Padres vs Brewers series preview
Credit: MLB Logos
The San Diego Padres are coming off a tough series loss against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
They are looking to bounce back in their next series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Game One
The pitching matchup will be hometown hero Joe Musgrove vs. Brandon Woodruff for the Brewers. This will be Musgrove’s first start at Petco Park since he threw the first no-hitter in Padres history. He is off to a terrific start this season, going 2-1 with a 0.47 ERA.
He has struggled lifetime against the Brewers, going 0-2 with a 6.14 ERA in 29.1 innings pitched. Giving how he is pitching this season, there is no reason why he can’t continue his success and set the tone for the series. Woodruff is coming off a good start against the Chicago Cubs, going six innings, allowing one run, and striking out six. He’s had a good season so far while posting a 2.12 ERA. This game features a great pitching matchup and a tall task for each offense.
Game Two
The probable pitching matchup will be Chris Paddack versus Corbin Burnes. The Padres are still wondering what version of Paddack will show up this season, the 2019 or 2020 version. He dominated in 2019 but had some struggles last season. He is coming off a positive start against the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he went five innings and only allowed one run while getting the win. His numbers scream mediocre this season going 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA, but it looks like he is moving in the right direction. Burnes is off to a historical start posting 30 strikeouts, and no walks on the season, and is closing in on the record of 35 strikeouts without allowing a walk, which belongs to Adam Wainwright. He is flat out dominating this season, and it looks like the Padres are in for a tough battle in game two. Burnes is 1-1 on the season with a 0.49 ERA.
Game Three
The probable pitching matchup- as of now- will be Ryan Weathers versus Adrian Houser. Weathers got the first start of his big league career last Friday against the Dodgers and did well, throwing 3.2 scoreless innings. The young southpaw is having a strong season posting a 0.93 ERA, and is looking to go deeper in the series finale. Houser is having a good season posting a 3.14 ERA. He got the loss in his last outing going, tossing 4.1 innings while allowing three runs. This pitching matchup does not have the same firepower as the first two, but it might be the most intriguing due to the question marks surrounding both pitchers.
San Diego Players to Watch
The three players to watch for are Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, and Chris Paddack. Tatis has been struggling this season after signing a massive 14-year, $340 million contract extension this offseason. One could ask if he is pressing or trying to show everyone that he is worth that contract. He is struggling on both sides of the ball, batting .143 and making seven errors to being the year. Tatis has his work cut out for him against the Brewers as it will be no easy task to break out of a slump against Woodruff and Burnes as both are dominating. Tatis is a generational talent, so it will be interesting to see if this is the series to turn his season around.
Machado is having a sub-par season batting .259 with three home runs and eight RBIs. He has been performing better over the last couple of games and hit a big home run against the Dodgers. He is flashing other aspects of his game by leading the National League in stolen bases with four. He has struggled in his career against the Brewers, batting just .243 in 19 games, and it won’t get any easier against this Brewers pitching. It will be interesting to see how he performs because the Padres are going to need him if they want to be one of the best teams in baseball.
The last Padres player to watch for is Chris Paddack. Paddack might be the Padres biggest wild card, and with Weathers performing well and the possibility of Dinelson Lamet coming back, Paddack might be in jeopardy of losing his job and being sent to the bullpen.
Paddack has had a mediocre season so far but is coming off a strong outing against the Pirates. The Brewers don’t have the best offense, so this will be a great opportunity for Paddack to thrive and build that confidence going forward.
Milwaukee Players to Watch
The three players to watch for are Woodruff, Burnes, and Jackie Bradley Jr. Woodruff is one of the Brewers’ best pitchers, and if they are hoping to have any success this season, then they will need him to step up. The Brewers are not expected to make the playoffs this season, and Woodruff could be a hot trade commodity. It will be interesting to see if he continues his dominance against the Padres.
The most intriguing Brewer is Burnes. He is on the verge of breaking Adam Wainwright’s record of 35 strikeouts to no walks that Wainwright set in 2013. On top of that, he is pitching the best ball of his career. If the Brewers hope to have any success this season, then they will need him to continue throwing at this rate.
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The last Brewers player to keep your eye on is Jackie Bradley Jr. He signed as a free agent in the offseason after spending his first eight years as a member of the Boston Red Sox. He has been struggling this season, batting just .213, but if he performs well enough, then he can take over Lorenzo Cain’s role. Bradley might be the best defensive outfielder in the game, but the Brewers are going to need his bat if they want to make any noise this season.
There is no doubt that there are players on both teams who are out to prove something to themselves and their teams as well. This could be the series that players on both sides break out of their slumps and get their seasons back on track. This will be a great series to tune into, as the first pitch is set for April 19 at 7:10 pm PT.
My name is Joey Serrano. I am currently in my last year at at Arizona State University. I am majoring in sports journalism and I am a huge fan of the San Diego Padres. I can’t wait to give my readers some great baseball material.