Dodgers Padres Game 2 Preview

Today is kind of an important day for the Dodgers, as the Mets play the Nationals twice and a win today can put some pressure on the race for home field advantage.

The Dodgers’ win last night behind another strong Alex Wood outing put the Dodgers ahead of the Mets by half a game in the race for home field in the NLDS. The Mets’ game last night was rained out, so they’re scheduled to play a double header today if weather permits. The Dodgers already gained another half game thanks to hopefully future Dodger Bryce Harper, who hit a game winning homer over the Mets in game one of their double header. So if the Dodgers win tonight and the Mets lose game two, the Dodgers clinch home field, which might not be as important as people think.

Aug 27, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig prepares on deck in the second inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

Today might mark the last start of Cy Young hopeful Zack Greinke’s Dodger career. I don’t see the Dodgers overpaying to keep him in the offseason, but I also believe they see his value and will offer him an extremely fair contract if he opts out. Unless another team gives Greinke a Godfather contract, I would be surprised to see him in a different uniform next year.

Jake Arrieta made his final start of the regular season last year and ended with six shutout innings, giving him a 22-6 record and a 1.77 ERA for the season. Normally, that would be a shoe-in for the Cy Young award, but Greinke and Clayton Kershaw also have extremely strong cases and should make this one of the closest races in recent memory.

Greinke will most likely finish the season leading baseball in ERA. Here’s a handy little post on what needs to happen for Greinke to raise his ERA from 1.68 to 1.77. It’s not likely against a team that looked stifled against Wood yesterday, but it’s baseball so anything can happen. He’s expected to have a full start, so let’s all just enjoy his final tuneup before probably game two against the Mets.

Robbie Erlin gets his third start of the season for San Diego tonight and he’s had mixed results in his first two. His first start of the season was in Coors which seems kinda cruel, and he allowed seven runs in three innings. His next start came in San Diego, where he allowed two hits and no runs in seven innings against the Diamondbacks. He even got Paul Goldschmidt out three times, including a strikeout and a double play. So for all we know Erlin could be a legend.

That was a prime example of burying the lede. PUIG BACK. Yasiel Puig was reinstated off the DL today and is starting in right for the first time since August 27th in Cincinnati. This is exciting. He’s a very polarizing figure, but he makes this team so much stronger offensively and defensively. This could spell doom for Justin Ruggiano/Scott Van Slyke’s chances of making the postseason roster, but Puig’s return today doesn’t necessarily mean he will be on the roster for the NLDS. Just please, don’t try to run out any infield singles.

First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 PST and will be shown on Sportsnet LA.