The pivotal clash between the LA Dodgers (40-28) and the San Diego Padres (38-28) is looming, marking the conclusive battle of their three-match series on Wednesday. The showdown at Petco Park is set to kick off at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Dodgers are looking to bounce back after a disappointing 11-1 defeat on Tuesday, having started the series with an intense 8-7 victory in extra innings on Monday. Primer outfielder Michael Conforto could only muster one run in the eighth inning for the Dodgers, coming in as a surprise road underdogs at -106.
The San Diego Padres, having won two out of the last three matches, came into their stride in Tuesday’s match, serving the Dodgers a crushing defeat as they were the -103 home favorites. Their offensive heat was evident as they amassed 16 hits. Leading the charge was third baseman Manny Machado, who chalked up an impressive five runs batted in (RBIs), guiding the Padres to triumph.
In terms of scheduled starters, the spotlight will be on pitchers Justin Wrobleski of the Dodgers, who is a left-hand pitcher (LHP), lining up against the Padres’ right-hand pitcher (RHP) Randy Vasquez. Wrobleski (1-2, 7.20 ERA) is geared up for his third start and fourth outing on the mound. Despite his relatively high ERA, his other stats include a 1.40 WHIP, 3.6 BB/9, and a commendable 7.8 K/9 across a stretch of 15 innings.
Wrobleski’s last time on the field resulted in a loss, where over six innings he surrendered four earned runs, six hits and three walks, while successfully striking out five in a 5-0 away-game defeat against the St. Louis Cardinals. It will be Wrobleski’s first ever professional face-off against the Padres, making Wednesday’s game an interesting one to watch.
Opposite Wrobleski on the mound, Randy Vasquez (3-4, 3.69 ERA) is prepared for his 14th start. Even with a stronger ERA than his counterpart, his stats show a 1.45 WHIP, 4.8 BB/9, and a less impressive 5.3 K/9 over the course of 63 1/3 innings.
Vasquez’s last performance resulted in a no-decision. Over 4 2/3 innings, he maintained a clean slate with no earned runs, and only allowed two hits while walking four, striking out two in a hard-fought 2-0 victory on the road against the Milwaukee Brewers. Like Wrobleski, it will be Vasquez’s first career showdown against the Dodgers, adding to the intrigue of this matchup.
On recent form, the Padres have been holding their own at home, winning 2 out of the last 3 matches at home, and a total of 6 out of the last 10 overall. Following Tuesday’s offensive outburst, they are looking to carry this momentum into Wednesday’s decisive game of the series.
This matchup which sees Vasquez pitted against Wrobleski is expected to favor the Padres, given Wrobleski’s considerable ERA of 7.20. The betting odds for the match tilt in favor of the Padres, making the moneyline a tempting proposal for casual and avid bettors alike.
Despite their recent success, the Padres’ scoring prowess has been relatively subdued, accounting for just 3 or fewer runs in 6 of their last 9 outings. However, their defensive prowess is noteworthy, having limited their opponents to 1 or no runs in five of their most recent games, which included two shutouts.
Their recent form also indicates a tendency to keeping things low-scoring, as demonstrated by hitting the Under in four of their last six games. The efficiency of their defense has been a key factor in this respect.
The Dodgers, on the other hand, have been struggling offensively. They have managed to muster 1 or fewer runs in 3 of their last 5 games. Their efforts translating into just 3 or fewer runs over the course of 6 of their last 10 contests.
Nevertheless, their defensive squad has shown resilience by restricting their opponents to just three or fewer runs in half of their last four matches. This implies that they might be able to hold their own against the Padres, making for an interesting finale to the three-game series.