Padres pregame: Miguel Andujar becoming a fixture in two-hole
The Padres can't seem to get much production out of the top of the order, but they can't go wrong with wherever they put Miguel Andujar.
The 31-year-old Dominican will bat second for a third straight game on Tuesday as the Padres look to clinch this three-game series with the Dodgers.
First pitch is at 6:40 p.m.
Andujar provided the lone run in Monday's win, launching a first-inning solo shot to left for his fourth homer of the season.
Andujar is hitting .298/.319/.504 for an .822 OPS that ranks third among Padres with at least 75 plate appearances, behind Gavin Sheets (.876) and Ty France (.822).
Andujar is hitting .294/.294/.706 with two of his four homers in his four games out of the two-hole. While he's spent most of his time batting sixth (.870 OPS) or seventh (.647 OPS), Andujar also has four starts in the three-hole (1.000 OPS), three in the four-hole (1.083 OPS) and three in the five-hole (.350 OPS).
"He’s just a hitter," Padres manager Craig Stammen said. "He goes up there and hits the ball hard, hits line drives. We like his at-bats, puts the ball in play quite a bit … and he can hit anywhere in the lineup. He’s just a hitter."
Andujar will serve as the DH on Tuesday behind leadoff hitter Fernando Tatis Jr. (.579 OPS), who will man second base as the Padres get Sheets (left field), Nick Castellanos (right field, .581 OPS) and France (first base) all in the lineup alongside Andujar.
The slumping Jackson Merrill (.594 OPS) will be in the six-hole for a third straight game. Merrill is hitting .081/.171/.108 over his last 10 games.
Castellanos will hit seventh, followed by France and catcher Freddy Fermin (.457 OPS).
Before the game, the Dodgers added former Padres left-hander Eric Lauer to the active roster in place of right-hander Wyatt Mills.
Here is how the Dodgers (29-19) - who are now a half-game behind the Padres (29-18) - will line up for Game 2:
Tuesday’s pitching matchup
Dodgers RHP Emmet Sheehan (3-1, 4.54 ERA)
The 26-year-old has three quality starts in eight trips to the mound this season and he's struck out 49 batters against 12 walks over 41 ⅔ innings. Lefties have a .921 OPS this year against Sheehan, well above what he's allowing to righties (.525 OPS). He allowed a run in four innings in his only start against the Padres, last year.
Here is how Sheehan has fared against current Padres:
Padres RHP Griffin Canning (0-2, 10.64 ERA)
The UCLA product has allowed 12 runs over his last six innings after debuting on May 3 with five innings of one-run ball. Canning has a 14-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio so far. He has a 3.64 ERA in six career starts against the Dodgers, including two last year (8⅔ IP, 3 ER).
Here is how Canning has fared against current Dodgers:
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This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 7:01 PM.