Lineups, starters ready for crucial Game 5 vs. Dodgers – San Diego Union-Tribune

LOS ANGELES – Surprise, surprise.

The teams with the best records since the All-Star break – the Padres with 43 wins and the Dodgers with 42 wins – play a fifth game today to decide who advances to the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets.

First pitch on FOX is at 5:08 p.m

The aces of the teams also get the ball Yoshinobu Yamamoto compete against each other Yu cDarvish in the first MLB postseason matchup between Japanese-born pitchers.

“It’s a big deal,” Padres manager Mike Schildt said. “I mentioned it at home a few days ago when I was asked if this series could stand on its own. What I love about this series, aside from the fact that we're heading into a really cool Game 5, is the fact that Major League Baseball has done a fantastic job of making it an international game. I grew up with America's venison and hot dogs and apple pie, and I guess I could take a Chevrolet. But now it's just an international game… the whole country of Japan will be watching, and rightly so.

“I think it’s fantastic that our game now has these tentacles.”

Darvish always wanted to start this game for the Padres after beating the Dodgers with seven innings of one-run ball.

The Dodgers had to work through Yamamoto's decision, as he allowed 13 runs and 13 hits in nine innings in three straight matchups against the Padres.

Most recently, Yamamoto allowed five runs on five hits and two walks in three innings in Game 1 of the NLDS. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the team expected to have eliminated some potential tips that may have led to the Padres' success.

The Dodgers are coming off an 8-0 win in a bullpen game on Wednesday, but Yamamoto still gets the ball to at least start the winner-take-all game.

“We don’t have the same bullpen availability that we do as far as up-downs and all that stuff,” Roberts said Friday afternoon. “So I think I realized that Yoshinobu is here to be a top starter and that this is his time. I feel like we have really viable candidates behind him. But I firmly believe that we are all happy with the decision for him to start.”

As he was on Wednesday, Freddie Freeman (right ankle) is in the Dodgers lineup while Miguel Rojas (groin) may be limited to the appearance of a pinch hit.

Updated lineup:

Ohtani DH
Betts RF
Freeman 1B
Hernández, T. LF
Muncy 3B
Smith C
Hernández, K. CF
Lux 2B
Edman SS
Yamamoto P https://t.co/yB84ZHkkR4

– Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 11, 2024

Maybe for now.

Freeman was scratched in Game 4 and later admitted it was a bit of “gamesmanship” since he knew he wouldn't play on Wednesday. On Friday, Roberts again left open the possibility of a change depending on how Freeman handles the pregame work.

“Right now he’s in there,” Roberts said. “I feel good with him in there. He will continue with his routine. If he doesn’t go, we will adapt.”

As for the Padres, they field the same lineup as Wednesday, with back-to-back lefties David Peralta And Jake Cronenworth in seven and eight holes.

They combined for three of the Padres' seven hits despite giving Roberts free rein to play left-handed hitters Anthony Banda And Alex Vesia.

Keep the faith. pic.twitter.com/ir9r9t3xOx

– San Diego Padres (@Padres) October 11, 2024

Starting a parade of relievers could be a problem no matter when it starts, as the Padres are hitting .363 in 16⅔ innings against starting pitchers and .165 in 34⅓ innings against relievers in six playoff games.

This makes it all the more important for Darvish to keep the Padres in the game.

He beat the Dodgers on Sunday and held Shohei Ohtani Hitless in three at-bats and limiting the Dodgers to one run on three hits and two walks in seven innings.

Darvish has had a 3.55 ERA and a .719 opponent OPS in five starts since returning to the rotation. Sunday's start against the Dodgers was his first since he threw seven shutout innings for them in May.

In three regular-season starts against the Dodgers this season, Darvish is 1-0 with a 1.72 ERA, 12 strikeouts and a 0.89 WHIP over 15⅔ innings.

Betting back on track?

Mookie Betts has gone hitless in his last five postseason games since the 2022 NLDS Jurickson Profar On Sunday in Los Angeles, he reached into the stands to steal a home run in the first inning, the start of another hitless game that extended his six-game slump to 0-for-20.

Betts had become the talk of LA. His own frustration grew.

Then on Tuesday, Betts hit a ball that missed Profar's attempt to deny him another home run in the first inning, a play so close that the struggling Dodgers star tipped off the ground onto the turf to head to the dugout , before he finally realized the ball had actually gone out.

Then Betts hit another home run in the first inning in Wednesday's win over the Dodgers and is suddenly 4 for 9 with three RBIs in the last two games.

While Betts' pregame work included 300 to 400 swings before Game 3, “I think I just needed to see a fall,” he said, “…and get a little confidence.” I know my team did a great job has. My teammates did a great job trying to…instill confidence in me. I had to turn off all social media because it was all negative and I had to build some positive vibes within myself. And my team did it. And I worked hard and finally saw one fall, and I think we're good now.”

Originally published: October 11, 2024 at 2:08 p.m