The Los Angeles Dodgers have announced their pitching strategy for the first game of a crucial three-game series against the San Diego Padres. Right-hander Brock Stewart will start as the "opener" on Tuesday night, kicking off what will essentially be a bullpen game.
This matchup at Dodger Stadium is massive for both teams. The Dodgers (96-60) have already clinched the NL West title but are now battling for a top-two seed, which would secure a first-round bye; their "magic number" stands at just three. Meanwhile, the Padres (87-69) are currently the hottest team in baseball, having won 13 of their last 14 games and sitting just two wins away from clinching a playoff spot.
What is the Dodgers' overall pitching plan?
The Dodgers have devised a unique strategy for this game, opting not to extend their starting pitcher for a long outing.
1. Brock Stewart – The Opener: Brock Stewart will serve as the opener today. His task is to shut down the Padres' top-of-the-order hitters during the first one or two innings. He holds a 2.55 ERA over 24.2 innings this season. While he may have benefited from some luck—given his 3.91 FIP—FanGraphs rates his "stuff" and command highly. Although he does allow hard contact, he is currently in good form.
2. Roki Sasaki – The Bulk Guy: Japanese star Roki Sasaki will handle the bulk of the workload. Sasaki was activated from the injured list today, having recovered from a blister on his hand. He has performed brilliantly since the All-Star break, posting a 3.05 ERA with 37 strikeouts and 15 walks. While his splitter and slider are already exceptional, his fastball velocity has also increased recently. The Dodgers intend to use him as a versatile bullpen weapon capable of stepping in at any moment to cover three or four innings. 3. Justin Wrobleski - Backup: If needed, left-hander Justin Wrobleski is ready to pitch multiple innings. He holds a 3.70 ERA over 136.1 innings this season.
Who is the opponent? The Padres' Michael King
The Padres have moved their ace, Michael King, up in the rotation for this match. The reason is to ensure that if Sunday's Game 162 against the Diamondbacks becomes a "do-or-die" situation, King would be available to pitch that game as well. If not, he is set to pitch Game 1 of the Wild-Card Series.
King has faced the Dodgers three times this year. On May 18, he pitched 7 shutout innings and recorded 9 strikeouts. He allowed 4 runs on June 28, and on July 3, he gave up just 2 runs over 6 innings. His record this season stands at 12-9 with a 3.03 ERA.
Why is this match special?
This isn't just an ordinary regular-season game.
For the Dodgers: Both Andy Pages and Roki Sasaki are returning today. Pages hit a home run against the Brewers and is now back in the lineup. If the Dodgers win this series, they will secure the top seed.
For the Padres: They aren't just aiming for a playoff spot; they want to host the Wild-Card Series. Their record is tied with the Chicago Cubs, but since they lost the season series to the Cubs, they need to finish at least one game ahead of them in the standings.
The Brock Stewart Story
This marks a major comeback for Brock Stewart. His last start was on August 2, when he allowed 2 runs over 4 innings. He also pitched in relief against Arizona on August 10 and has previously performed well against the Pirates. Today offers him the chance to serve as the opener in a rivalry game on his home turf—a significant stage, even if not at a venue like PNC Park.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has clearly stated that he is testing his bullpen in preparation for October. "Bullpen games" are quite common in the playoffs, and today's game is essentially a dress rehearsal for that scenario.
When and where to watch?
The match begins on Wednesday morning at 7:40 AM IST. In the US, it takes place on Tuesday evening at 7:10 PM PT.
All in all, today's game will be like a chess match of pitching strategies. On one side, there is Michael King, who is capable of pitching deep into the game (up to 7 innings), while on the other, the Dodgers will rely on a rotation of 3–4 pitchers to cover the full 9 innings. It will be interesting to see how effectively Brock Stewart, in his role as the opener, can contain big hitters like Tatis, Machado, and Soto of the Padres.
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