A possible NL playoff matchup a couple of weeks from now will be on tap as two heated NL West rivals go head-to-head as the Los Angeles Dodgers take on the San Diego Padres. With that being said, it is about time to dive into our MLB odds series, where our Dodgers-Padres prediction and pick will be unveiled.

Already have clinched the best record in all of the National League, the Dodgers are officially in cruise control the rest of the way leading up to the postseason. After winning two of three against St. Louis at home, the Dodgers will call upon the southpaw in Tyler Anderson, who has compiled a fabulous 15-4 record with a 2.52 ERA on the year.

In a position to lock up a Wild Card spot and clinch a playoff berth for the first time since the shortened 2020 season. After putting up 22 runs in their last two games played against Colorado in the thin air of the Mile High City, San Diego will look to continue their scorching hot ways on offense while sending out lefty Blake Snell for the start. In 22 starts this season, Snell is 8-9 with a shiny 3.62 ERA.

Here are the Dodgers-Padres MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: Dodgers-Padres Odds

Los Angeles Dodgers: -1.5 (+146)

San Diego Padres: +1.5 (-178)

Over: 7.5 (-120)

Under: 7.5 (-102)

Why The Dodgers Could Cover The Spread

Like the Astros out in the AL, there is so much talent on this squad that it is hard to believe. In fact, there are so many weapons at manager Dave Roberts' disposal that it is surely difficult at times to figure out exactly who to play on a daily basis. At the moment, the Dodgers have matched the single-season franchise record with their 106th win on Sunday and will be looking to make history with a spread-covering victory later tonight.

In order to cover the spread against the Padres, the Dodgers must continue their dominance over San Diego in the same way they have prevailed all season long. With a 12-4 record versus the Padres in 2022, Los Angeles has done most of their damage at the plate whenever they have squared off with their in-state division rivals. In those 16 games, the Dodgers have scored at least five runs in ten of those meetings. Bafflingly, LA has been absolutely stupendous on offense this season, as they are the top hitting squad in every statistical category other than batting average, in which they are a “disappointing” second in the league with a .259 mark. With that being said, expect Los Angeles to go big or go home with the sticks in this one.

Pitching-wise, the Dodgers are in good shape to give their bullpen some much-needed rest as Tyler Anderson as he has made a quality start in 12 of his last 14 outings. He has been phenomenal against the Padres this season with a 2-0 record and a 1.50 ERA in his three starts. Like the offense, the Dodgers are ranked first in ERA, WHIP, and BAA as this pitching staff does not look like it will be slowing down any time soon.

Why The Padres Could Cover The Spread

While the Padres have failed to live up to the pre-season expectations of challenging the Dodgers for the division, don't be misinformed; this is a solid roster that has the makeup to generate some noise during this year's postseason. Yes, San Diego has yet to clinch a Wild Card spot, but their magic number sits at six. Not to mention, but the Padres will have an added edge in that their nine remaining regular season games are at home where San Diego has gone 40-32 overall.

Clearly, the Padres aren't out of the woods yet, but a win tonight would do wonders for this franchise as a whole. In order to do that, San Diego must be as proficient as possible from the pitching mound. At first glance, the Padres have the right man for the job in Blake Snell, as the 29-year-old lefty is fresh off of back-to-back wins while accumulating a minuscule 2.86 ERA in eight career starts versus Los Angeles. Without a doubt, Snell can definitely slow down a red-hot Dodgers attack if he can get into a groove in the early frames.

Offensively, the Padres are certainly missing the presence of shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., but they are at least equipped with All-Star third baseman Manny Machado, who leads the club with a .299 average, 31 home runs, and 100 RBIs on the season. This is an offensive attack that should not be overlooked despite above-average numbers, and with a lefty in Anderson on the mound for the Dodgers, don't be surprised if the right-handed heavy lineup of the Padres can get after the Los Angeles starter.

Final Dodgers-Padres Prediction & Pick

There aren't many rivalries in baseball that are as intense as this one. With the battle of Southern California on full display tonight, it will be the Padres playing a little more desperately in trying to clinch a Wild Card spot that will top the Dodgers in game one of the series.

Final Dodgers-Padres Prediction & Pick: Padres +1.5 (-178)