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Padres starting pitching under fire after Dodgers sweep series
Padres starting pitching under fire after Dodgers sweep series originally appeared on The Sporting News
The San Diego Padres entered last weekend's three-game set against the Los Angeles Dodgers holding a one-game lead in the NL West. By the time it was over, that lead had flipped into a two-game deficit after being swept.
San Diego carried momentum into the matchup, fresh off a sweep of the San Francisco Giants, while the Dodgers had just been swept by the Los Angeles Angels heading into that series against the Padres.
The Padres also looked different than the last time they faced the Dodgers, having made several moves before the trade deadline. Still, none of it mattered.
Should the Padres be worried about starting pitching?
On Monday, former MLB general manager Jim Bowden was on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM and spotlighted the Padres' starting pitching, which should be a cause for concern for San Diego if they want to win the NL West.
"You look at the huge difference between these two teams," Bowden said. "The Dodgers' starting rotation is now significantly better than the Padres, and the Padres' bullpen is significantly better than the Dodgers. Both teams have good lineups—great lineups that are great top to bottom.
"But I think those first four or five innings every single night for the Padres is going to be huge. If they're going to win, they have to get better starting pitching."
Moreover, Bowden noted that the Padres have an opportunity this weekend to show they can go toe to toe with the Dodgers despite being swept.
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"I think as much as the Dodgers have dominated, winning eight out of 10, and they have dominated the Padres, I think next weekend is going to tell us more," Bowden added. "I think when you take the series to Petco, you take it to San Diego, all three games are sold out.
"I think how the Padres and Dodgers play next weekend is going to be a telltale, because if the Dodgers go in there and take two out of three or sweep, if they keep dominating, then I think that they're in a position to ride. But if the Padres go in there and take two out of three or sweep, I think we're going to have right down to the buzzer."
San Diego will have a chance to close the gap and go for a sweep of their own when the Dodgers visit Petco Park this weekend. It also marks the final regular-season meeting between the two teams in 2025, unless they clash again in the postseason as they did last year.
