Dodgers Padres Game Two Preview

The Dodgers kicked off the season with a bang. We can expect 15 runs/game right?

Opening Day could not have started any better for the Dodgers, as they had a lead two batters into the 2016 season. They scored 14 runs after that too while Clayton Kershaw, Louis Coleman and Yimi Garcia combined to keep the Padres off the scoreboard. That was fun, and then Zack Greinke made his Diamondback debut and gave up seven earned runs and three homers in four innings, which made the petty side of me very happy. So there have been worse Monday’s in the world.

Unfortunately, the Dodgers’ record-setting Opening Day victory still only counts as one win, and we have to do it all again today. Last year, Greinke would be following Kershaw and we would wonder how the Dodgers could ever lose with that two-headed monster, but this year we get Scott Kazmir. I’m as big a Kazmir supporter as anyone, but there was always something about having a Greinke start follow a Kershaw start.

Kazmir makes his Dodger debut tonight after a weird spring. He started the spring with poor results and a semi-worrisome velocity decline, but shrugged it off and ended the spring with the results and velocity we were all expecting. Tonight’s game is the first Kazmir outing that counts, and Dodger fans everywhere would be put at-ease if he has a good outing tonight.

It’s only Kazmir’s second career start at Petco Park and his third career start against the Padres. His previous start at Petco came last season as a member of the Oakland A’s, and he allowed three runs in five innings. One of the runs was unearned, but came after a Kazmir throwing error.

James Shields will take the hill for the Padres after a rough first season in San Diego. Shields was widely considered an ace, but struggled hard last year following a move to a very pitcher-friendly ballpark. Shields allowed a league-leading 33 home runs last season and posted his worst ERA since 2010 and the worst FIP of his career. He did put up the best strikeout rate of his career, but a 17.6% home run/fly ball rate doomed Shields last season.

Shields had some success against the Dodgers last season, allowing 19 hits and nine runs in 25 innings against the Dodgers. He got the win in his only decision against the Dodgers last season, but the Padres lost his three no-decisions, including his two starts against the Dodgers at Petco.

The Dodgers don’t face a left-handed starter until Saturday, so expect the crux of this lineup to remain the same throughout the week. The notable exception here is Austin Barnes starting behind the plate instead of A.J. Ellis. With Grandal hopefully still set to return for the home opener, the Dodgers are planning to have Ellis catch four games and Barnes catch three before next Tuesday.

The top-seven remain the same, and it worked out pretty well last night. Corey Seager and Carl Crawford each only had one hit yesterday, Justin Turner and Crawford were the only started that failed to drive in a run, and every starter crossed home plate at least once. Just keep doing that.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 PM PST and will be shown on Sportsnet LA.