Dodgers start road trip at Petco Park

The Dodgers will start their final stretch of 30 games with a seven-game road trip to San Diego and Arizona. The Dodgers are 36-18 against their NL West division mates and are so far 8-5 against the Padres, taking two of three of in their only series so far at Petco Park back in May.

The Dodgers will use a six-man rotation this week with Dustin May returning to the starting role for at least one if not more starts.

While the Dodgers are still nine home runs away from breaking their season total home run record of 235 set in 2018, on Sunday, the Padres set a new team record with 190 home runs and their .426 team slugging percentage is an all-time best too.

Fernando Tatis Jr. was placed on the 10-day injured list for a stress reaction in his lower back on August 16th and it has been reported that he will likely not return. Ian Kinsler is also like out for the rest of the season.

Finally, the Dodgers magic number to clinch in the NL West is 12 as they enter tonight with the best record in the majors at 86-46.

Monday: Dustin May (1-2, 4.26 ERA) vs. Eric Lauer (6-8, 4.47 ERA)

First pitch: 7:10 p.m. PT // SportsNet LA

Here’s a question for you, who has the most starts against the Dodgers in the last two years where he pitched at least five innings and gave up two or less runs? Eric Lauer with six starts where he did just that.

Lauer, who is in his second season, is 4-0 in those starts, he has pitched 36⅔ innings and given up eight runs (seven earned) and 26 hits. How good has the left-hander been when compared to any pitcher who has started against the six, soon to be seven straight NL West division winner?

Since 2013, only Madison Bumgarner, who has pitched 17 games where he has gone at least five innings and given up two or less runs and Johnny Cueto and Andrew Cashner who have done that seven times, Lauer is tied with five other pitchers who have also matched those requirements.

We’ll see if Kiké Hernández and Justin Turner get the nod tonight, they are a combined 3-for-29 against Lauer.

Dustin May will return to the starting role and makes his fourth start of the season. May has not pitched since a week ago Sunday, when he made his only relief appearance this season at Atlanta. He did pitch a simulated game last week during the Dodger home stand.

May had made two straight 5⅔ innings starts prior to his relief appearance. He gave up one run in each of those starts and he collected his first major league win at Miami. Today will be his first start against the Padres.

Tuesday: Walker Buehler (10-3, 3.16 ERA) vs. Cal Quantrill (6-4, 3.32 ERA)

First pitch: 7:10 p.m. PT // SportsNet LA

Walker Buehler may not be to the Padres what Eric Lauer is to the Dodgers, but it is close. Buehler has made three career starts against the Padres and he is 3-0. One of those starts was his brilliant complete game earlier this month where he struck out 15. It should be noted that he struck out eight in each of his other two starts against the Padres.

In those three starts, Buehler has pitched 22 innings and given up two runs and nine hits. He has 31 strikeouts and three walks.

Cal Quantrill was seven when his father Paul, pitched in his first of two seasons for the Dodgers in 2002. Paul was a great middle reliever for the Dodgers in 2002 and 2003. He led the majors in both of those years in games pitched (86 and 89).

Paul’s son is having a fine rookie season for the Padres. The former Stanford Cardinal and 2016 first round pick (eighth overall) has made 13 starts and in only three of those, he has given up four or more runs.

One of those games was the right-handers only start so far against the Dodgers. Quantrill gave up four runs (two earned) in a loss earlier this month at Dodger Stadium.

Wednesday: Kenta Maeda (8-8, 4.13 ERA) vs. TBD

First pitch: 6:10 p.m. PT // SportsNet LA

How many more starts will Kenta Maeda have this season will be a question that follows him as the Dodgers see September just around the bend. Maeda has started 25 games this season and four have been against the Padres.

His last start was not a good one though the Dodgers did come back to win a wild 11-10 Sunday afternoon game. Maeda did not make it out of the third inning in that one where he gave up five runs in 2⅔ innings.

The Padres have not announced their starting pitcher for this game, it could be Chris Paddack who last pitched on Friday against the Red Sox. The Padres could also use an opener.