Parity abounds in MLB postseason as big spenders and budget squads collide
USA TODAY Sports’ Bob Nightengale breaks down parity in the MLB postseason and why teams like the Padres are excelling despite cutting their budget.
Sports Seriously
The Los Angeles Dodgers host the San Diego Padres in Game 5 of the National League Division Series on Friday night, a winner-take-all showdown between the West Coast rivals.
Los Angeles forced Game 5 with a win in San Diego on Wednesday night after San Diego had taken the previous two games and looked to have all the momentum. In a battle of Japanese aces, Yu Darvish starts for the Padres while rookie Yoshinobu Yamamoto takes the mound for Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium
The winner of Friday night’s game at Dodger Stadium will host the New York Mets to begin the best-of-seven NL Championship Series on Sunday.
Here’s how USA TODAY Sports’ MLB experts see Friday’s game playing out:
Dodgers vs Padres Game 5 predictions
Bob Nightengale
- Padres 4, Dodgers 3 – Yu Darvish slays the Dodgers once again, keeping the Padres’ dream season alive while Los Angeles has a long winter ahead wondering what went wrong.
Gabe Lacques
- Padres 6, Dodgers 5: The Dodgers’ bullpen relay is one or two arms shy of perfection. San Diego celebrates one of its biggest conquests since the Sockers won their eighth indoor soccer title in ’92.
Jesse Yomtov
- Dodgers 8, Padres 4: San Diego starter Yu Darvish falls to 0-5 in elimination games, getting knocked around back at the scene of his greatest career failure – Game 7 of the 2017 World Series.
Scott Boeck
- Padres 8, Dodgers 6: Manny Machado embraces the villain role. But it’s Fernando Tatis Jr. who puts the Padres on his back again and leads the franchise to the NLCS for the second time in three years.
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