Dodgers Padres Game 4 Preview

After a shutout victory by Alex Wood and the bullpen, the Dodgers are looking to take their four-game series in San Diego with a win on Sunday.

Wood had his best outing as a Dodger and one of his best outing of the season last night, scattering three hits and four walks over seven innings. He was in a tiny bit of trouble, but got out of it every time and put together exactly the type of start the Dodgers traded for. If Wood can put together a good September, he will give the Dodgers a solid #3 in the postseason and should shut the “Dodgers don’t have anyone other than Kershaw and Greinke” narrative down.

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Their other third starter candidate, Brett Anderson, gets the ball for the Dodgers today. If this were an alternate universe where two of the other Dodger starters didn’t miss the whole season, Anderson would arguably be the best #5 starter in baseball, which is what he was expected to be. But with a 3.43 ERA (3.85 FIP) and the best ground ball rate in baseball, Anderson has been a very good #3 and his health has really saved the Dodgers’ rotation.

Anderson is 22 innings shy of matching his previous career high and it’s safe to say he’s going to get paid this offseason. As a groundball pitcher, Anderson does give up a high number of hits (9.4/9 innings, .309 BABIP), but he’s forced 19 double plays this year and for the most part, has done a good job of keeping the Dodgers in the game.

Somehow, none of Anderson’s 26 starts this season have come against the Padres. Anderson has given up more homers than usual this year (15.6 HR/FB rate), but if Petco plays like it’s supposed to he should be happy pitching there. The ball carried out of there on Friday night, but last night it seemed like a few balls were dying at the warning track.

Andrew Cashner gets the ball for the Padres, and he’s had a down year for the Padres. He’s 5-13 this year with a 4.15 ERA (3.95 FIP). His strikeout numbers are decent, but he gives up a high number of hits and homers/nine. The Padres have lost his three starts against the Dodgers this season. He gave up five runs in five innings in his first start against the Dodgers, but in his other two he gave up two in 13 combined innings.

Jimmy Rollins is hitless in 15 career plate appearances against Cashner, but Adrian Gonzalez is 11-30 and Carl Crawford is 9-24 in the past against him. AGon has four homers in the past against Cashner and Crawford has one, so the top part of the order should be able to do some damage today.

Justin Turner is getting his third start of the season at second, giving Chase Utley a day off and letting Corey Seager play third. A.J. Ellis is also behind the plate for Yasmani Grandal, who is 0-for-his-last-33. Ellis has been good with the bat this season, so it might be good for Grandal to get a few days off and let Ellis and Austin Barnes get some run.

First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 PST and will be shown on Sportsnet LA.