The NL West rivalry for this season is the Dodgers and Padres, who open a four-game weekend series Thursday night at Dodger Stadium. Walker Buehler hits the hill for the home team here against lefty rookie Ryan Weathers for San Diego. LA just took a series from the Padres last weekend; can San Diego return the favor? And how are we playing this game with our free MLB pick?
MLB Betting Odds
Thursday’s baseball betting lines opened LA and Buehler at around -180 over San Diego and Weathers, with an over-under of 7.5 runs. Early betting action then bumped that total to eight.
Padres-Dodgers MLB Betting Preview
San Diego just got swept three games at home by Milwaukee, losing Wednesday’s series finale 4-2. The Padres led that game 2-1 into the sixth inning, but the bullpen then gave up a couple of homers. San Diego later loaded the bases with none out in the bottom of the eight but took three straight strikeouts, then got the tying runs into scoring position with two outs in the ninth but took another whiff to end the game.
The Padres produced just three runs and 15 hits in three games against the Brewers and struck out 35 times.
San Diego is also just 2-7 over its last nine games.
Los Angeles, meanwhile, just split two games at Seattle, losing Monday 4-3, winning Tuesday 1-0. The Dodgers then had Wednesday off.
LA opened this season with a loss to Colorado, then won 13 of its next 14 games.
At 14-4 overall, the best record in baseball, the Dodgers lead the NL West by three games over second-place San Francisco and five games over 10-10 San Diego.
These two teams just met last weekend, when Los Angeles took two of three games at Petco Park. LA had a chance to sweep that series, but San Diego rallied for four late runs to win Sunday’s finale 5-2.
Last year LA took the season series from San Diego six games to four, then swept the Padres in three games in a National League playoff series, on their way toward that World Series title.
Thursday’s Pitching Match-Up
This pitching match-up is a rematch of a game played last Friday, an 11-6 Los Angeles victory.
Buehler is 3/3 on quality starts this season. Last Friday, he held these Padres to two runs and seven hits through six innings, throwing 93 pitches in that 11-6 Dodgers win. And just before that, he tossed six shutout innings against Washington. On the season, Buehler’s allowed just four runs on 17 hits and one walk through 18 innings.
The Dodgers are 3-0 with Buehler this season.
Over his last three starts against San Diego, the one last week and two last year, Buehler’s allowed six runs and 12 hits though 15 innings. LA won two of those three games.
Rookie lefty Weathers is 0/1 on quality starts this season. Last Friday, in his first career start, he held this Los Angeles lineup scoreless on one hit and two walks through 3 2/3 innings, although things got away from the Padres from there. And over three relief appearances prior to that, Weather allowed just one run on two hits through six innings, with seven strikeouts.
Last year Weathers made his ML debut in a playoff game against these Dodgers, throwing an inning and a third of hitless, scoreless ball.
Splits With the Sticks
The Dodgers are batting just .219 against left-handed pitching this season, with a .315 team OBP and a .367 team slugging percentage. Los Angeles, which is operating without Cody Bellinger, has also scored a total of just eight runs over its last four games.
Last year the Padres ranked among the top three lineups in Baseball against right-handed pitching. This year San Diego owns a .235/.330/.360 split vs. right-handers and has been held to just eight runs over its last five games.
- Get more details: Padres at Dodgers Matchup Stats
The Bullpens
The Padres bullpen owns a 2.67 ERA this season, along with a 1.08 WHIP and a 4.87 K/BB ratio.
The Dodgers pen owns a 3.42 ERA, a 1.33 WHIP, and a 2.00 K/BB ratio.
MLB Betting Trends
- Favorites are 119-113 in MLB betting this season.
- Favorites are just 86-144 vs. the run line this season.
Totals Report
Unders are 14-6 in Padres games this season.
Unders are 12-6 in Dodgers games this season.
Unders are 4-2 in games played at Dodger Stadium this season.
Unders are 144-112 in MLB betting this season.
