San Diego’s bullpen proved to be the difference in the Padres’ 5-2 season-opening defeat to the Dodgers in Seoul, South Korea, on Wednesday.
Well, that or the webbing malfunction of Jake Cronenworth’s glove.
The Padres kept Dodgers’ bats on a leash until the eighth inning when Los Angeles broke through by posting a four-spot rally. It was sparked by a ground ball that could have ended the inning, but instead escaped Cronenworth.Â
The second leg of the two-game series will feature Joe Musgrove against Yoshinbu Yamamoto, who will be making his MLB debut for the Dodgers after signing a 12-year, $325 million deal in the offseason.
Padres vs. Dodgers odds
| Runs Line | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|
| Padres +1.5 (-125) | Over 8.5 (-120) | Padres +155 |
| Dodgers -1.5 (+105) | Under 8.5 (+100) | Dodgers -185 |
Musgrove’s absence due to shoulder problems in the final two months of 2023 was a detrimental omission from the rotation.
The right-hander was San Diego’s most dependable starter, recording a 10-3 record with nine wins in his final 12 starts — a window in which he delivered a 1.84 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP.
Despite a shortened season for the 31-year-old, Musgrove finished with a 3.11 xERA and limited quality of contact to a .274 xwOBA, which were both career-highs.
He went 0-1 in two starts against the Dodgers, with a 3.38 ERA and averaging five strikeouts.
Yamamoto will counter him, grooving off three consecutive pitching triple crowns in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league.
The right-hander brings a six-pitch mix to the mound that dominated Japanese baseball, where he posted a career 1.72 ERA in seven NPB seasons.
He had a shaky spring training (8.38 ERA), but had no issues whiffing batters with an outstanding 29.8 percent strikeout rate.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see Dave Roberts let Yamamoto settle into pitching for at least five innings, which should give plenty of leeway to a stronger bullpen staff.
The Padres burned deeper into their pen on Wednesday, but expect Mike Shildt to lean on his starters if need be considering the extended rest ahead.
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Don’t place too much stock into spring training struggles from either of these guys (Musgrove posted a 13.50 ERA).
Barring the eighth-inning blunder by Padres pitching, the first game had a steady pace to it.
The Dodgers retain a strong grip on this game both offensively and defensively, but there’s enough value on the under to back two premier pitchers looking to prove something in different respects.
Pick: Under 8.5 runs (+100, bet365)