The San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers are once again set to square off in the National League Division Series for the third time in five seasons.

In 2020, the upstart Padres won the Wild Card Series against the Cardinals after a solid COVID-shortened regular season. They ran into a buzzsaw in the eventual World Series champion Dodgers, getting swept in all three games of the NLDS. The series turned on its head when Cody Bellinger robbed Fernando Tatis Jr. of a home run. The Padres were set to take a lead late in Game 2 as Tatis launched a ball into center. Bellinger brought it back and killed the Padres rally, leading to the Dodgers winning Game 2.

Then, of course, the Padres famously got revenge in 2022. After the Dodgers took Game 1, the Padres won three straight to seal the series and clinch their first trip to the NLCS since 1998. The Padres utterly dominated the favored Dodgers.

Now, it’s the third of now a trilogy of NLDS matchups. What will this movie feature?

Dodgers Hitters to Watch

Have you heard of Shohei Ohtani?

Unicorns call him a unicorn. He is the first and only MLB player to have a 50/50 season, finishing with 54 homers and 59 stolen bases. He led the NL in homers, RBI, runs, OPS, and OPS+. The only question is whether or not his MVP award will be unanimous (it should be). Heading into the postseason, he is red hot, batting .547 with seven homers in his last 12 games. The entire series could hinge on how the Padres deal with the Japanese megastar.

The danger about the Dodgers is that it’s not just Ohtani. The Dodgers have two more former MVPs in, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. However, Betts comes in on a cold streak, batting .217 with a .658 OPS in his last 12 games. The other caveat is that Freeman is still nursing a sprained ankle he suffered during the series with the Padres. He hasn’t played since. The rumor is Freeman might be able to give it a go for Game 1. Even if he does, he likely won’t be 100 percent.

The hottest hitter for the Dodgers aside from Ohtani is Teoscar Hernández. Over the last 12 games, he has four homers, a 1.048 OPS, and 188 wRC+.

Pitching Matchups & Game Times

Game 1: Saturday, October 5, 5:38 pm PT, Dodger Stadium

Dylan Cease vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Thanks to the Padres winning the Wild Card Series in two games, they are able to save Cease for Game 1 of the NLDS. Give credit to Mike Shildt for arranging the starting rotation where Cease could possibly be saved for the opener of the Dodgers series. Cease has been the Padres’ most dominant starter for the majority of the season, including his no-hitter. The Padres traded for Cease ahead of Opening Day with this moment in mind: Cease opening up a big playoff series.

Yamamoto gets his first taste of playoff baseball in America. He battled injuries for a large chunk of this season, missing three months with a shoulder issue. He’s only made four starts since mid-June. In those four appearances since returning, he owns a 3.38 ERA in 16 innings. Even in an abbreviated opening season in Major League Baseball, he posted a 3.00 ERA in 18 starts.

Game 2: Sunday, October 6, 5:03 pm PT, Dodger Stadium

Yu Darvish vs. Jack Flaherty

Darvish actually started this postseason run in the Padres bullpen. Luckily, the Padres never need him and now he is set to be the Game 2 starter. Like his Japanese counterpart for the Dodgers, he missed a good chunk of the season. His was a unique situation, as it was a mixture of injuries and taking time away from the team for a personal matter. Now, he’s back. It was an uneven September as he gets his sea legs back, with a 3.55 ERA in five starts. He looks like he is getting comfortable just in time for a key Game 2 start.

Flaherty was the Dodgers’ prized deadline acquisition. He has not quite been as dominant for the Dodgers as he was with the Tigers. Still, he’s been solid, with a 3.58 ERA and 108 ERA+ in 10 starts. His last start came against the Padres, pitching five innings and allowing three runs.

Game 3: Tuesday, October 8, TBD ,Petco Park

TBD vs. TBD

Game 4: Wednesday, October 9, TBD, Petco Park

TBD vs. TBD

Game 5: Friday, October 11, TBD, Dodger Stadium

TBD vs. TBD

The series gets a lot murkier after the first two games. When the series flips back to San Diego, Michael King will have been on a week’s rest. He likely would get the ball in Game 3, but nothing has been announced yet. Cease likely wouldn’t be available for a Game 4 on just three day’s rest. Perhaps the Padres opt for a combination of Martin Perez or a bullpen day.

Padres Hitters

The Padres come in with a few hot hitters. Tatis Jr. posted a whopping 1.917 OPS, going 4-for-6 in the two games. Kyle Higashioka is knocking on the door of postseason cult hero in San Diego. He already hit two homers, which both came at big moments. Jackson Merrill has also come through in multiple big spots. His three hits, including a double and triple, earned him a 1.286 OPS for the two games.

Overall Feeling

This matchup feels much different than the one in 2022 and certainly 2020. The Padres came into both of those playoff series with the Dodgers as heavy underdogs. This time, many pundits are even picking the Padres to not only beat the Dodgers but to win the World Series. The Padres have a deeper pitching staff. They have the advantage of having played meaningful games this week while the Dodgers sit and get cold. If it becomes a battle of pitching staffs, San Diego has the distinct advantage.

Nick Lee

Native of Escondido, CA. Lived in San Diego area for 20 years. Padres fan since childhood (mid-90s). I have been writing since 2014. I currently live near Seattle, WA and am married to a Seattle sports girl. I wore #19 on my high school baseball team for Tony Gwynn. I am a stats and sports history nerd. I attended BYU on the Idaho campus. I also love Star Wars.