The Padres are in full-blown salvage mode on Sunday.

On national TV, no less.

They are looking to snap an eight-game skid and avoid a winless road trip. First pitch is at 4:20 p.m. on NBC/Peacock.

The eight-game skid is the longest since 2013. A loss on Sunday would saddle the Padres with their longest winless road trip of at least six games since dropping three games in Houston and three in Chicago in 2009.

The Padres (43-45) lost three in Chicago to start the trip and the first three in a long weekend at Chavez Ravine. They are 15 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West, five games out of a wild-card spot and have a minus-45 run differential, 22nd in the majors.

“(When) you’re in a losing streak like this, that’s what happens,” Gavin Sheets said late Saturday night. “You feel like when you hit, you don’t pitch. You throw the ball really well, you don’t hit. That’s the frustrating thing of when you go on streaks like this and just got to re-right the ship (Sunday). …

“It’s frustrating, but (Sunday) we got to find a way to come out and be in the present and win one game.”

Sunday Night Baseball pic.twitter.com/AEbYCxWtPX

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 5, 2026

Sheets will play left field and bat clean-up, between third baseman Manny Machado and first baseman Ty France. Jake Cronenworth will remain in the two-hole but he’ll serve as the DH as Sung-Mun Song gets the start at second base. Luis Campusano will get a second straight behind the plate after going 0-for-2 with two strikeouts in his first game off the IL on Saturday.

Here is how the Dodgers will line up for the finale:

Updated lineup:

Ohtani DH
Pages CF
Freeman 1B
Betts SS
Hernández, T. LF
Call RF
Rojas 3B
Freeland 2B
Alfonzo C
Sheehan P https://t.co/JWyqMs9wZy

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 5, 2026

 

Sunday’s pitching matchup

Padres LHP JP Sears (1-1, 6.97 ERA)

He followed up a win over the Braves in his 2026 debut (5⅔ IP, 2 ER) with a clunker at Wrigley Field (4 ⅔ IP, 8 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 3 BBs). Sears’ only history with the Dodgers was back in a loss in 2023 (5 IP, 2 ER) with the Athletics.

Here is how he’s fared against current Dodgers:

Dodgers RHP Emmet Sheehan (4-5, 5.08 ERA)

He’s got a 4.15 ERA in three career starts (13 IP) against the Padres, including two this year (8 IP, 5 ER). Sheehan has five quality starts in 15 trips to the mound this year.

Here is how Sheehan has fared against current Padres: