The San Diego Padres have arrived in Los Angeles for a three-game showdown against the Dodgers, where they have the opportunity to secure a place in the 2026 postseason.
The Padres (87-69) come into this series as the hottest team in baseball, boasting a remarkable 13-1 record over their last 14 games and 14-2 over the last 16. They require a combination of two wins or two losses from the Arizona Diamondbacks to ensure their postseason entry.
Nevertheless, the Padres are not only vying for postseason qualification but also hoping to secure a home wild-card series. Currently, they share the same record with the Chicago Cubs, but San Diego did not win the season series against them.
Therefore, the Padres must finish one game ahead of both the Cubs and the Philadelphia Phillies, who are just one game behind, to clinch the top wild-card position and secure a home playoff series.
On the other hand, the Dodgers (96-60) have already clinched the NL West title and are now aiming to secure a top-two seed that would grant them a first-round bye. Their magic number for achieving this is 3.
Padres vs Dodgers Pitching Matchup on Tuesday
Right-handed pitcher Michael King has been elevated in the rotation to start on Tuesday. This adjustment positions him to pitch Game 162 on Sunday, should it be a do-or-die situation against the Diamondbacks.
If that’s not the case, he will take the mound for Game 1 of the wild-card series.
King is enjoying a stellar season with a record of 12-9, a 3.03 ERA, and 154 strikeouts over 181 innings pitched.
He has already faced the Dodgers three times this season, gaining significant experience against their batting order.
On May 18, he recorded seven shutout innings with nine strikeouts. On June 28, he gave up four runs over 4.1 innings while striking out five. In the very next start on July 3, he allowed two runs across six innings and struck out five.
Starting opposite King will be right-hander Brock Stewart, who will initiate a bullpen game for LA. He holds a 2.55 ERA over 24.2 innings this season.
Left-hander Justin Wrobleski will follow and is expected to pitch several innings for the Dodgers, boasting a 3.70 ERA across 136.1 innings this season.
Padres Starting Lineup
- Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
- Dustin Harris, LF
- Manny Machado, 3B
- Ty France, 1B
- Jackson Merrill, CF
- Austin Hays, DH
- Xander Bogaerts, SS
- Luis Campusano, C
- Jake Cronenworth, 2B
Austin Hays is receiving a rare starting opportunity, as the Padres prepare for left-hander Wrobleski, who is expected to enter the game early.
Hays maintains an impressive .933 OPS against lefties this season, contrasting with a .414 OPS against righties.
How to Watch Padres vs Dodgers on Tuesday
The first pitch for the San Diego Padres vs. Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday, Sept. 22 is set for 7:10 p.m. PT/10:10 p.m. ET. The game will be streamed on Padres.TV and the MLB app, and will also be featured on TBS for viewers outside the local area.
The Padres have also confirmed that the games will be accessible through cable on the following channels:
- Cox (Channel 83)
- DirecTV (Channel 694-3)
- AT&T Uverse (Channel 781 or 1781)
- Spectrum (Channel 305 or 443)
The games will also be broadcast on the radio at 97.3 The Fan (in English) and XEMO 860 (in Spanish).
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