SD hopes to become a tiebreaker in three consecutive away games in LA...It won't be easy to win the Dodgers district?

Sep 24, 2024

SD hopes to become a tiebreaker in three consecutive away games in LA...It won't be easy to win the Dodgers district?
It is very unlikely that San Diego Padres Kim Ha-sung will return before the end of the regular season.

AFP Yonhap News



SD hopes to become a tiebreaker in three consecutive away games in LA...It won't be easy to win the Dodgers district?
San Diego shortstop Xander Bogaerts and center fielder Jackson Merrill. ImagesYonhap News
While Kim Ha-sung's return to the regular season, who is recovering from a shoulder injury, is virtually out of the question, the San Diego Padres will hold three consecutive away games against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium from the 25th to the 27th. It is also the series that challenges the Dodgers' stronghold as the most important match for San Diego this year.

As of the 24th (Korea time), San Diego is in second place with 90 wins and 66 losses, three games behind the West's leading Dodgers (93 wins and 63 losses). Of course, he is in first place, three games ahead of the second-place New York Mets (87-69), in the wild card rankings, which is like securing an autumn baseball ticket.

San Diego before or during the first half of the season would be satisfied with its entry into the postseason itself, but not now. This is because the Dodgers are in range. Both teams have six games to play. The Dodgers will win the district championship on their own only if they add four wins.



If San Diego wins all six remaining games and reaches 96 wins, the Dodgers will have to win 97 games to become No. 1 in the district. In other words, the magic number is '4'. In 10 matches between the two teams this season, San Diego overwhelmed the Dodgers with 7 wins and 3 losses. Even if they lose all three remaining matches, they will lead with 7 wins and 6 losses. In the case of a tiebreaker, San Diego will have the upper hand according to the tiebreaker rules. This is the basis for hoping to win the district championship.

SD hopes to become a tiebreaker in three consecutive away games in LA...It won't be easy to win the Dodgers district?
LA Dodgers Shohei Ohtani hits a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning against Colorado on the 23rd (Korea time). AP Yonhap News
The burdensome side is the Dodgers. If the winning series fails, that is, if one win and two losses, the gap against San Diego will be reduced to two games with 94 wins and 65 losses, and the remaining three games will have to be all-in. The Dodgers have three consecutive away games against the Colorado Rockies and San Diego with the Arizona Diamondbacks as the last series of the regular season.



First of all, San Diego is dominant in the starting matchup of the three consecutive games. San Diego is in the order of Michael King, Dylan Sheath and Joe Musgrove. All three pitchers have been in their best form lately. King has four earned runs in 18 innings in the last three games, Siz has 14 scoreless ⅓ in two games, and Musgrove has 12 scoreless innings in two games. On the other hand, the Dodgers will start in the order of Landon Neck, Jack Fleherty and Walker Buehler, who pitched five scoreless innings against the Miami Marlins on the 19th, but Fleherty has allowed seven runs in nine innings in the last two games and Buehler 13 runs in 21 ⅓ in four games.

The Dodgers believe in the batters with Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts, while San Diego's Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado, who have recently been hit hard, will fight back.



SD hopes to become a tiebreaker in three consecutive away games in LA...It won't be easy to win the Dodgers district?
It's been more than a month since Kim Ha-sung was on the injured list, but the throw to first base is still incomplete. USATODAY Yonhap News
In the meantime, Kim Ha-sung's throw to first base is still not normal. For now, it is unclear whether he will be able to play in the postseason. It's been two weeks since second baseman Xander Bogaerts returned to shortstop.

San Diego made a roster adjustment ahead of its last home game on the 23rd. Shortstop Mace McCoy with a sore back was placed on the 10-day injured list, bringing infielder Nick Ahmed to the major leagues, and right-hander Johnny Brito, who is injured in his right elbow, was transferred to the 60-day IL. There was no action on Kim Ha-sung.

In a related development, fan media 'Frias on Base' reported that the Padres' promotion to the roster at the end of the season almost closed the door for Kim Ha-sung's return. There is no denying that the Padres will end the season with a series against the Dodgers and Arizona, but if Kim Ha-sung returns, he will be better off in offense and defense. However, we cannot expect Kim Ha-sung to return in the last week of the regular season.

However, as the rehabilitation continues, we are hopeful that there will be a way to join the playoff roster in October,' he said.

This means that Kim Ha-sung's chances of returning within the regular season have become slim.

Meanwhile, as of this day, five teams have confirmed their advance to the postseason. In the NL, the Philadelphia Phillies won the district championship for the first time in 13 years, and the Milwaukee Brewers confirmed the top spot in the central district. The Dodgers secured at least a wild card and advanced to the fall baseball for the 12th consecutive year.

In the AL, the Cleveland Guardians in the Central District confirmed the district championship, and the New York Yankees escaped the pain of elimination last year by securing at least a wild card.



jhno@sportschosun.com