Here's what to know about Seoul Series Game 2 (6 a.m. ET/3 PT)

2024 season continues Thursday morning in South Korea with Padres-Dodgers

March 21st, 2024

The Dodgers are looking to open the Shohei Ohtani era with a sweep. The Padres, meanwhile, are eyeing a split and a victory for Ha-Seong Kim in his return to Korea.

That’s what’s at stake in Game 2 of the Seoul Series on Thursday. Set those alarms!

When is the game, and how can I watch it?

First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. local time in Seoul -- which equates to 6:05 a.m. ET and 3:05 a.m. PT on Thursday morning. The game will stream in the U.S. on MLB.TV. and will also be televised locally on SportsNet LA in Los Angeles. A national telecast will be available on ESPN.

Fans in San Diego, Tijuana and the Padres' home territory can watch both games live or on demand for FREE on PADRES.TV, the re-branded streaming option for all regular-season Padres games. Fans can also tune in to watch the games live locally on ESPN or listen on 97.3 The Fan and XEMO-AM La Poderosa 860.

After the game, an archive of the broadcast will be available for free.

Who are the starting pitchers?

Padres: RHP Joe Musgrove

Musgrove had reeled off a 12-start stretch with a 1.84 ERA when his 2023 season came to an early end due to right shoulder capsule inflammation. He nearly returned by the end of the season, however, and was cleared for a full offseason’s worth of throwing. The veteran right-hander threw only 97 1/3 innings because of injuries last year, his fewest in a full season since his 2016 rookie campaign.

Dodgers: RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto

After signing a record 12-year, $325 million deal this winter, all the attention this season will be on Yamamoto as he makes the transition from the best pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball, where he won the pitching Triple Crown in three consecutive seasons, to the Majors. Yamamoto struggled this spring, posting a 8.38 ERA in three Cactus League starts and dealt with some tipping issues, which the Dodgers say have been cleaned up.

What are the starting lineups?

Padres: Facing another right-hander, the Padres will roll out the same group they used on Opening Day.

  1. Xander Bogaerts, 2B
  2. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
  3. Jake Cronenworth, 1B
  4. Manny Machado, DH
  5. Ha-Seong Kim, SS
  6. Jurickson Profar, LF
  7. Luis Campusano, C
  8. Tyler Wade, 3B
  9. Jackson Merrill, CF

Dodgers: With Musgrove on the mound, the Dodgers are sticking with the same lineup they trotted out on Opening Day against the Padres.

  1. Mookie Betts, SS
  2. Shohei Ohtani, DH
  3. Freddie Freeman, 1B
  4. Will Smith, C
  5. Max Muncy, 3B
  6. Teoscar Hernández, LF
  7. James Outman, CF
  8. Jason Heyward, RF
  9. Gavin Lux, 2B

How will the bullpens line up after the starter?

Padres: The Padres burned through their top setup arms in Game 1 and will be reluctant to use them again in Game 2. But they have a solution for that: Right-hander Michael King, the prize acquisition of the Juan Soto trade and San Diego’s slated No. 4 starter, is available to pitch. He’s spent the bulk of his career in the bullpen, and it seems likely that he will piggyback Musgrove. The Padres also have closer Robert Suarez available.

Dodgers: This early in the season, it’s unlikely the Dodgers use Evan Phillips, Joe Kelly, Ryan Brasier or Daniel Hudson on back-to-back nights. Behind Yamamoto, the Dodgers could use Michael Grove, Kyle Hurt, Landon Knack or Ryan Yarbrough for some length in case the right-hander doesn’t get too deep into the game. J.P. Feyereisen, Gus Varland and Alex Vesia will be among the one-inning options.

Any injuries of note?

Padres: Machado’s October elbow surgery will limit him to DH duties. Otherwise, none.

Dodgers: Brusdar Graterol did not make the trip to South Korea as he continues to work through hip and right shoulder discomfort. The Dodgers hope to have Graterol back at some point early in the season. Blake Treinen did make the trip, but the right-hander wasn’t on the Opening Series roster after taking a comebacker to the ribs in his last Cactus League outing last week. Both Graterol and Treinen began the season on the injured list.

Who’s hot, who’s not?

Padres: Bogaerts had two hits in the opener, and Profar reached base twice, via a single and a walk. But the Padres’ two through five hitters -- Tatis-Cronenworth-Machado-Kim -- combined to go 0-for-14 on Wednesday.

Dodgers: Betts had a terrific spring for the Dodgers and he carried that momentum over into Opening Day, going 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI. Ohtani went 2-for-5 in the opener and added a stolen base.

Anything else fans should know?

• The Padres were the home team in Game 1, but that flips for Game 2, with the Dodgers technically serving as hosts. That means Yamamoto will take the mound to start the game.

• With his two hits on Wednesday, Bogaerts joined Edgardo Alfonzo and Paul Goldschmidt as the only players with hits in five different countries or territories. He could carve even more history with a home run, as no player has gone deep in five different locales. Bogaerts has homered in the United States, Canada, England (in London with the Red Sox in 2019) and Mexico (in Mexico City with the Padres in ‘23).

• In seven career plate appearances against Musgrove, Ohtani is 0-for-7 with a strikeout.