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Another day, another crucial NL West ball game. The Los Angeles Dodgers will take on the San Diego Padres Tuesday night. The Padres have taken the first two of this three-game stretch and will be looking to complete the sweep, while the Dodgers will be looking to steal a game on the road against their division rival. Tonight's matchup promises some great baseball, so it's time to continue our MLB odds series and make a Dodgers Padres prediction and pick.
Here's how the Vegas bookmakers have set the lines.
MLB Odds: Dodgers vs. Padres Odds
Los Angeles Dodgers ML (+104)
San Diego Padres ML (-114)
Over 7.5 Runs (-102)
Under 7.5 Runs (+118)
Why The Dodgers Could Cover The Spread
The Los Angeles Dodgers haven't quite lived up to the preseason expectations of greatness, but they're pretty close.
Despite going through some tough stretches earlier in the season, the Dodgers seem to have figured it out. Los Angeles is 10-4 in their last 14 games and there is even more reason for optimism in Wednesday night's game.
Superstar Cody Bellinger will make his long-awaited return to the lineup, along with starting infielder Max Muncy. The new bats should help wake up a Dodgers offense that has been dormant in the first two games against the Padres.
A quality starter on the mound always helps, and former Cy Young award winner Trevor Bauer is more than just a quality starter. Bauer is again one of the best pitchers in the MLB, owning a 2.45 ERA to go along with a fantastic 0.94 WHIP. The former Cleveland Indian has pitched well against the Padres this year, allowing only three runs over 12 innings while punching out 16 in that span. The Dodgers haven't been swept since early May, and Bauer taking the hill gives them a great chance to continue that streak.
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Why The Padres Could Cover The Spread
For every reason to pick the Dodgers, there's another to believe in the San Diego Padres.
Expected starter Joe Musgrove has been nothing short of a revelation this year. He has earned himself a 2.28 ERA, which is good for fifth-best in the league. In his last seven outings, he has pitched 40 innings and allowed only seven runs. He's only faced the Dodgers once this season, but his body of work this year is more than enough to inspire confidence.
Although Musgrove may dominate this game from the mound, San Diego's hitters deserve some credit.
The team is on a six-game win streak, scoring more than five runs in four of those victories. Star third baseman Manny Machado hits Bauer better than anybody in the MLB, going 12 for 22 against the Dodgers All-Star. MLB mega-star Fernando Tatis Jr. is hitting .375 over the last seven games, as well as sporting a ridiculous .875 slugging percentage in that stretch.
Final Dodgers Padres Prediction & Pick
In a game that the bookmakers have essentially labeled as a coin toss, the Dodgers will take home a victory. I trust Bauer to deliver a better performance than Musgrove despite playing in front of a tough San Diego crowd. Los Angeles seems nearly impossible to sweep, and I expect them to continue that trend in a crucial game against their Southern California rival.
FINAL DODGERS PADRES PREDICTION AND PICK: Los Angeles Dodgers ML (+104)
