Grove doesn’t have “IT” to be in the Big Show. And, he proved it again by first allowing a double to left by Luis Campusano, and with one out, allowing left-handed hitter, Luis Arraez, to hit, and ultimately ‘walk off’ the game winner with a hit to center. HOWEVER, if Roberts was a competent, “in game,” manager, who truly was experienced enough to understand late game pitching strategy, Arraez should NEVER have been allowed to hit off of Grove, a Triple A, right-handed pitcher with ONE pitch, low veto slider, that breaks into a left-handed hitter’s ‘swing path.’ The SMART baseball move should’ve been to walk Arraez, since his run meant nothing because the winning run was on second. Knowledgeable baseball people know you walk him, a left on right hitter, to SET UP A DOUBLE PLAY to get you out of the inning, especially because Fernando Tatis was the next hitter, who’s had trouble with breaking balls away; he’s also a right-handed hitter to face Grove, a right-handed pitcher. But utility player, and Scout Master, Dave Roberts, has proven to panic in tight, late game, situations. Why? Because he’s not an experienced, knowledgeable, critical ‘in game’ moves manager, especially with pitchers, ala Bruce Bochy, who knows how to handle pitchers, and who the Dodgers should’ve hired when he was available. Instead they hired ‘Mr. Nice Guy’ Roberts, who over the years, has made absolutely stupid baseball moves, mostly with pitchers, that have sabotaged outstanding Dodger teams and, in our opinion, have cost them a World Series…or maybe two. Beware Dodger Nation! Roberts has been given a monstrous baseball team, talent-wise, to work with. The BLUNDER he made last night has happened before. He panicked early, in the 2017 World Series, second game vs Houston, by replacing starter Rich Hill in the 5th with Kenta Maeda, and basically forced an over-use of the Dodger bullpen…way too early. He then brought in Kenley Jansen in, with LA up 3-1 in the 8th, to get a 6 out, 2 inning save in the crucial second game of the 2017 World Series in LA, with the Dodgers up 1-0 vs Houston. It backfired. Jansen blew the save, perhaps because psychologically he was not used to 2 inning saves, and LA lost the game in extra innings. Roberts panic by his use of too many pitchers, too early, also was a big reason why it cost them the 2017 World Series. Similarly, by allowing Arraez to hit in the bottom of the 9th last night, with the game on the line, NEVER should’ve been allowed, and is truly another example of Roberts’ numerous dumb moves that have cost Dodger losses! We all watched another one last night as Arraez, who should’ve been walked, lined a hit to center. Game over! Dodgers lose!!
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