Dodgers @ Padres July 11, 2018: Maeda for win number 50

The Dodgers (49-42) had no answer to rookie pitcher Eric Lauer in Tuesday’s 4-1 loss to the Padres (40-54). They look to secure their 50th win of the season on Wednesday night in game three of four at Petco.

	Dodgers			Padres
	7:10 PM			San Diego
SS	Taylor		CF	Jankowski
LF	Hernandez		2B	Asuaje
3B	Turner		LF	Myers
RF	Kemp		1B	Hosmer
1B	Muncy		RF	Renfroe
2B	Forsythe		SS	Galvis
CF	Bellinger		3B	Villanueva
C	Barnes		C	Hedges
P	Maeda (R)		P	Lucchesi (L)

Last time out Kenta Maeda (5-5, 3.24 ERA, 2.89 FIP) was pitching on fumes and adrenaline after getting little sleep while welcoming his new son the night before his start. It was strange that he even pitched that day, and instead went on the paternity list after. I guess it’ll be a cool story to tell his son later in life. “Daddy struck out nine Angels including Mike Trout on your birthday.”

Speaking of strikeouts, Maeda is collecting a lot of those. He has 98 strikeouts in 80 2/3 innings pitched, second most on the team behind ace and All-Star Ross Stripling. Maeda’s 10.9 K/9 and 28.7% strikeout rate is the best of his career. The most strikeouts the veteran right-hander has notched in a season was in 2011 with the Hiroshima Carp when he struck out 192 batters in 216 innings.

Maeda is 1-0 with a 5.91 ERA in two starts against the Padres this year. Overall in his career, he’s 4-3 with a 4.78 ERA in 11 games (10 starts) against San Diego and 2-2  with a 5.22 ERA in six starts at Petco Park. Cory Spangenberg has hit two home runs off him in the past, and Freddy Galvis is 6-for-13 (.462) against him with two doubles and a home run.

Rookie left-hander Joey Lucchesi (4-4, 3.27 ERA, 4.40 FIP) faced the Dodgers on May 4 and was the losing pitcher in the combined no-hitter in Mexico. He went 5 innings and allowed three runs on five hits with five strikeouts and three walks. Chris Taylor and Enrique Hernandez both hit home runs against him in the 4-0 Dodger shutout.

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The Edward Paredes era is officially over.

The Los Angeles Dodgers today claimed LHP Zac Rosscup from the Colorado Rockies. To create room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers designated LHP Edward Paredes for assignment.

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 11, 2018

Paredes had a 5.87 ERA and 1.174 WHIP in 15 relief appearances (7 2/3 innings) with the Dodgers this year.

30-year old Zac Rosscup, also a southpaw, has not pitched at the major-league level this year. He had been dealing with warts on his left middle finger earlier in the season and was on the 60-day disabled list. Maybe they can use the same laser treatment Rich Hill used for his blisters. Rosscup had a 1.08 ERA in 10 appearances with Triple-A Albuquerque (8 1/3 innings) and supposedly regained the feel for his slider.

Julio Urias continues to move forward in rehab.

Julio Urías faced hitters today for the first time since his surgery. His fastball reached as high as 92 mph, Dave Roberts said.

— Pedro Moura (@pedromoura) July 12, 2018

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In All-Star news, Ross Stripling is going to D.C.

.@RossStripling is named to NL All-Star team to replace Miles Mikolas (pitching Sunday). pic.twitter.com/SLCHzpqxWh

— MLB (@MLB) July 11, 2018

Unfortunately Max Muncy didn’t win the Final Vote contest. The All-Star spot went to Milwaukee’s Jesus Aguilar. Muncy will still be participating in the HR Derby.

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Even though the Dodgers dropped the second game of the series on Tuesday, it’s been enjoyable watching former Friars like Matt Kemp and Yasmani Grandal absolutely torture their former team at Petco. Kemp is hitting .333 with two home runs, and Grandal is hitting .350 with four doubles and a home run at Petco Park this season. Grandal isn’t in the starting lineup, but he’ll be available off the bench. Interestingly, Logan Forsythe and Austin Barnes get consecutive starts. Forsythe went 0-for-3 with 3 strikeouts on Tuesday and is now hitting below the Mendoza Line (.199).

Show ’em how it’s done at Dodger Stadium South, boys.