Series Preview: Padres to Host Giants in Four-Game Series
Petco Park, San Diego, California
Thursday 4/12-Sunday 4/15
The San Diego Padres return home for a four-game series against the San Francisco Giants, as they continue their marathon of games to begin the season.
After a six-game road trip, the Padres return to Petco Park for a seven-game homestand, and will complete a stretch of 17 straight games without a day off. They will start it with a four-game series against the San Francisco Giants. Here is how this series will line up:
Game 1 (7:10 PDT) Bryan Mitchell (0-1, 4.22 ERA) vs. Chris Stratton (0-1, 4.35 ERA)
Bryan Mitchell will take the mound for his third start as a Padre, and his second start at Petco Park. In his last start, against the Houston Astros on April 7, Mitchell threw five-and-two-thirds scoreless innings in a no-decision, despite allowing six walks. He will hope for a better go at it inside Petco Park this time around. In his last appearance in the Padres’ home, he allowed five runs to the Colorado Rockies on April 2.
Starting opposite of Mitchell will be Chris Stratton. He’s made two starts so far this season, both against the Los Angeles Dodgers. In his first start against the Dodgers, Stratton went five-and-one-third, allowing three runs on five hits in a 9-0 Giants loss. Stratton allowed three runs to the Dodgers again on April 7 in a no-decision. The Giants won the game 7-5.
Game 2 (7:10 PDT) Tyson Ross (1-1, 5.25 ERA) vs. Ty Blach (1-1, 4.11 ERA)
Tyson Ross has been just as good as the Padres could have hoped, if not more. In his last start, at Houston on April 8, Ross performed well other than one major mistake. The mistake was giving up a three-run home run to Max Stassi. Aside from that, he struck out seven and didn’t allow any walks.
Ross will make his second start at Petco in 2018. On April 3, he allowed three runs through six innings against Colorado.
The Giants will send Ty Blach to the mound in this game. Blach has made two starts so far this season, with mixed results. He was roughed up by the Seattle Mariners on April 3. He gave up six runs on 10 hits over four-and-one-third innings. He had a much better time against the Dodgers on April 8, where he allowed only one run over six innings.
Game 3 (5:40 PDT) Clayton Richard (1-1, 5.29 ERA) vs. Derek Holland (0-2, 4.09 ERA)
Clayton Richard takes the mound in Game 3 for his third start against a National League West opponent, less than three weeks into the season. In his last start, on April 9, Richard gave up four runs on five hits over five innings against the Rockies.
Derek Holland will start for San Francisco in this game. He enters still looking for his first win, but that first win almost came in his last start. He went six innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 10, allowing only two runs in a 2-1 loss. A lack of run support was obviously the story in that game.
Game 4 (1:10 PDT) Joey Lucchesi (1-0, 1.72 ERA) vs. Tyler Beede (0-0, 4.50 ERA)
This will be the first Military Appreciation Sunday of the season at Petco Park. Will the Padres wear their desert digital camouflage jerseys? Or, will they wear those “blueberry” digital camouflage jerseys?
Joey Lucchesi was called up before the start of the season to take the place of Dinelson Lamet in the rotation, and he has looked just as good as the Padres could have expected, if not better. He earned his first career win on April 10 against the Colorado Rockies. He struck out eight Rockies hitters over six scoreless innings, as the Padres won the game 5-2.
Tyler Beede made his major league debut for the Giants on April 10. He pitched four innings, allowing two runs on three hits. He walked five and struck out three over those four innings. He earned a no-decision in a 5-4 Giants win over Arizona.
Hitters to Watch
Freddy Galvis (SD): Galvis has the highest batting average of any Padres starter so far. He was hitting .350 entering April 11. He also had a .458 on-base percentage and was slugging .500. It’s still early, but Galvis continues to show that trading for him from the Phillies was a wise decision.
Eric Hosmer (SD): Hosmer hit his seventh double of the season on April 11 against the Rockies. His seven doubles is a team high so far. He hit his first home run as a Padre on April 11, as well.
Buster Posey (SF): Posey has reached base via a hit in nine straight games. He has four multi-hit games in the first 11 games of the season. He brings that hot streak to Petco Park.
Joe Panik (SF): While Posey has 14 hits so far this season, Panik is right behind him with 12. He homered in three of his first four games of the season. His power may have cooled since then, but Panik is still making contact and getting on base.
Bold Prediction
A bold prediction would be that the Padres complete a four-game sweep over the Giants, but the actual prediction here is that San Diego wins three games.
Hosmer will feel a little more loose at the plate, now that his first home run is out of the way. Lucchesi will feel confident going into his next start and give the Giants fits. Ross and Richard will pitch like veterans. The Giants will get a win in the first game against Mitchell. San Diego will take the next three.
Mike is the sports editor for the Fayette Advertiser, and has been with East Village Times since 2015. His work has appeared on Bleacher Report. He is an avid Padres fan who is keeping the faith and trusting the process.
