Padres vs Dodgers Preview: Sunday Showdown in LA

The Dodgers are on fire right now. They've won three straight games and sit at 59-31. The Padres? They're in trouble at 43-45 with eight losses in a row. Look at yesterday's game—Dodgers won 4-3 in a wild finish. Hernández smashed a three-run homer in the seventh inning and the Dodgers came roaring back. The Padres scored first but couldn't hold on. This tells you everything: Los Angeles has the muscle to punch back no matter what. San Diego's pitching staff is solid, but they need wins badly right now.

JP Sears gets the start for the Padres on Sunday. His numbers aren't pretty—a 7.66 ERA with a 1-1 record. He's given up plenty of hits and walks this season. The Dodgers' lineup loves fastballs they can jump on early. Sears will need to be sharp and keep the ball down. Meanwhile, Emmet Sheehan starts for Los Angeles. We don't have his season stats yet, but the Dodgers' rotation is loaded with talent. This matchup could go either way if San Diego's defense shows up big.

Yes, the Dodgers have some players sidelined. Shohei Ohtani feels much better and might play Sunday. Will Smith and others are working their way back. But here's the thing—Los Angeles still has enough firepower to compete. Their pitching staff might be the best in baseball. Yoshinobu Yamamoto anchors it. Edwin Díaz is coming back to close games out. The Padres are banged up too with Laureano out for months and pitchers on the shelf. The Dodgers' depth gives them the edge in a tight race where every game counts.