Dodgers To Face Padres To Open Homestand

(CNS) – The Los Angeles Dodgers will attempt to continue their recent dominance over the San Diego Padres when they open a six-game homestand at Dodger Stadium Friday evening.

The Dodgers are 8-2 against the Padres in 2022 and 17-2 since getting swept in a three-game series at Petco Park June 21-23, 2021.

The Dodgers (90-40) have a 19-game lead over San Diego (73-59) in the National League West. The Dodgers’ lead was 1 1/2 games entering a four-game series against the Padres June 30. The Dodgers won the first three games of the series, part of a 44-12 record since June 30. San Diego is 27-28 over the same span.

The Dodgers’ magic number is 14, meaning any combination of Dodger victories and Padre losses will assure the Dodgers of their ninth NL West title since 2013.

The Dodgers have a 6 1/2-game lead over the Houston Astros (84-47) in the race for Major League Baseball’s best record and home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

San Diego has a three-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers (69-61) in the race for the National League’s third and final wild-card playoff berth. The Padres trail the Philadelphia Phillies (73-58) in the race for the second wild- card playoff berth.

The Dodgers have scored a major league-high 694 runs and allowed a major league-low 410. San Diego have scored 585 runs, 12th among MLB’s 30 teams and allowed 540, the 12th fewest.

Dustin May (1-1) is scheduled to make his third start of the season for the Dodgers after not pitching since May 2, 2021, when he suffered a season- ending elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. May was charged with the loss in his most recent start Saturday, allowing two runs and five hits over six innings in 2-1 loss to the Miami Marlins.

May will be facing the Padres for the first time since April 25, 2021, when he allowed one run and two hits over six innings in an 8-7 11-inning loss in a game the Dodgers led 6-1 when he was relieved. May is 1-4 with a 2.72 ERA in 36 1/3 innings in eights games (five starts) against San Diego.

Manny Machado is the Padre batter to have faced May the most. He has a .222 batting average, one home run and two RBIs in 18 at-bats against May.

Former Dodger Yu Darvish (11-7) will start for San Diego. The right- hander is 0-2 with a 3.32 ERA in three starts against the Dodgers in 2022 and 2- 5 with a 2.73 ERA in nine starts lifetime.

Mookie Betts is the Dodger batter to have faced Darvish the most. He has a .217 batting average, one home run and one RBI in 23 at-bats against Darvish.

The Padres are 13-11 when Darvish starts.

The Dodgers’ roster includes four players who were not on the roster when they last played at Dodger Stadium Aug. 24.

Jake Reed was recalled and fellow right-handed reliever Heath Hembree had his contract selected from their Triple-A Oklahoma City affiliate Tuesday while Clayton Kershaw was activated from the injured list and infielder Miguel Vargas was recalled from Oklahoma City Thursday when the major league rosters expanded two players to 28.

The game is set to begin at 7:10 p.m. and will be televised by SportsNet LA.

Kershaw pitched for the first time since Aug. 4 Thursday, allowing one run and one hit in five innings, retiring the final 13 batters he faced in a 5-3 loss to the New York Mets in a game the Dodgers led 2-1 when he was relieved. Kershaw was placed on the injured list Aug. 5 because of low back pain.

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