MILWAUKEE — As the San Diego Padres gear up to face the defending World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers, for the first time since their dramatic NL Division Series showdown, the Padres feel well-prepared. Their recent experiences in close games have honed their readiness for this upcoming test.
The Padres’ recent stretch of games has been intense, with their last seven matches decided by a mere total of eight runs. This trend persisted on Sunday when Manny Machado’s pivotal home run in the seventh inning secured a narrow 1-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers, clinching the series win.
“We know who we’re going to run up against, and we definitely got ready for it this week,” Machado remarked, acknowledging the tight matches they’ve been through recently.
These narrow escapes began earlier than anticipated, as 13 out of San Diego’s last 14 encounters have been decided by no more than two runs. During this phase, the Padres achieved a 9-5 record.
Infielder Jake Cronenworth noted, “These are kind of the games we’ve been playing the last 2½ weeks here now. They’ve become the norm for us. Winning these one-run games with good pitching, solid defense, and timely hitting – that’s a solid formula for success.”
The upcoming series will pit the Padres against the Dodgers in seven of their next ten games. The two teams start with a three-game face-off in San Diego on Monday. They will further clash in Los Angeles for a four-game series commencing on June 16. The Padres, alongside the San Francisco Giants, are hot on the Dodgers’ heels in the NL West standings, trailing by just one game following victories for all three teams on Sunday.
Reliever Jason Adam expressed his anticipation, saying, “It’s crazy that we haven’t faced them yet. I’m psyched for the series. I’d back this team over any other, top to bottom, and I’m ready to compete with them against anybody.”
Meeting the Dodgers this late in the season is unusual for NL West rivals. Manager Mike Shildt reflected on the scheduling quirks, observing, “I used to analyze the schedule and think it was odd. But upon viewing the entire schedule as a whole, it’s evident that crafting it is quite the challenge.”
This Padres-Dodgers matchup has evolved into one of MLB’s most heated rivalries, fueled by recent postseason encounters. San Diego bested the Dodgers 3-1 in the 2022 NL Division Series before falling to the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL Championship Series. In the previous year, the Padres gave the Dodgers a tough fight before being narrowly defeated 3-2 in the Division Series.
While pitcher Yu Darvish has been sidelined this season due to elbow inflammation, the Padres’ pitching lineup remains formidable, having allowed only 15 runs over their last seven games, including three shutouts. As of Sunday, they’ve achieved a league-leading 12 shutouts this season.
The Padres have leaned heavily on their pitching prowess as their batting lineup has struggled. Machado is thriving with 12 hits in 31 at-bats this month along with three home runs in his last four games. However, Fernando Tatis Jr., a two-time All-Star, has hit a slump, batting just .185 since early May.
The Padres’ combination of stellar pitching and inconsistent hitting has led to numerous close matches, which they have mostly triumphed in. These experiences could pay off in the long run. Adam highlighted, “This isn’t just about preparing for the Dodgers. It’s about gearing up for the entire future playoffs. In the playoffs, blowouts are rare; most games are tight. A team that’s used to battling through and clinching those close wins is special — that’s what we’ve got here.”