SAN DIEGO -- In the midst of an incredibly tight National League West race, the Dodgers will host the Padres for three games this weekend in Los Angeles. Three rookie starting pitchers will be thrown directly into the pennant-race fire.
And that's exactly the point.
When the Padres convened in early September to align their season-ending rotation, they added a couple wrinkles. Eric Lauer had his start pushed back a day so he could take the ball for the opener at Dodger Stadium. Jacob Nix was always scheduled to start Saturday, but now Joey Lucchesi is expected to jump Bryan Mitchell in the rotation by a day so he can pitch the finale.