NLDS at Globe Life Field: A San Diego Padres-Los Angeles Dodgers tale of the tape
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
vs. 5. San Diego Padres
Best-of-5
All games at Globe Life Field, Arlington
(Dodgers won season series 6-4)
Game 1: Tuesday, 8:38 p.m.
Game 2: Wednesday, 8:08 p.m.
Game 3: Thursday, 8:08 p.m.
Game 4: Friday, 8:08 p.m.*
Game 5: Saturday, 8:08 p.m.*
* If necessary
Biggest strengths
Padres: Offense
San Diego didn’t earn the nickname Slam Diego for nothing. They connected for grand slams in an MLB-record four consecutive games, each of them against the Texas Rangers, and hit another two games later. Five different players hit the grand slams, showing the Padres’ depth in the batting order.
Dodgers: Power
A warning to Padres pitchers: Don’t make a mistake over the plate because the Dodgers will hit it hard and far. The Dodgers tied with Atlanta for the top slugging percentage in baseball at .483, and their .821 OPS was second in baseball to Atlanta. Seven lineup regulars posted an OPS higher than .450, and five players hit at least 12 homers.
Biggest questions
Padres: Rotation
San Diego made the biggest deal at the trade deadline, acquiring right-hander Mike Clevenger, but he’s not healthy. There is optimism he might pitch, but he is trying to recover from and elbow impingement that kept him out of the wild-card round. Another righty, Dinelson Lamet, won’t pitch because of biceps tendinitis.
Dodgers: Rotation
Los Angeles is so good that worrying about their rotation qualifies nit-picking. The Dodgers will start righty Walker Buehler in Game 1 and Dallas native Clayton Kershaw, a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame, in Game 2. Buehler has dealt with a blister issue of late, Kershaw hasn’t been a great postseason pitcher (his wild-card start aside), and the rest of the rotation is talented. In that group is Dustin May of Justin.
Best players
Padres Fernando Tatis Jr., ss
A contender for the NL MVP, Tatis hit the first grand slam in the Padres’ record run of slams. It came on a 3-0 pitch in a game in the eighth inning of a game the Padres already led by seven, which raised the ire of Rangers manager Chris Woodward. Tatis’ power is his biggest asset, but he also batted .277 and swiped 11 bases.
Dodgers: Mookie Betts, rf
One of the game’s best all-around players, and a professional-level bowler, Betts wasn’t affected by an offseason trade from Boston. He hit for average (.292) and power (.562 SLG), and stole 10 bases. He was also the best right fielder in the NL. Rangers right fielder Joey Gallo edged Betts in defensive runs saved.
Umpire assignments
Among the six umpires assigned to this NLDS is Angel Hernandez, widely regarded as one of baseball’s worst — if not the worst.
In that vein, what are the odds he shows up at Globe Life Park and not Globe Life Field?
Hernandez has sued MLB for discrimination after he has been denied a chance to work a World Series or be a crew chief. MLB responded in the lawsuit with multiple errors made by Hernandez on the field, as well as an unethical request for 11 signed baseballs by Homer Bailey following a no-hitter.
Hernandez was the umpire who gave Texas Rangers manager Chris Woodward his first career ejection in 2019 at Boston.
The crew is as follows for Game 1: Home plate, Lance Barrett (Crowley High School graduate who lives in Haslet); first base, Hernandez; second base, Bill Miller (crew chief); third base, Doug Eddings; left field, Alfonso Marquez; right field, Quinn Wolcott.
