Padres at Dodgers
The San Diego Padres are a much different team in 2015 — from leadoff hitter to closer — and have already served notice to the National League West that they expect to challenge for the division title. San Diego visits the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday in the rubber match of their three-game series after Wil Myers delivered the go-ahead RBI single in the ninth inning of Tuesday's 7-3 victory and Craig Kimbrel needed 16 pitches to strike out the side in the bottom half.
While Myers is one of five new everyday players in the Padres' lineup, there is only one Kimbrel as arguably baseball's best closer compiled 185 saves in the last four seasons with Atlanta before being shipped to San Diego on Sunday. Catcher Derek Norris also is off to a fast start with his new team, going 4-for-9 — including a two-run double in the Padres' four-run ninth inning Tuesday. Los Angeles' Adrian Gonzalez has been even better with a home run, double and single in each of the first two games and is 6-for-9, while the rest of the Dodgers are 10-for-56. San Diego's Andrew Cashner begins what he hopes is his first injury-free season and opposes Brandon McCarthy, who had a rough spring but is healthy as he makes his Los Angeles debut.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, ESPN2, FSN San Diego, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Andrew Cashner (2014: 5-7, 2.55 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Brandon McCarthy (2014: 10-15, 4.05)
Cashner was sharp in spring training, yielding five runs and striking out 14 in 18 1/3 innings over five appearances. The 28-year-old Texan, who was the Opening Day starter in 2014, made only 19 starts last season because of shoulder and elbow problems. Cashner is 1-2 with a 1.53 ERA in 17 appearances against Los Angeles, including 1-1, 1.32 in six starts covering 41 innings while not allowing more than two runs in any turn.
McCarthy, who has never made more than 25 starts in a season, permitted 13 runs in 17 2/3 innings covering five spring training starts while allowing a .306 batting average against, but his manager doesn't seem concerned. “I feel like he’s had a good camp,'' Dodgers skipper Don Mattingly told reporters. "He’s been able to do all the things he’s wanted to do. He might not feel exactly the way he wants to feel, but I don’t know if anybody ever walks in to the season like that. It’s always a work in progress.” The 31-year-old Californian is 4-1 with a 2.43 ERA in six starts versus San Diego.
WALK-OFFS
1. Kimbrel converted 139 of 150 save opportunities in 2012-14.
2. Dodgers RHP Kenley Jansen (foot) and LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (shoulder), who are on the disabled list, played catch before Tuesday's game.
3. The forecast calls for a zero percent chance of precipitation after Tuesday's game started 30 minutes late — the first rain delay at Dodger Stadium since May 23, 2008.