When a player is in flow state, the best you can do is stay out of their way and hope that they continue tearing up the competition. This is exactly what San Diego Padres manager Bob Melvin is doing in the aftermath of outfielder Trent Grisham's torrid hitting against the New York Mets in the NL Wild Card round despite being slated to face the Los Angeles Dodgers' two headed-lefty beast of Clayton Kershaw and Julio Urias.

The 25-year old outfielder, not known for his performances at the plate, hit one home run each against Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom. He ended the series against the Mets having tallied five runs, three runs batted in and two walks in twelve plate appearances on an otherworldly slash line of .500/.667/1.250. While this level is unsustainable over the course of 162 games, the Padres will be hoping that Grisham continues to catch lightning in a bottle.

Per AJ Cassavell, Padres beat reporter for MLB.com, Bob Melvin will eschew traditional platoon convention and continue penciling in Trent Grisham as one of the first names on the team sheet.

Cassavell wrote: “Melvin also said that, yes, Trent Grisham is going to keep starting. Even against two Dodgers lefties.”

Grisham did not have the best of years at the plate during the regular season. While he hit 17 home runs and 53 runs batted in, he slashed a putrid .184/.284/.341, struggling against lefties and righties alike. However, he hit better against lefties in 2022. Grisham had a .623 OPS in 390 plate appearances against right-handers, while he hit for a .634 OPS in 134 PA against southpaws.

In fact, Trent Grisham has a better career .OPS against left-handed pitching, and perhaps Bob Melvin is more than justified in keeping him in the lineup, if only for the elite defense he provides in centerfield.

Grisham will also be motivated to put his past playoff troubles with the Milwaukee Brewers behind him, most notably when he made an inexplicable blunder while fielding a base hit to right field by now Padres teammate Juan Soto during the 2019 NL Wild Card Game.

The Dodgers are expected to start Julio Urias in Game 1 and Clayton Kershaw in Game 2. Trent Grisham is yet to get a hit off Urias in his career, while the centerfielder has gone 3-13 with one dinger against Kershaw. But if his performance against the Mets is any indication, then perhaps facing elite pitchers is exactly what brings out the best in Grisham.