Griffin Canning (1-5, 7.09) takes the ball for a Padres team that's completely lost the plot, walking into a matchup with Yoshinobu Yamamoto (8-5, 2.67), who's carried his World Series MVP form straight into this season. It's about as lopsided a pitching matchup as you'll find on a holiday slate.
The bigger Dodgers headline isn't even who's pitching — it's who's not hitting. Shohei Ohtani was pulled from Friday's win with right bicep tightness and is out again Saturday. He says it's the same issue that flared up two months ago and resolved on its own, and L.A.'s lineup is deep enough to not blink. San Diego, meanwhile, is also down its catcher, Freddy Fermin, who landed on the IL Friday with a head bruise.
None of that has stopped the Dodgers from steamrolling this series, and the number board reflects it — L.A.'s a heavy favorite with the total sitting in the high single digits, a spot that says both sides expect the Padres bats to keep struggling against a real arm.
San Diego's collapse isn't subtle. Manager Craig Stammen put it plainly this week: "It's pretty tough... I don't think just because it's happening right now that means it's going to happen forever." Jake Cronenworth was more blunt, saying there's "got to be a sense of urgency." The staff has allowed 17 homers over its last 6 games with a 10.48 ERA in that stretch — this isn't one bad week, it's a full-blown pitching collapse, and Canning's 7.09 ERA and career-high walk rate put him at the center of it.
- 10-Day-ILFreddy Fermin C — The Padres placed Fermin on the 10-day injured list Friday with a head bruise, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
- 15-Day-ILRandy Vasquez SP — no
- 15-Day-ILJeremiah Estrada RP — Estrada (knee) has been throwing at the Padres' spring-training complex in Arizona, per MLB.com.
- 15-Day-ILLucas Giolito SP — Giolito (elbow) resumed light throwing in late June, per MLB.com.
- 15-Day-ILJason Adam RP — The Padres placed Adam on the 15-day injured list Thursday, retroactive to Tuesday, with a right shoulder strain.
- 15-Day-ILDavid Morgan RP — The Padres recalled Morgan from Triple-A El Paso on Friday.
- 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.
- 60-Day-ILNick Pivetta SP — Pivetta (forearm) threw a light bullpen session Saturday, MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DayShohei Ohtani SP — Ohtani was removed from Friday's game against the Padres due to a bicep injury, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.
- 10-Day-ILWill Smith C — Manager Dave Roberts said Friday that Smith (neck) began hitting in the cages Thursday and has also begun throwing, Jack Harris of the California Post 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.
- 60-Day-ILEdwin Diaz RP — Diaz (elbow) is throwing in the bullpen Friday at Dodger Stadium, reports Jack Harris of the California Post.
Yamamoto doesn't need much help. He opened the year as L.A.'s Opening Day starter, beat Arizona to kick things off, and has looked every bit the ace the Dodgers paid for since torching the World Series last fall. Dave Rushing's 4-hit, 4-RBI outburst Thursday shows this lineup can still mash even with Ohtani out of it — the Padres just haven't had an answer for any of it, and there's no obvious reason that changes tonight.