Dodgers vs. Padres schedule & probable starting pitchers

The Dodgers welcome the Padres to town to open a homestand beginning Friday night, and as usual TBD fights it out with TBA for prominence in the LA starting rotation. Here is a look at the probable, or possible, starting pitchers for the three-game series.

Friday, 7:10 p.m. PT (SportsNet LA)

Julio Urias is the one pitcher we know will pitch for the Dodgers this weekend against the Padres, nearing ever closer to his innings limit, which will either end his season or necessitate a shift to the bullpen very soon. The left-hander has pitched six innings in back-to-back starts and is 4-0 in his last four games with a 0.92 ERA, 19⅔ strikeouts and seven walks in 19 innings.

Clayton Richard started the year in relief and with the Cubs, but got traded to San Diego last month. Richaed had a 6.46 ERA in 27 relief appearances, with nearly as many walks (9) as strikeouts (10). Since moving back into starting duty with the Padres, Richard has allowed four runs, two earned, in 18 innings.

Richard also is an ambulatory human who throws with his left hand, which has usually meant good things in 2016 against the Dodgers.

Saturday, 6:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA)

Luis Perdomo starts the middle game for the Padres, and has by most accounts been pretty bad all year, with a 5.84 ERA and 4.62 FIP. But in his last seven starts he has a 3.52 ERA, including one earned run in 16 innings in his last two starts. The Dodgers have tagged him for 15 runs and 25 hits in 13 innings this season, and are hitting .410/.479/.541 in 71 plate appearances against the rookie.

Might this be where Rich Hill slots back into the rotation, after being held out Wednesday following a Tuesday rainout that saw him throw 41 pitches in preparing for the game.

This is also the obligatory spot where it must be mentioned that Jose De Leon is scheduled to start on Friday for Triple-A Oklahoma City, and that Saturday would be five days rest after his 13-strikeout, 7⅔-scoreless-inning performance last Sunday.

Sunday, 1:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA)

Christian Friedrich, another left-hander, has a 5.36 ERA since the All-Star break, with just 17 strikeouts in 40⅓ innings, and 14 walks.

It stands to reason that since Kenta Maeda pitched on Monday that he would be in line to pitch one of these weekend games, and Sunday would be on five days rest, something the Dodgers have tried to do with him whenever possible.

It also could be a day of multitasking, depending on which day Clayton Kershaw throws next, and whether that is (the much more likely option) in a minor league rehab game after his Tuesday simulated game or thrown straight into the major league rotation for his first game in 10 weeks.

The Dodgers weekend pitching scenarios will probably be made more clear on Friday afternoon, before the series opener, but for now this is where we are at.