The Dodgers (30-19) did the unthinkable yesterday, scoring a go-ahead run off Mason Miller in the top of the ninth for a 5-4 win. The Padres (29-19) hit a pair of two-run homers off Emmet Sheehan, but the Dodger bullpen held them scoreless for five innings capped off by Will Klein‘s first career save. The Dodgers got back into first in the NL West for whatever that’s worth 50 games into the season, and today look for a series win with their ace on the bump.
5:40 P.M.
San Diego
DH
Ohtani (L)
2B
Tatis Jr.
SS
Betts
DH
Andujar
1B
Freeman (L)
1B
Sheets (L)
RF
Tucker (L)
3B
Machado
CF
Pages
SS
Bogaerts
3B
Muncy (L)
CF
Merrill (L)
C
Smith
RF
Castellanos
LF
T. Hernández
LF
Laureano
2B
Kim (L)
C
Fermin
P
Ohtani (R)
P
Vásquez (R)
Shohei Ohtani gets the ball for the eighth time this season. His first seven starts have been excellent, with a 0.82 ERA/2.39 FIP and 50 strikeouts/11 walks in 44 innings. He completed six innings in each of his first five starts and completed seven in his last two, and has struck out seven or more batters in each of his last five starts. The Dodgers are somehow only 3-4 in his seven starts as they’re only averaging 3.15 runs per game when he starts and scored five total runs in the four games they’ve lost with him on the mound, with only two of those runs coming while Ohtani was in the game. Ohtani got more run support that he needed last time out against the Giants, throwing seven shutout innings with four hits and two walks allowed in a 4-0 Dodger win. Ohtani made his first Dodger start against the Padres last year in his pseudo-rehab assignment and he struggled a bit, giving up two singles and a wild pitch before recording an out. He got an out on a sac fly, and then got two groundouts to end his inning of work. Ohtani’s been out of the lineup in his last three starts on the mound, but with an off day tomorrow and him looking better at the plate he’s pulling double duty today.
Randy Vásquez makes his 10th start of the season and has been excellent so far. Vásquez has a 2.68 ERA/3.31 FIP in 50 1/3 innings and the Padres are 8-1 when he starts. Vásquez only allowed two runs in his first three starts of the season, but did hit a bit of a rough spot after that. He had a four-start stretch where he allowed 12 runs in 21 2/3 innings and that includes a seven-inning shutout in Colorado. He bounced back from that allowing one run in five innings against the Cardinals and six shutout innings last time out in Seattle.
Vásquez’s results have been very good, but his underlying metrics have not been so great.
Vásquez doesn’t walk a lot of batters, but has an average strikeout rate and allows some pretty high-quality contact. His 22.2 percent strikeout rate is actually the highest of his career, but he’s had three starts with three or fewer strikeouts. He also hasn’t issued a walk in his last two starts, but hit a batter in Seattle. Vásquez throws seven different pitch types, leading with a fastball (31 percent) and cutter (25.2 percent). He also throws a curve (12.8 percent), sinker (12.7 percent), change (9.1 percent), slider (5.2 percent) and sweeper (3.9 percent).
The Dodgers roll with the same starting nine as the first two games of the series. They do change the order up a little bit, with Will Smith hitting seventh for the first time this season. Andy Pages moves up to fifth and Max Muncy hits sixth.
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Tommy Edman could be starting a rehab assignment soon.
Dave Roberts said Tommy Edman could start facing live pitching in Arizona next week. Could go out on a rehab assignment after that.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) May 20, 2026
Edman could face live pitching next week and head out on a rehab assignment after that. Edman is reportedly running at close to full speed as he works back from offseason ankle surgery. He and Enrique Hernandez are both eligible to come off the 60-day IL on Sunday and while it’s unlikely either will be ready to be activated by then, some more roster decisions could be coming. Kiké’s in the lineup for his 10th rehab game with OKC tonight, making his eighth start at third (one start at second one start in center).
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First pitch is scheduled for 5:40 PM PT and will be on SportsNet LA.
