Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers (96-60) finished off a sweep of the Giants on Sunday with a 3-1 win. It wasn’t the most inspiring performance from the offense, who left seven runners on and went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position and got shut down by Matt Wilkinson over his five innings. They came through late and Emmet Sheehan continued his September resurgence for a sweep and to lower the Magic Number for a first-round bye to three.
Today, they kick off their final home series of the season with three against the Padres. The Padres might be the hottest team in baseball right now, winning 13 of their last 14 to pretty much lock down a playoff spot. They’re currently the fifth seed with a magic number of 2 to clinch finishing ahead of the Diamondbacks, who are the final remaining team that can sneak into a playoff spot.
Tonight's #Dodgers lineup vs. Padres: pic.twitter.com/mqFxOpV9eI
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 22, 2026
Enfocados. pic.twitter.com/UIIH6hu4kY
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 22, 2026
The Dodgers are rolling with a bullpen game started by Brock Stewart. Roki Sasaki was activated off the IL and could take down a few innings today, but won’t be fully stretched out as he prepares for a bullpen role in the playoffs.
Michael King makes his 32nd start of the season for the Padres. He has a 3.03 ERA/4.16 FIP in 181 innings and has posted a quality start in each of his last eight starts. This is his fourth time facing the Dodgers this season. He dominated in his first start against LA, throwing seven shutout with a season-high nine strikeouts. He faced them in back-to-back starts in late June/early July and the Dodgers got the best of him both times. They chased him in the fifth inning on June 28, with four runs on three hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings. King was better in LA on July 3, shutting the Dodgers out through six innings before things unraveled in the seventh. King started the inning with a walk and a single before giving way to Adrian Morejon, who loaded the bases on an error and gave up a grand slam to Teoscar Hernandez.
Andy Pages returns to the lineup tonight, hitting eighth and starting in center. Tommy Edman slides back over to second and Josue De Paula gets the start at DH again.
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Lots of news today. Pages and Sasaki are back, with Sheehan and Eliezer Alfonzo getting optioned. Ryan Ward is also out of the org.
#Dodgers have activated Andy Pages and Roki Sasaki from Injured List. Emmet Sheehan and Eliezer Alfonzo go back to OKC. Additionally Ryan Ward’s contract has been sold to Chunichi Dragons of NPB
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) September 22, 2026
A shocking move to send Alfonzo down, considering I had no recollection of him being up. He’s appeared once since August 3 as a pinch hitter in a 14-1 Dodger win. Ward was DFA’d to make room for De Paula on the 40-man and his contract was sold to the Chunichi Dragons.
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Blake Snell threw a bullpen and should get a start this weekend.
Blake Snell threw a bullpen session today and is on track to make one final regular-season start on Saturday in SF.
— Sonja Chen (@SonjaMChen) September 22, 2026
He’s pencilled in to start on Saturday against the Giants in the second-to-last game of the season.
Last but certainly not least, Shohei Ohtani is expected to return to the lineup tomorrow.
Shohei Ohtani is likely to be activated off the IL tomorrow (Wednesday), Dave Roberts said. Still has a couple of boxes to check, but it’s a “light lift.”
— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) September 22, 2026
“Unless I hear otherwise, he’ll be in the lineup tomorrow.” #Dodgers
Assuming this happens, Ohtani will have five games of plate appearances to get back in rhythm before postseason play starts. There’s a chance of some changes with the lineup order where Ohtani leads off against righties and Mookie Betts leads off against lefties.
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First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 PM PT and will be on SportsNet LA.
