Dodgers at Padres
Yasmani Grandal delivered some payback to his former organization in the series opener and looks to do more damage when the Los Angeles Dodgers visit the San Diego Padres on Tuesday for the middle contest of their three-game set. Grandal belted a grand slam as part of a five-RBI effort as the Dodgers rolled to a 10-3 victory on Monday.
Grandal, who spent three seasons in San Diego, was traded to the Dodgers after the 2014 season in a five-player deal that sent Matt Kemp to the Padres. Kemp is back with the Dodgers and launched a three-run homer in Monday's contest and responded to the jeers from San Diego fans by saying, "I had some fans screaming at me, so I got to shut them up a little bit." San Diego rookie third baseman Christian Villanueva is showing promise as he homered in his third straight contest and has gone deep six times in 45 at-bats. Villanueva can match the franchise rookie record for consecutive games with a homer (Alex Dickerson, 2016) by belting one on Tuesday.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), FS San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Alex Wood (0-2, 5.09 ERA) vs. Padres RH Bryan Mitchell (0-2, 5.27)
Wood was outright pounded in his last outing as he gave up seven runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings during a 16-6 loss to Oakland. The 27-year-old has a stellar 0.79 WHIP and has yet to issue a walk while striking out 15 in 17 2/3 frames. Wood is 4-2 with a 2.62 ERA in 12 career appearances (eight starts) versus San Diego but struggled with Freddy Galvis (7-for-16) when he was with Philadelphia.
Mitchell, who turns 27 on Thursday, has experienced major control issues with 14 walks against just three strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings. He lasted just three frames while losing to San Francisco in his last turn, walking five while allowing three runs and four hits. Mitchell lost his lone career start against the Dodgers as a member of the New York Yankees in 2016, when he gave up six runs - five earned - and nine hits in 2 1/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Padres 1B Eric Hosmer (back) was hitless in four at-bats on Monday after missing back-to-back games.
2. Los Angeles RF Yasiel Puig went 0-for-4 in the opener and is homerless in 58 at-bats this season.
3. San Diego OF Wil Myers (arm nerve irritation) is slated to start a rehab stint at Single-A Lake Elsinore on Tuesday and could return to the Padres on Friday.