Mike Clevinger to Start Game 1 for Padres vs. Dodgers After Arm Injury Recovery

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Mike Clevinger is on the team's roster for the American League Divisional Series vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers and is the team's Game 1 starter: 

Clevinger, like Dinelson Lamet, missed the team's Wild Card Series against the St. Louis Cardinals because of injury. Lamet will also miss the NLDS.  

Clevinger's return is huge for a San Diego staff that struggled against St. Louis, giving up 20 runs in three games. 

The 29-year-old was excellent in the 2020 regular season, finishing 3-2 with a 3.02 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 40 strikeouts in 41.2 innings between Cleveland and San Diego. The Padres acquired him ahead of the trade deadline along with Greg Allen and a player to be named later for Josh Naylor, Austin Hedges, Cal Quantrill, Gabriel Arias, Joey Cantillo and Owen Miller.

Being without Lamet remains a major blow, however. The 28-year-old was San Diego's best picture in the regular season, finishing 3-1 with a 2.09 ERA, 0.86 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 69 innings. He was superb, and the trio of Lamet, Clevinger and Zach Davies gave the Padres a formidable top three in their starting rotation.

Instead, the Padres may need to turn again to Chris Paddack, who was rocked by St. Louis (six runs in 2.1 innings) in his lone start this postseason. 

Granted, pitching may be a moot point given San Diego's explosive lineup, led by Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado. But the Dodgers were baseball's best team this year and are as balanced as it gets. If San Diego's rotation fares as poorly as it did against a less explosive offensive Cardinals team, the Padres will be in trouble.