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Padres pregame: Darvish looking to get on track; Angels going with bullpen game

Umpire Adam Hamari (78), Padres pitcher Yu Darvish
Umpire Adam Hamari (78) checks San Diego Padres pitcher Yu Darvish’s glove in the third inning during game against the Arizona Diamondbacks last week.
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Padres right-hander Yu Darvish has a 6.94 ERA since the All-Star break and has been on the injured list twice due to his back

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On Tuesday, a pitcher named Packy Naughton making his second MLB start flustered the Padres over five shutout innings. On Wednesday, the Angels will roll out even more not-so-familiar names behind right-hander Mike Mayers in a bullpen game.

Mayers (4-4, 4.16 ERA) has not pitched longer than two innings in any of his appearances, the last coming in a start Aug. 30 in which he allowed two runs in two innings against the Yankees.

Because a right-hander is on the mound to start the game, the Padres are stacking two tough left-handed outs atop the order: center fielder Trent Grisham and Jake Cronenworth.

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After Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. in the three/four spots, the Padres will alternate lefty and righty hitters (Wil Myers is in left field over Tommy Pham) through the pitcher’s spot.

The Angels’ bullpen ranks 24th in the majors with a 4.58 ERA.

Mayers has 76 strikeouts and a 1.34 WHIP in 62 2/3 innings in his sixth season in the majors.

Here is how current San Diego hitters have fared thus far against Mayers, who struck out a batter and allowed a hit in 1 1/3 innings against the Padres last month in Anaheim:

The Angels' Mike Mayers vs. current Padres
The Angels’ Mike Mayers vs. current Padres
(Baseball-reference.com)

For the Padres, Yu Darvish (7-9, 4.05 ERA) is making his third start since returning from his second stint on the injured list due to tightness in his lower back

Darvish allowed four runs in six innings to the Dodgers on Aug. 26 before lasting just 2 2/3 innings (5 ER) on Sept. 1 against the Diamondbacks.

Darvish has a 6.94 ERA in seven starts since the All-Star break, up from 3.09 in 18 starts in the first half.

The former Ranger is making his 17th career start against the Angels. He is 9-3 with a 3.38 ERA, 132 strikeouts and a 1.19 WHIP over 101 1/3 innings, although the most familiar Angel — Mike Trout — is on the injured list with a strained calf.

The Padres' Yu Darvish vs. current Angels
The Padres’ Yu Darvish vs. current Angels
(Baseball-reference.com)

As expected Shohei Ohtani, a DH on the days he isn’t pitching, is not in the Angels’ lineup, meaning he’ll have to come off the bench for a pinch-hit opportunity if he’s going to face Darvish for the first time in his career.

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