San Diego Padres Series Preview: Friars host Nationals in four-game set at Petco Park
Credit: MLB Logos
Here is your San Diego Padres vs. Washington Nationals series preview.
The San Diego Padres will continue to battle NL East sides as the Washington Nationals will come to town for a four-game series at Petco Park. The four-game set will run from Thursday, June 6 to Sunday, June 9 as the Padres finish off a 10-game homestand.
The Friars are currently in an abysmal form in this homestand as Andy Green‘s team has lost four games and only won two. The series against the Miami Marlins was particularly worrying as San Diego was outscored 20-11 against one of the worst teams in the MLB.
The bullpen and certain players in the offense have been specific concerns for the Padres lately, especially superstar Manny Machado, who went just 3-for-13 in the recent series against the Phillies. Other players like Wil Myers are trying to recover from a rough month of May.
The Padres are just 2-8 in their last ten games while the Rockies and Dodgers are both 8-2 as an NL West title already seems out of reach at this point. The Friars are still in the NL Wild Card race but are now two and a half games back of the Atlanta Braves.
The Washington Nationals are currently in immense form with an impressive 8-2 record in their last 10 games. The Nats are on a four-game winning streak and recently swept the Chicago White Sox in a two-game series. However, the capital city team is still six and a half games back of the first-place Phillies in the NL East and five games back of the Atlanta Braves in the Wild Card.
The pitching is the strong suit of the Nationals team is the pitching with players like Patrick Corbin, Stephen Strasburg, and Max Scherzer. However, there are still some very talented players in Dave Martinez‘s lineup like Anthony Rendon, Victor Robles, and Juan Soto.
Pitching Matchups
Game 1 (Thursday, June 6 – 7:10 P.M. PST) Joey Lucchesi (4-3, 3.96 ERA) vs. Patrick Corbin (5-3, 3.46 ERA)
Game 2 (Friday, June 7 – 7:10 P.M. PST) Nick Margevicius (2-6, 5.40 ERA) vs. Erick Fedde (1-0, 2.55 ERA)
Game 3 (Saturday, June 8 – 7:10 P.M. PST) TBD vs. Max Scherzer (3-5, 3.06 ERA)
Game 4 (Sunday, June 9 – 1:10 P.M. PST) TBD vs. Stephen Strasburg (2-5, 3.82 ERA)
The Padres will face both Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg in this series which does mean a lot of strikeouts to come. The first game of the series will offer a very enticing pitching duel as Joey Lucchesi, who has been improving lately will face Patrick Corbin, who is well-acquainted with the Padres and Petco Park due to his time with the Dbacks.
Lucchesi gave up just one earned run in six and two-thirds innings against the Marlins in his last start, while Corbin owns a 3.97 ERA in 10 games at Petco Park.
Players to watch
Juan Soto
Soto is one of the best young players in the MLB, batting .300/ .402/ .537 with ten home runs and 38 RBI. The 20-year-old outfielder has a very impressive .500 OBP in his last 15 games and is 4-for-10 with three walks in his last three games.
Wil Myers
Myers had a very rough month of May but has been improving lately, batting .273/ .407/ .455 in his last seven games. The North Carolina native went 4-for-10 in the recent series against the Philadelphia Phillies with a home run and three walks.
Francisco, 26, Chula Vista/Tijuana. I have been a Padres fan all my life, did most of the series previews and recaps in the Padres’ 2016 season for EVT. Now I focus more on the local soccer scene. Tijuana Xolos, San Diego Loyal, San Diego Wave.