![Padres vs. Dodgers NLDS Game 1 starting lineups and pitching matchup Padres vs. Dodgers NLDS Game 1 starting lineups and pitching matchup](https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/t_2x1/t_w1536/mlb/szmcftjkaavqtiymrgrn.jpg)
After making a flurry of trades to upgrade the roster, Padres owner Peter Seidler said the Dodgers are “the dragon up the freeway that we’re trying to slay.”
Well, the Padres will get their chance, as the division rivals are set to face off in the National League Division Series on Tuesday in Los Angeles.
The Padres are coming off an emotional three-game battle against the Mets in the NL Wild Card Series. They’ll look to build on that momentum against the Dodgers, a team that dominated the regular-season series, winning 14 of the 19 meetings.
Los Angeles, which had five days off since the end of the regular season, was the best team in the Majors in 2022, becoming just the fifth team in MLB history to win at least 111 wins. The Dodgers, who have home-field advantage throughout the postseason, won 57 games at Dodger Stadium during the regular season.
With the Padres improving each season and the Dodgers serving as the class of the NL West, this rivalry has picked up over the past few years. It’ll surely be taken to a different level in what promises to be a thrilling five-game series.
“We’ve been playing playoff games for basically the whole last month,” said Padres general manager A.J. Preller. “We know the Dodgers well. They’re a phenomenal team. But there’s only four teams left in the National League. We’re one of them. We’ll be ready to go.”
When is the game and how can I watch it?
Game 1 of the NLDS is scheduled for 6:37 p.m. PT on Tuesday at Dodger Stadium. It will be televised on FS1.
All series are available in the US on MLB.TV with authentication to a participating Pay TV provider. Games are not available live internationally. (Archives are available approximately 90 minutes after the game ends.)
What might the starting lineups look like?
Padres: After they faced three righties in New York, the Padres will have some different decisions to make against a Dodgers rotation loaded with left-handers. But their lineup might end up looking fairly similar. The switch-hitting Jurickson Profar has been so good in the leadoff spot that it’s hard to envision him being dropped (even though he’s generally better from the left side). It’s possible that Brandon Drury, who owns left-handed pitching, gets a chance to shine.
Dodgers: The top four in the order are no surprise. That’s whom the Dodgers will rely on most. At the bottom, Trayce Thompson will start in left as Chris Taylor continues to get healthy. Cody Bellinger gets the start in center field because his elite defense is too valuable.
Who are the starting pitchers?
Padres: No announcement yet, but Mike Clevinger (7-7, 4.33 ERA) is almost certain to get the ball first. He started Game 1 of the NLDS the last time the Padres and Dodgers met there in 2020, trying to pitch through an elbow injury. He was lifted after just one inning and — a month later — would undergo Tommy John surgery that cost him his ‘21 campaign. Since his return, Clevinger’s starts have been a mixed bag. But in his final outing of the season, Clevinger pitched six innings of one-run ball against the White Sox, putting the Padres on the cusp of their playoff clinch. Then, he was left off the Wild Card Series roster while battling a non-COVID illness, though the team says he’ll be fine for the NLDS.
Dodgers: The Dodgers know who will start Game 1, but they’ve chosen to keep it in-house, at least until Monday. But their decision will come down to Julio Urías (17-7, 2.16 ERA) and Clayton Kershaw (12-3, 2.28). Urías went 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA in four starts against San Diego this season. Kershaw went 1-0 with a 0.75 ERA in two starts against the Padres. Whoever doesn’t start Game 1 will be in line to start Game 2.
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Padres: Generally speaking, the Padres look to ride their starting pitchers as much as possible. Their formula for success typically includes a short bridge to closer Josh Hader. Robert Suarez and Luis García have emerged as the two primary setup men for Hader, with Nick Martínez also asked to cover some high-leverage innings. Tim Hill, who went unused against the Mets, would be the first choice against a tough left-hander.
Padres: None. Clevinger was left off the Wild Card Series roster due to a non-COVID illness, but is expected to be available for the NL Division Series.
Dodgers: Taylor missed the last five games of the regular season due to neck stiffness. He was expected to take live at-bats on Sunday and Monday, and the Dodgers remain hopeful he’ll be on the roster. Treinen (right shoulder tightness) and May (low back tightness) have each thrown in simulated games over the past few days.
Who is hot and who is not?
Padres: Grisham, who owned the sport’s lowest batting average among all qualifiers during the regular season, reached base in eight of his 12 Wild Card Series plate appearances — including homers off both Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom. Kim, meanwhile, reached at a .500 clip. On the other side of things, Cronenworth went hitless with six strikeouts in 13 at-bats in New York.
Dodgers: Freeman has been hot all season, coming up just shy of winning the NL batting title. Following his return to Atlanta on June 27, Freeman has a .342 average in 88 games. Bellinger has struggled all year, but the former NL MVP closed out the regular season going 9-for-20 with two homers, albeit against the last-place Rockies.
On the flip side, Joey Gallo hasn’t been able to put together consistent at-bats, which could affect his playing time in the postseason. Gallo went 2-for-24 with 15 strikeouts in his last 10 games.
Anything else fans might want to know?
• This is only the second postseason meeting between the two division rivals, with the first coming in 2020, a 3-0 sweep by the Dodgers. Because that series happened at a neutral site, this will be the first time the two teams will play a postseason series at Dodger Stadium and Petco Park.
• When the series does return to Petco Park on Friday night, it will mark the first time the Padres have hosted a playoff game with fans in attendance since 2006.
• Having already bested Scherzer, Soto will get a reunion with another of his teammates on the 2019 World Series champion Nationals — Trea Turner. Last year, Soto was in attendance for the NLDS in Los Angeles — as a fan, rooting for Scherzer, then a Dodger, and Turner.
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