The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres have played a pair of high-emotion games at Petco Park and now conclude their weekend series with former Cy Young Award winners Trevor Bauer and Blake Snell on the mound.
Beyond another formidable pitching matchup to follow Clayton Kershaw and Yu Darvish, there is the added layer of history between Bauer and Manny Machado, and the right-hander’s ability to get under his opponent’s skin.
Bauer joked Machado avoided him during Spring Training, and ahead of the series beginning this weekend, posted again on social media that he was looking for the Padres’ third baseman.
Bauer enters a lifetime 0-4 with a 5.06 ERA in four starts against the Padres, though does have 30 strikeouts over 21.1 innings pitched during those outings. He’s yet to pitch at Petco Park in his career.
For Snell, it’s a chance to face the Dodgers for the first time since Game 6 of the World Series. He famously was removed in the sixth inning despite having been dominant, and that moment has gone on to be considered a turning point for L.A. in winning the title.
During the spring, Snell voiced confidence in the Padres’ ability to match up with the Dodgers and rescinded his thank you to the Boston Red Sox for trading Mookie Betts because the two now are in the same division.
Snell’s career with the Padres got off to a rocky start as the left-hander failed to make it out of the first inning in his debut. Snell has improved on that, but still not pitched more than five innings in any of his three starts thus far. Though, Snell did record eight strikeouts in his past two starts.
The Dodgers are riding an eight-game winning streak and at 13-2, are off to the best start since moving to L.A. and tied for the franchise record with the 1955 Brooklyn team that won the World Series. L.A. additionally is 12-0 when hitting a home run this season.
The Dodgers made a flurry of roster moves ahead of the game, placing Gavin Lux on the 10-day injured list and recalled Sheldon Neuse. Additionally, Brusdar Graterol was activated off the IL and Alex Vesia was optioned.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
C: Will Smith
CF: Chris Taylor
1B: Max Muncy
LF: AJ Pollock
2B: Sheldon Neuse
P: Trevor Bauer
Padres lineup
RF: Jurickson Profar
2B: Jake Cronenworth
SS: Fernando Tatis Jr.
3B: Manny Machado
1B: Eric Hosmer
LF: Tommy Pham
CF: Jorge Mateo
C: Victor Caratini
P: Blake Snell
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