MLB announces NLDS schedule for Dodgers-Padres playoff rematch

San Diego Padres v Los Angeles Dodgers
San Diego Padres v Los Angeles Dodgers / Kevork Djansezian/GettyImages

Through the two games in the Padres' and Braves' Wild Card series, Dodgers fans were forced to root for the team that knocked them out in the 2021 NLCS; anything would be better in this year's NLDS than another Padres-Dodgers matchup. But the Braves, who barely eked into the Wild Card round as it was, never really stood a chance. Atlanta was shut out in the first game, then lost the second by one run despite trying to mount a comeback in late innings. It'll be an NL West cage match in the DS. Always was gonna be.

The Dodgers took two from the Padres in their last series of the regular season, but Los Angeles is still on the back foot here, and that seems to be a pretty widespread opinion. LA will have been off for a week by the time the DS starts, and San Diego is coming in hot off of a Wild Card sweep.

But it's not all doom and gloom. The Dodgers are still the regular season's winningest team, and they'll hopefully be getting Freddie Freeman and Miguel Rojas back from brief injury hiccups.

MLB released the official schedule for the DS starting on Saturday; all games will air on Fox or FS1.

Date

Matchup

Time

Saturday, Oct. 5

LAD vs. SD

5:38 PM PST

Sunday, Oct. 6

LAD vs. SD

5:03 PM PST

Tuesday, Oct. 8

LAD @ SD

6:08 PM PST

Wednesday, Oct. 9

LAD @ SD

6:08 PM PST (if needed)

Friday, Oct. 11

LAD vs. SD

5:08 PM PST (if needed)

Dodgers-Padres NLDS full schedule, dates, times, rotation

The Dodgers earned the No. 1 seed with their MLB-high 98 regular season wins, so the first two games will take place at Dodger Stadium before Game 3 goes to San Diego. Games 4 and 5, if necessary, will be split between Petco and Dodger Stadium. It is kind of sad that, if the Dodgers were to sweep, it wouldn't happen in LA, and if (heaven forbid) the Dodgers get swept, it would happen in front of the truly annoying crowd in San Diego.

Jack Flaherty will be on the mound for Game 1 against Dylan Cease, and then Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Walker Buehler will be the Nos. 2 and 3 guys for the rest of the guaranteed games.

Only Games 1 and 2 are the only ones that have set times right now, around 5 PM on Saturday and Sunday. There's a lot riding on this — the Dodgers don't just need to stop the Padres' dream run in its tracks. They also have to prove that they're a team that can actually make it out of the DS again.

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