Dodgers Preview: NL West Leading Padres and Dodgers Clash in 3-Game Weekend Series

LOS ANGELES, CA—For the first time since mid-June, the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres will meet in the first of six meetings over the next ten days. 

However, unlike their last meeting at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers find themselves in unfamiliar territory, having been knocked out of first place in the National League West after going an abysmal 13-21 since July 3rd.

In that time, the Padres have made up ground in the division standings after once looking up at the Dodgers, who once had a season-high nine-game lead in June.

Now, the Friars have the advantage and lead the NL West by one game, putting the Dodgers in a position they’ve not been in since the 2021 season, when they trailed the San Francisco Giants this late into a regular season.

While the Dodgers’ starting rotation has been productive since August began, ranking in the top five in ERA and fWAR, and the offense has rebounded after a disastrous July when they posted their worst wRC+ (88) of the season, it’s been the bullpen that has cost the Dodgers on multiple occasions.

Since the start of August, the Dodgers’ bullpen ranks middle in the league in ERA at 3.51, but has been destroyed by the home run ball with a below league average HR/9 of 1.29.

Over the team’s last nine games, the bullpen has allowed eighteen runs to score over their last 32.1 innings pitched, which is a 4.45 ERA in that span. That run has resulted in five losses charged to the ‘pen, including two losses in Anaheim.

Overall, this season, the Dodgers’ bullpen has collectively been their most significant issue, leading all of Major League Baseball in innings pitched (516.2) while ranking in the bottom ten in ERA (4.22), FIP (4.08), and HR/9 (1.15).

The Dodgers have been in a funk for a much longer period than July. Over the team’s last fifty games, they’ve gone just 26-24. Over their last twenty-five, 11-14. Over their last ten games, the team has only managed four wins.

Now the team will face a Padres team that has been on a tear since July 1st, holding the third-best record in baseball at 24-13 in that span, and are 9-3 since the trade deadline.

While the Padres’ offense has been an issue for them most of the season, they’ve turned it on as of late with their 111 wRC+ since July 1st, ranking as the 5th best in the league.

While the Dodgers currently hold the season series advantage, having won five of their seven meetings this season, the two teams are dead even regarding their head-to-head records since 2024, with each team having ten wins apiece.

Now, with just forty-one games remaining before the end of the 2025 regular season, both the Padres and Dodgers are on similar paths regarding their strength of schedule, with Los Angeles having the easiest and San Diego having the second-easiest.

However, there is an argument to be made that the next six games could decide the division if one team takes advantage of the other.

However, it’ll be must-watch baseball from here on out, and this weekend series between the Dodgers and Padres, two teams that don’t like each other, battling out for the division this late in the season, you won’t want to miss it.

Pitching matchups

Game One: Clayton Kershaw (LHP) (6-2, 3.14 ERA) vs TBD

Game Two: Blake Snell (LHP) (2-1, 2.37 ERA) vs TBD

Game Three: Tyler Glasnow (1-1, 3.08 ERA) vs TBD

Game Times

Game One: 7:10 PM PT, SportsNet LA, Padres Television Network, MLB Network (out-of-market-only)

Game Two: 6:10 PM PT, SportsNet LA, Padres Television Network

Game Three: 1:10 PM PT, SportsNet LA, Padres Television Network, MLB Network (out-of-market-only)

Who’s in & who’s out?

All eyes will be on third baseman Max Muncy this weekend as the left-handed slugger was a late scratch for Wednesday’s game in Anaheim.

Muncy, who missed more than a month on the 15-day injured list after a gruesome knee injury in early July, finally made his way back to the Dodgers lineup in August.

Since his return, Muncy hasn’t missed a beat, going 8-for-23 with four home runs and driving in nine runs.

This time, it’s right-side soreness for Muncy, and according to Dodgers insider David Vassegh, it’s an injury that is much more severe than the team has let on. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stated that Muncy would undergo imaging on Thursday.

Staying on the position player side of things, the Dodgers will continue to be without utilitymen Tommy Edman (ankle) and Kiké Hernández (elbow) for the foreseeable future.

Hernández was seen throwing and taking reps at third base on the previous homestand and has started to ramp up in his baseball activities, with the last hurdle being swinging a bat.

As for Edman, Roberts stated that his rehab would take some time, as the Dodgers want to nip the injury in the bud, as it has lingered nearly all season and parts of 2024.

Hyeseong Kim, the fan-favorite Korean utilityman, is also inching closer toward a return after suffering a left shoulder injury in July. After taking live at-bats last weekend, Kim and the Dodgers are eying a late-August return.

Moving onward to the pitching side of the isle, left-handed pitcher Tanner Scott and right-handed pitcher Kirby Yates are each expected to throw bullpens this week and face hitters, and could rejoin the Dodgers by the end of next week.

Right-handed pitcher Michael Kopech kicked off his minor league rehab assignment yesterday with the Triple-A OKC Comets but was unable to complete the inning. Overall, the righty allowed three runs on two hits, two walks, and two wild pitches, but did average 98 mph on his fastball.

Rookie right-hander Roki Sasaki was also with Kopech in OKC, and the 23-year-old tossed two-plus innings, allowing three runs on six hits, and didn’t get a single punch out on the day.

Newly acquired right-handed relief pitcher Brock Stewart was also placed on the injured list earlier this week with right shoulder discomfort.

Testing on Stewart’s shoulder showed no structural damage, but he’ll be shut down from throwing for a week and could hopefully rejoin the Dodgers before the end of the season.

Day-to-day (1): Max Muncy

10-day Injured List (3): Tommy Edman, Kiké Hernández, Hyeseong Kim

15-day Injured List (3): Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates, Brock Stewart

60-day Injured List (9): Roki Sasaki, Tony Gonsolin, Michael Kopech, Brusdar Graterol, Michael Grove, Gavin Stone, River Ryan, Kyle Hurt, Evan Phillips

The Padres have been one of the healthier teams in the league this season, now only having just three players on the injured list.

However, their starting rotation has taken another hit with right-handed starter Michael King being placed back on the injured list, this time with knee inflammation. King was in line to start Game One tonight.

The other two arms on the injured list are right-handed pitchers Joe Musgrove and Jhonny Brito, who each underwent season-ending UCL surgery this past year.

Day-to-day (00):

10-day Injured List (00):

15-day Injured List (1): Michael King

60-day Injured List (2): Joe Musgrove, Jhony Brito

Have you subscribed to the Bleed Los Podcast YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows & promotions, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!