Cease was hit by a rough first two innings, walking six and committing three errors across two frames, setting LA’s 5-0 lead before he was pulled.

Cease anchors San Diego’s start with a 5-10 record and 4.52 ERA. His challenge is to calm Dodgers’ bats while keeping walks in check, a tall task given San Diego’s offense leaning on patience and power after the All-Star break.

Cease anchors the slate with ceiling upside, facing a tough lineup but delivering elite strikeout potential and workload reliability in an image-heavy night.

Cease matches Snell in the weekend showdown, offering Padres fans a compelling high-strikeout counterpunch to the Dodgers. Cease’s ability to navigate LA’s lineup could swing the series momentum and influence fantasy stacks with his strikeout upside and win potential in a crucial late-season window.

Cease’s late-season uptick centers on the knuckle-curve, with his usage rising from 6.8% to 14.5% in the last two starts. The improved pitch mix has produced back-to-back solid outings, shrinking his season ERA from the rough early stretch and creating a clearer path to a postseason role for a Padres rotation featuring King and Pivetta.