The Padres defeated the Dodgers 2-1 in Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Friday night at Petco Park in front of a rowdy, sold-out crowd. With the victory, the Padres now lead the series 2-1.
San Diego is now just one win away from making it to the NL Championship Series for the first time since 1998. It was the first playoff game played in front of spectators at Petco Park since 2006.
Trent Grisham, an outfielder, was once again the hero after he blasted the game-winning home run in the fourth inning. The rival Dodgers, who won 22 more games than San Diego did during the regular season, are on the verge of a big upset thanks to his three home runs this postseason.
With San Diego native Joe Musgrove starting for the Padres opposite Dodgers lefty Tyler Anderson, the atmosphere for the game on Saturday should be even more intense.
“That was bizarre, remarked Grisham. “It was crazy to see the city come together and support us like way. I’ve never played in a game as crazy as that one. The encore, in my opinion, will be their guy (Musgrove) pitching tomorrow night. That was incredible, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens tomorrow.”
The Dodgers have had opportunities, but they haven’t been able to take advantage of them, going 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. It increased their run to 19 at-bats without receiving a hit in those circumstances. Even with the odds stacked against them, the Dodgers are nevertheless upbeat because they can draw on a wealth of postseason expertise.
“Mookie Betts, a right fielder, added, “Tomorrow is a new day. “We’ll play outside and see what happens. We’re going to continue attempting to play the same game and won’t make any attempts to change it.”
When is the game and how can I watch it?
Game 4 of the NLDS will begin at 9:37 p.m. ET/6:37 p.m. PT, and it will be broadcast on FS1. MLB.TV offers every game in the US (authentication to a participating Pay TV provider is required). Some nations outside of the US also offer live games. Click here for more information.
Who are the starting pitchers?
This will be Anderson’s first postseason start since Game 2 of the 2018 NLDS against the Brewers while he was with the Rockies (15-5, 2.57 ERA). During the regular season, Anderson was one of the finest pitchers for the Dodgers, and he was selected for his first All-Star game. It won’t get much larger than Anderson’s next start as the Dodgers face elimination at Petco Park, where he was 2-0 with a 1.88 ERA in four outings against the Padres this season.
Musgrove, who grew up supporting the Padres, takes the field at Petco Park for his first playoff start, clearly relishing the occasion.
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Musgrove predicted a high level of energy and expressed excitement at the chance to influence our fate in some little way.
Musgrove just pitched seven innings against the Mets without allowing a run and just allowing one hit. On September 28, he made his most recent start against the Dodgers and shut them out for five innings.
What are the starting lineups?
The Dodgers won’t make many changes to the starting lineup that helped them win 111 games during the regular season, despite the fact that the bats have been silent the last two games. To face Musgrove, a right-handed pitcher, Cody Bellinger should be back in center field, and Gavin Lux will start at second base.
- Mookie Betts, RF
- Trea Turner, SS
- Freddie Freeman, 1B
- Will Smith, C
- Max Muncy, DH
- Justin Turner, 3B
- Gavin Lux, 2B
- Trayce Thompson, LF
- Cody Bellinger, CF
When facing right-handed pitchers, the Padres have typically used the same lineup. But when facing left-handers, they’ve made a lot of adjustments. It’s interesting to consider who will bat first, Jurickson Profar or Ha-Seong Kim. Kim, who has a 5-for-12 career record versus Anderson, is the favorite here. Given their previous encounters and his general success against lefties, Brandon Drury will almost definitely start against Anderson as well. The Padres must now choose between Wil Myers and Josh Bell.
- Ha-Seong Kim, SS
- Juan Soto, RF
- Manny Machado, 3B
- Brandon Drury, DH
- Wil Myers, 1B
- Jake Cronenworth, 2B
- Jurickson Profar, LF
- Trent Grisham, CF
- Austin Nola, C
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
For the Dodgers, everyone will be available save Andrew Heaney. Particularly if the Dodgers require some depth behind Anderson, Dustin May might be the first pitcher to come out of the bullpen. But with the Dodgers in danger of being eliminated, everyone will be on hand.
Expect the Padres to remain with the bullpen strategy they’ve proven to be effective. Robert Suarez has established himself as the team’s main setup man, and as a bridge to closer Josh Hader, he would likely be available for several innings. In high-pressure situations, fellow right-handers Nick Martinez and Luis Garca have excelled, and left-hander Tim Hill may be counted on to catch a difficult left-handed hitter or two.
Are any injuries of note?
During a slide at first base in the eighth inning of Game 3, Trea Turner jammed his right ring finger. Turner’s X-ray results were negative, and he anticipates playing in the crucial match. Turner’s ability to hold a bat will be his toughest challenge.
Who is hot and who is not?
Through three games of this series, Justin Turner has failed to get going at the plate, going 1-for-10. Turner needs to make things better for the Dodgers to play at their peak level. In the final two games of the series, Smith also had trouble, going 1-for-9 in that time.
Is there a player in the entire sport that is hotter at the plate right now than Grisham? Grisham tied for second place among Padres hitters in a single postseason with his third playoff home run on Friday night. Nola, who bats ninth and is batting behind Grisham, is moving up the basepaths. The 1B/DH combo of Bell, Myers, and Drury, on the other hand, has all underperformed, forcing the Padres to make some intriguing lineup decisions.