The Los Angeles Dodgers improved to a perfect 4-0 on their first homestand of the regular season with a 7-0 win in Tuesday’s series opener against the Colorado Rockies.
At the conclusion of the three-game set, the Dodgers will head back on the road for a highly anticipated showdown with the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.
Both teams have jumped out to excellent starts this season, with the Dodgers currently boasting baseball’s best record at 9-2. The Padres aren’t too far behind, having gone 8-4 in their first 12 games.
That’s despite being without superstar shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. for most of the season after he suffered a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder on April 5.
The 22-year-old was placed on the 10-day injured list but avoided surgery and continues to make substantial progress. He is now eyeing a return to the Padres lineup for Friday’s opener against the Dodgers, via Bob Nightengale of USA Today:
Fernando Tatis Jr continues to progress, and providing there are no setbacks, he should be back in the #Padres lineup Friday for the first game of their three-game series against the #Dodgers.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) April 13, 2021
Tatis’ imminent return adds another wrinkle to what was already expected to be an exciting series between two of baseball’s best teams.
The Dodgers similarly got back a key piece of their lineup this week in Mookie Betts, who returned Tuesday after missing five consecutive games due to lower back stiffness.
While Betts appears to be a go for this weekend’s series against the Padres, the Dodgers may be without Cody Bellinger, who continues to nurse a left calf contusion.
The 25-year-old is eligible to be activated prior to Friday’s opener, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts recently noted he remains bothered by lingering soreness.
“We did some other tests, more manual, kind of getting him to jog around, move around. There’s steady improvement, not significant,” Roberts said late last week. “I think all the tests that we’ve received, it will be a short-term missing of time rather than the longer term, which is great news all around.”
Dodgers’ home series against Padres sold out
After the Dodgers face the Padres at Petco Park, their road trip will continue with a brief two-game series against the Seattle Mariners.
Following the Interleague matchup, L.A. returns home to host the Padres for the first time this season at Dodger Stadium. The team announced that tickets for the four-game series have already sold out.
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