The Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres will begin a pivotal three-game series at Petco Park on Friday night that may determine who prevails in the National League West.
The Dodgers, who have spent 130 days in first place already this year, will enter Friday’s contest with a one-game advantage over San Diego. Yet it’s the Padres who have played better as of late, having gained 4 ½ games on Los Angeles since the season resumed after the All-Star Game.
Here’s how you can tune in for Friday’s series opener:
Where to watch Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Diego Padres
Date: Friday, August 22 | Time: 9:40 pm ET
Location: Petco Park — San Diego, California
TV: Padres TV, SportsNet LA | Stream: Fubo (Start watching, save $20!)
Odds (via DraftKings): Dodgers -1.5, O/U 8
Below, you’ll find the probable starters and start times for each of the three games:
Now, here are three storylines to know heading into the series.
1. Dodgers have season series advantage
If the Padres are to win their first West title since 2005, they’ll need to do it in an outright fashion. Remember, Game 163 scenarios were removed to accommodate the expanded postseason. Ties atop divisions, then, are settled based on head-to-head record. The Dodgers, for their part, have already won the season series by going 8-2 against the Padres, with these three games representing the final regular-season set between the clubs.
That 8-2 mark may suggest that the Dodgers have dominated the Padres, but that’s not actually the case. The Dodgers have outscored the Padres by a total of six runs, 49 to 43, and four of those 10 games have been decided by a single run. (San Diego is 1-3 in those contests.) Until MLB starts handing out style points, all that matters at the end of the day is who won and who lost. That’s potentially bad news for the Padres if the race remains tight.
2. Merrill’s status questionable
The Padres could be without a key contributor for this series.
Center fielder Jackson Merrill has missed each of San Diego’s last four games because of an ankle injury. Manager Mike Shildt told reporters that imaging hasn’t revealed a more serious ailment, but that instead Merrill has a bone bruise that could take time to heal. Shildt labeled Merrill as “questionable” for this weekend.
The Padres have effectively played shorthanded the last few days, with Ramón Laureano sliding over from left to center field and Gavin Sheets backfilling the left-field vacancy. Merrill’s unavailability has coincided with shortstop Xander Bogaerts and second baseman Jake Cronenworth both missing a game apiece because of their own ills.
The Padres have, nevertheless, won three games in a row.
Keep in mind that MLB’s rules dictate that teams are allowed to backdate IL stints up to three days if the player hasn’t appeared in a game during that period. As such, the Padres could place Merrill on the shelf ahead of Friday’s contest and have him return in a week’s time, provided that his condition improves enough for him to be playable.
3. Snell looks to match personal best
Left-hander Blake Snell is no stranger to the Padres. In addition to being a former Padre himself (from 2021-23) and a well-traveled member of the NL West (he spent last year with the San Francisco Giants), he just squared off against San Diego’s lineup last Thursday.
Snell fared well in that contest, tossing six scoreless innings that saw him surrender five hits and two walks while punching out three batters. Factor in his previous work, and he’ll enter Friday’s appearance having tallied 12 consecutive scoreless innings and back-to-back scoreless starts.
If Snell can get through Friday’s outing without allowing a run, it’ll tie the longest such streak of his career. Back in 2023, when he won the Cy Young Award with the Padres, he strung together three straight scoreless starts on separate occasions.