You wouldn’t have guessed it by looking at the standings, but the Los Angeles Dodgers are 4-1 against the San Diego Padres and 24-8 against the entire National League West this season. But bragging rights don’t mean a thing if you are not winning the division, and the Dodgers are still six games behind the Padres, a team they will play tonight in the opening game of a pivotal three-game series at PETCO Park.
The Padres, who, still very much to everyone’s surprise, currently claim the best record in the Nation League (58-39), will attempt to exact some revenge on the Dodgers while on their home turf before heading up to LA next week for a four-game series. The last time the Dodgers were at PETCO Park (May14-16) they shut down the Padres offense and managed to sweep the Padres. In regards to the Padres offense, not much has changed. Their success continues to defy logic as they are tied for 12th in the National League in hitting (.253), 11th in runs, 13th in home runs, 12th in on-base percentage and 14th in slugging. “Hit for show, pitch for dough,” to steal an old gold aphorism. In contrast to their poor offense, the Padres lead the majors in team ERA at 3.28 and have held opposing hitters to a major league-best .238 average.
But the Dodgers are currently writing a similar story. While only managing to score just nine runs over their last 49 innings, their starting pitching has only given up four runs in that same time frame, including three shutouts. Translation: this could very well turn into pitcher-dominating series.
The next seven games between the two clubs will have a huge effect on the outcome of the West. If the Dodgers can pick up a few games, then they stand to make the six meetings with the Padres in September that much more exciting. Can you believe October is only 64 days away?
