San Diego Padres: Pitching Matchups for Series vs. Dodgers

Friday – Lucchesi vs. Buehler

The Padres will send rookie left-hander Joey Lucchesi to the bump tonight to face another MLB neophyte, the Dodgers’ young right-hander, Walker Buehler.

After making his debut last season in the Dodgers’ bullpen (9.1 innings, eight earned runs, eleven hits, twelve strikeouts, eight walks), Buehler, 23, went 1-0 with a 2.08 earned-run average in three starts with Triple-A Oklahoma City this year.

Since being called up for his first career start on April 23 versus Miami, he’s pitched to a 1.80 earned run average over ten innings with eleven strikeouts and four walks in two starts.

Joey Lucchesi hasn’t really slowed down at all yet this year, apart from a very tough inning versus the Diamondbacks on April 22.

His numbers for the season (3-1, 2.78 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 35 K, 10 BB) have put him in the conversation for early candidacy in the NL Rookie of the Year race.

A performance tonight like his one against the Giants on April 15 (6 IP, ER, 5 H, 9 K, 0 BB) would further solidify that premature yet very true declaration. Plus, it would give this offensively-anemic Padres team a fighting chance to win tonight.