Roki Sasaki (3-5, 4.88 ERA) goes for the Dodgers at 7:10 PM PT against Randy Vásquez (6-6, 4.44 ERA). Sasaki already faced this Padres lineup on June 26 and didn't exactly dominate — 4 innings, 5 walks, 3 earned runs, done. Vásquez hasn't fared much better in his recent work; his last outing on record was against Texas on June 19, where he lasted 3.1 innings before giving up 6 earned runs on 8 hits. Two starters who have been leaking runs, one team that desperately needs length.
The Dodgers are 56-31 and have won 4 of their last 5, with the lone blip being a 7-1 loss to the Athletics earlier this week. The Padres are in a different universe right now. They dropped 2 at home to the Dodgers last week — including a 15-3 demolition — then flew to Chicago and got swept by the Cubs. The series finale was a 23-3 beatdown where Dansby Swanson alone hit 3 home runs and drove in 8. That is the state of San Diego baseball entering this series.
The rotation situation in San Diego has become genuinely grim. Yu Darvish is out with elbow trouble. Joe Musgrove hasn't thrown a meaningful pitch all year. Nick Pivetta, Matt Waldron, and German Marquez are all on the IL with forearm issues. Lucas Giolito just landed on the 15-Day IL with right elbow inflammation. That is 5 starters either out or unavailable, leaving Vásquez to carry far more than his share while a stretched bullpen absorbs the damage.
- 10-Day-ILLuis Campusano C — Campusano (toe) will embark on a rehab assignment with Triple-A El Paso later this week, Annie Heilbrunn of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
- 15-Day-ILDavid Morgan RP — The Padres recalled Morgan from Triple-A El Paso on Friday.
- 15-Day-ILGerman Marquez SP — Marquez (forearm) will make another rehab start with Triple-A El Paso on Tuesday, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
- 15-Day-ILMatt Waldron SP — Waldron (forearm) struck out four and allowed two earned runs on two hits and four walks across 2.2 innings Thursday in a rehab start with Triple-A El Paso.
- 15-Day-ILLucas Giolito SP — Giolito was placed on the 15-day injured list Tuesday, retroactive to Monday, with right elbow inflammation.
- 15-Day-ILJeremiah Estrada RP — Estrada (2-2) picked up the loss after giving up the eventual game-winning run in a 3-2 loss to Philadelphia on Tuesday.
- 60-Day-ILNick Pivetta SP — Pivetta (forearm) threw a light bullpen session Saturday, MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILJoe Musgrove SP — Musgrove (elbow) started playing catch in late May, per MLB.com.
- Day-To-DayMookie Betts SS — Betts went 3-for-5 with a double, one RBI and one run scored in Tuesday's 9-3 win over the Athletics.
- Day-To-DayChris Campos SP
- 10-Day-ILWill Smith C — Manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday that Smith (neck) is expected to remain out until after the All-Star break, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports.
- 10-Day-ILEnrique Hernandez 1B — Hernandez (oblique) has started some baseball activities but remains in the early stages of his rehab, per MLB.com.
- 15-Day-ILBlake Treinen RP — Treinen does not have any structural damage in his injured right elbow, per MLB.com.
- 60-Day-ILTyler Glasnow SP — Glasnow (back) has been cleared to begin a throwing program, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.
- 60-Day-ILBlake Snell SP — Snell (elbow) threw a 15-pitch bullpen session Friday, and manager Dave Roberts said it went well, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
- 60-Day-ILLandon Knack SP — Knack (chest) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday, yielding two runs on five hits and one walk over 1.1 innings.
Sasaki's command has been the story on the Dodgers' side. Manager Dave Roberts said he was "a little surprised" by the regression after Sasaki showed real momentum in May, but the recent walk rates tell the story — 5 free passes in 4 innings against the Padres on June 26 is not a workable number. For what it's worth, the Padres are a favorable matchup when your control is shaky. This lineup has been listless all week, scoring fewer than 3.5 runs per game over the skid. If Sasaki can find the zone with any consistency, it should be a long night for San Diego.