San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers Betting Preview
10 September 2021
A pair of Wild Card contenders in the National League meet up on Friday night when the Los Angeles Dodgers host the San Diego Padres. There is a very good chance that this game and series will be a playoff preview of what will take place in the NL in just a few weeks.
San Diego comes into this game with a record of 74-65, but that is well below what was expected of this team. The Padres still have a great shot at making the playoffs this season, but they are going to need a great finish.
Los Angeles comes into this game with a record of 88-53, and they continue to be in a tight battle with the San Francisco Giants for the NL West title. The Dodgers are going to make the playoffs, but they want to do it as a division winner.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are the moneyline betting favorite at -162 over the San Diego Padres on Friday night.
Padres Pitching Must Improve
San Diego spent a ton of money this offseason in an effort to put together one of the best pitching staffs in the National League. That unit got off to a terrific start to begin the year, but getting outs hasn’t been as easy over the last few months.
Joe Musgrove will be making the start on Friday night, and he is 10-8 with a 2.87 earned run average. Musgrove has the talent and ability to shut down an opposing lineup, but he also is facing a tough lineup.
Fernando Tatis Jr. leads the Padres with 37 home runs, and also sports a .278 batting average. San Diego can be a great offensive team, but they have also put up some miserable performances at the plate.
Dodgers Need More Offense
The Dodgers managed just one run in the series finale against St. Louis, and this is an offense that has come up short too many times this season. There is a ton of talent in this lineup, but that doesn’t always mean they are able to score.
Julio Urias takes the mound on Friday night in Los Angeles, and he has quietly put together one of the best seasons in baseball. Urias is 16-3 with a 3.11 earned run average, and he has plenty of experience in dealing with the Padres.
Dodgers Deliver Big Win
Los Angeles had to make a long flight home after a series in St. Louis, but they are a much better team when playing at Dodger Stadium. This offense has to find a way to turn things back around, but facing a struggling Padres pitching staff might be the ticket.
Musgrove should pitch well for San Diego on Friday night, but the bullpen has started to unravel a bit at times. The Padres have started to play much better baseball of late, but they still aren’t on the same level as their NL West Division rivals.
Bet the Los Angeles Dodgers ML at -160 on Friday night. They win this game with ease.
