The San Diego Padres take on the Los Angeles Dodgers. Check out our MLB odds series for our Padres Dodgers prediction and pick.
Joe Musgrove gets the start for the Padres, while Mitch White gets the call for the Dodgers.

Joe Musgrove has a 2.12 ERA. He has been tremendous this season. How tremendous? Consider this: In each of his first 13 starts this season, Musgrove did not allow more than two earned runs. He did have a few appearances in which he allowed more than two runs, but not two earned runs. That is a remarkable run of consistency.

The party finally came to an end for Musgrove in his last outing this past week at home versus the Phillies. Philadelphia got to Musgrove for six runs in six innings on June 23. It will be fascinating to see if Musgrove wobbles in this upcoming game against the Dodgers, or if he steadies himself and bounces back with a strong outing. Every pitcher — every player — goes through a rough period during a baseball season. Will Musgrove have back-to-back difficult starts, or will that Phillie game be the only real blip on his radar screen?

Mitch White has a 4.25 ERA. He was used as a reliever in the first month and a half of the season, through May 21. Beginning with an appearance on May 26 against the Diamondbacks, he was moved to the starting rotation. In four recent appearances as a spot starter, he has done a solid job for the Dodgers with Walker Buehler injured and other middle and long relievers also hit by health problems. In these four spot starts, White has pitched 18 innings and given up six runs. That is clean and easy math. You can obviously see that White has pitched to a 3.00 ERA in those four starts. If he can pitch to a three-run ERA in this game against San Diego, the Dodgers will gladly take that.

Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Padres-Dodgers MLB odds.

MLB Odds: Padres-Dodgers Odds

San Diego Padres: +1.5 (-178)

Los Angeles Dodgers: -1.5 (+146)

Over: 7.5 (-115)

Under: 7.5 (-105)

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Why The Padres Could Cover the Spread

The Dodgers are not playing good baseball. They were fortunate to win a weekend series against the Braves in which they were down to their last out on Sunday before improbably rallying for an 11-inning triumph. They lost a series to the Rockies. The Dodgers have been badly outplayed by the Rockies and the Pittsburgh Pirates this season. They are inconsistent. Their batting order is top-heavy and can be shut down if the elite hitters don't hit. Joe Musgrove has been a superb pitcher this season, and he has a great chance to shut down the Dodgers. Also, Mitch White is clearly not in Musgrove's league. The Padres can get to him and score a decisive victory.

Why The Dodgers Could Cover the Spread

After a bad series in Denver against the Rockies, you know the Dodgers are going to be revved up and ready for this huge series versus the Padres. The Dodgers get to play a San Diego team without its best player, National League MVP frontrunner Manny Machado. The Dodgers have usually responded to the challenge posed by the Padres when these two teams have met in big moments. L.A. will make a statement here in the first game of a massive series just before the All-Star break.

Final Padres-Dodgers Prediction & Pick

Picking a winner is a stay-away play. Frankly, this is a stay-away game in general. The over looks like the best play available, due to Musgrove's recent struggles plus the lack of a proven identity for Mitch White in a situation as big as this one. However, it's the best play only because the other plays are much worse. Stay away from the game, but the over is the best option you have.

Final Padres-Dodgers Prediction & Pick: Over 7.5