Padres and Dodgers Prepare for a Big Game 1 Showdown

The National League Division Series (NLDS) is here as the San Diego Padres face off against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Game 1 will take place Saturday at Dodger Stadium, with Dylan Cease starting for the Padres and Yoshinobu Yamamoto for the Dodgers.

Both teams are battling injuries, but each has key players ready to step up in the series.

Starting Pitchers Ready for the Spotlight

For the Padres, right-hander Dylan Cease (14-11, 3.47 ERA) will take the mound. He was excellent in September, posting a 2.97 ERA.

Cease has been in good form, even when pitching against the Dodgers in late September, where he allowed three runs over five innings.

For the Dodgers, right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto (7-2, 3.00 ERA) gets the nod after a switch from Jack Flaherty.

Yamamoto signed a record-breaking 12-year, $325 million contract in the offseason and is expected to shine under postseason pressure.

Dodgers Lineup: Shohei Ohtani Leads the Way

Shohei Ohtani, one of the hottest hitters in baseball, is leading the charge for the Dodgers, coming off an MVP-caliber regular season.

Ohtani closed the year by earning consecutive Player of the Week honors and finished September hitting .393 with 10 home runs.

The rest of the Dodgers lineup remains strong with stars like Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Teoscar Hernández. Both Freeman and Miguel Rojas are battling injuries, but they’re expected to play.

Padres Lineup: Manny Machado and Tatis Jr. Ready to Battle

The Padres lineup features some heavy hitters, including Fernando Tatis Jr., who has been red-hot so far in the postseason.

Manny Machado, who predicted they’d meet the Dodgers in the playoffs, is ready to make his mark again.

The team is looking strong, even though they are missing players like Ha-Seong Kim and Joe Musgrove, both out due to injuries.

Injuries Impacting Both Teams

The Padres have suffered some blows, including season-ending injuries to Ha-Seong Kim and Joe Musgrove, who requires Tommy John surgery.

On the Dodgers’ side, Clayton Kershaw is officially done for the season due to a bone spur in his toe, and Joe Kelly is out until a potential World Series appearance due to shoulder issues.

Both teams will have to rely on their bullpen depth and strategic pitching choices moving forward.

Bullpen Depth Key for Both Teams

With starting pitching injuries on both sides, the bullpens will be crucial. The Padres’ bullpen is fresh after sweeping the Braves in the Wild Card Series.

Tanner Scott, Jason Adam, and closer Robert Suarez are expected to take on the heavy lifting.

For the Dodgers, expect to see heavy reliance on Evan Phillips, Blake Treinen, and Michael Kopech to close out games.