Padres at Dodgers
After posting their highest home-run total since 2004 (189) and third-most grand slams (seven) since moving to Los Angeles, the Dodgers got a nice start in both regards during their Opening Day rout of the San Diego Padres. Joc Pederson and Yasmani Grandal look to build off an impressive debuts Tuesday, when Los Angeles continues its season-opening four-game home series against San Diego.
Pederson belted a grand slam in the third inning on Monday and Grandal followed with a solo shot to give the Dodgers back-to-back homers on Opening Day for the first time in club history. Corey Seager added a three-run blast in the fifth and Grandal clubbed a two-run homer against his former team in the eighth as Los Angeles backed ace Clayton Kershaw with a franchise-record four Opening Day homers in the 14-3 victory. Ryan Schimpf proved to be the lone bright spot with a home run and two hits overall for San Diego, which recorded only two hits off Los Angeles' three-time Cy Young Award winner over seven innings. Catcher/pitcher hybrid Christian Bethancourt, whom the Padres plan to use as a bullpen arm as well as a utilityman this season, began his major-league pitching career in dubious fashion, getting hurt on a slide by Andrew Toles following a wild pitch on his first offering before eventually allowing three runs in 1 1/3 frames.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Clayton Richard (2016: 3-4, 3.43 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Kenta Maeda (2016: 16-11, 3.48)
After posting a 6.43 ERA in 25 relief appearances with the Chicago Cubs prior to being released in early August, Richard closed the 2016 campaign by going 3-3 with a 2.52 ERA in 11 outings (nine starts) with San Diego. The Indiana native struggled through exhibition play, however, giving up 21 runs (18 earned) over 20 frames while going 1-2 in six turns. Richard is 6-4 with a 3.73 ERA in 19 appearances (17 starts) versus the Dodgers, but he has struggled mightily in his career against Adrian Gonzalez (10-for-18) and Franklin Gutierrez (8-for-15).
Maeda added some muscle in hopes he can avoid the fatigue that plagued him after the All-Star break last season (4.25 ERA in the second half) and a cutter to his repertoire during the offseason to build upon his impressive rookie campaign. The changes have suited the 28-year-old nicely so far, as he went 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA in five spring outings while holding hitters to a .182 average. Maeda enjoyed similar success last year versus the Padres, going 2-1 with a 3.27 ERA while recording 27 strikeouts over 22 frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. Pederson's grand slam was the team's first on Opening Day since Eric Karros' in 2000, while his five-RBI effort was the best by a Dodger in a season debut since Raul Mondesi's in 1999.
2. Over the second half of last season, Richard induced grounders on a major league-high 63.9 percent of balls put in play.
3. Grandal's two-homer performance was the first by a Dodger on Opening Day since 1999.