NL DIVISION SERIES: PADRES VS DODGERS

October 11, 2022

Bob Melvin

Dodger Stadium

San Diego Padres

Pregame 1 Press Conference

Q. The 13 pitchers, was that going to happen no matter what in a 3 of 5, or does the way that Dodger lineup work counts and everything have an influence on it?

BOB MELVIN: Probably a little of both, but we were regardless probably going to go to 13. We just want to make sure you don't get caught once you go extra innings. We're in pretty good shape with the day off as far as guys being available. But 13 is a little bit more conducive to a longer series.

Q. As far as facing Urías, you faced him multiple times. Does it help at all seeing the sequencing and the movement and everything, or is he tough no matter what?

BOB MELVIN: Yes and no. We know about him. It's tough to hit him. I think everybody has had a problem with him this year. You look at some of the matchup numbers. They're not great. I kind of put those away and didn't look too hard at them today.

It's a guy that you want to try to make him work, throw some pitches. We know what his stuff looks like. We know how he pitches. It's just making hard contact off him sometimes is difficult.

Q. I know you guys were underdogs going into the Mets series. You are here. Joe, with the kind of substance check thing, said he looked for motivation in that moment, and he does. As a team, is that a real thing? Can you lean on any of those things, or is that kind of overblown in terms of the potential to mine that and use that?

BOB MELVIN: I think as a group maybe. Individually maybe guys handle it differently. As a group -- look, we played these guys a lot this year, and they've handed it to us. So we would like to think it's our turn as far as winning a series against them.

It's 0-0, and after a fantastic season they've had, which give them credit, they played great all year long, we're back to even. It's just trying to take advantage, win a series for the first time this year. Maybe some of the series that we played against them before, we took it on the chin, maybe that motivates you a little bit more.

Q. You go into the decision today to go with Drury and Myers and no Bell?

BOB MELVIN: It was a hard one, but Drury was going to play today somewhere. He has a long history hitting left-handed pitching. He was going to be in the lineup somewhere.

And it also gives me a matchup pinch hitter off the bench in Josh. Like I said, hard not to play him today. But the way Wil has been playing defense at first, left-handed pitcher, you know, we went with the lineup we did today. Grisham the way he has been swinging.

We have three lefties in there, but Josh is a great matchup to come off the bench because he is a switch hitter and he has some power.

Q. You flipped Pro and Kim a little bit this season when you were facing left-handed pitching. Is this a product that you want to stick with what worked for you in New York?

BOB MELVIN: I think a little more continuity. It also has a lot to do with how Pro is swinging the bat. It's been going on for a while now. Kim has been doing some great stuff for us at the bottom too. One of the reasons that we played so well in the series against the Mets was the production we got from the bottom of the lineup: Nola, Kim, Grisham, obviously. Some continuity. A little bit of consistency, and Pro knows how to lead off.

Q. This was the first time that Yu faced the -- Yu, not you -- Yu faced the Dodgers 19 times in a season. What was the biggest thing that you learned about why they are so good?

BOB MELVIN: Obviously, the first four guys in the lineup are about as good as you get. Taking nothing away from the rest of the guys too, because they mix and match very well. They have power throughout, but they -- as far as pitching staff goes, they wear you out. Even if they don't get you early, they seem to make you throw a lot of pitches, foul a lot of balls off, frustrate you. You get some guys on, and then they have the ability to hit a home run one through nine in the lineup.

Their team is very indicative of how they played and how good they are, so that's what we've learned.

Q. For Clev and his last start against the White Sox, what went so right for him in that game, and how much of that is transferrable to tonight?

BOB MELVIN: Anytime you have a good outing, you should carry it forward with you. A lot of times it's either the rest that he gets, how healthy he feels, how good his arm feels in a particular outing.

He knew potentially he wasn't going to be out there that long, and he could just go after it and not have to pace himself. So I think maybe taking the same mindset into this game that he did the last game. And he has a long history of being a really good pitcher and competing. Especially with Cleveland in postseasons and big games. So I think going into this game, he should feel very confident.

Q. Take us inside the locker room. A lot of times when you win the postseason series, you get a bump going into the next series. Excitement level of your team and kind of their momentum -- not momentum, but their feelings heading into this series after coming off a victory.

BOB MELVIN: Confidence. Any series you win in the postseason, you are more confident going into the next one. So we actually are going to get to play games at home too, and I think that's very exciting to these guys. It's exciting to our fans. A Wild Card series, it feels like one particular game is the end of the world. This one is a little bit longer series. Knowing if you do lose a game, that there's still tomorrow. I think we're very inspired about being able to play at least one game and get home and play in front of our fans.

Q. We heard yesterday a little bit from Trent Grisham about the faith that you've had in him this season. What have you seen from Grisham through some of the ups and downs he has had this year that gave you the faith that he could have the kind of series he did in New York?

BOB MELVIN: Well, he is pretty stoic. You know, it doesn't appear that much bothers him. Even though he went through a very difficult season, it never really felt like looking at him on a day-to-day basis that he was going through something that can traumatize you a little bit, right? You have to look up and see less than .200 all year long. Especially for a guy that's had terrific seasons. Still a young player, but his defense has always remained. How he runs the bases. There are other variables of the game that he contributed with.

I think being out of the lineup and not being in there every day has maybe motivated him some, and then when he knew he was going to play and start in the postseason, starting from square one, it was a new light for him. I have been impressed about the way he has handled what was a difficult season for him.

Q. Do you know who is starting Game 3 yet?

BOB MELVIN: Starter for -- do I know him? Yes. (Laughing.) Yeah, that would be probably Blake Snell.

Q. When the season started and you knew that the postseason format that the winner of the division was going to have a six-day bye, do you worry about that, how teams will react to that? I mean, we saw Atlanta lose today. Houston is losing now.

BOB MELVIN: Well, I'm not worried about it. Look, ultimately you want that. You want to be able to get some rest. You want to play one less series, so that's a benefit for all of them.

I think typically Wild Card teams have to fight their way in. They win the first series. They have to fight their way through that, and they're probably playing well, as you are seeing in games like today.

But that doesn't necessarily mean it's a benefit. If you are choosing it, you would always choose the rest. Winning a decision and playing one less series. I think we're just more focused on what we need to do. We know it's a very good team and we have to play well to beat them.

Q. With Game 3, is that a matter of staying on turn, or would you consider going to Joe?

BOB MELVIN: Honestly, if we get to Game 3, Blake is going to pitch. I'm not going short with somebody, but we're only focused on today's game, so that's why I wasn't even on point when you asked me who was pitching Game 3. We're just worried about today's game.

Q. Just wondered about if you could -- how happy you are with the state of the pitching right now given you didn't have to get too deep into the bullpen at all on Sunday with Joe, and then tomorrow, obviously, Yu has been going six innings pretty regularly. Does that free up to do some things tonight?

BOB MELVIN: It does. Yeah. We have some length. We have some matchup guys, and then we have some guys that we rely on later on in the game.

I think it all depends on how far Clev goes. If it is shorter than normal, then we have the ability to do some things a little bit differently, and that's based on the fact that our bullpen was not used much the last game, and then we've had a day off. I think as far as our pitching goes, we're in good shape.