Padres vs. Dodgers Game 1 predictions, odds: MLB NLDS best bets, picks
The rivalry between the Dodgers and Padres continues into the postseason as the two National League West foes meet again in the playoffs for the third time in five seasons.Los Angeles finished the campaign with MLB‘s best overall record, but that’s unlikely to trouble San Diego.After all, the Padres went 8-5 against the Dodgers during the regular season and won the last three head-to-head playoff meetings in their 2022 NLDS triumph.Dylan Cease will get the nod for San Diego in Game 1.Part of being a wild-card team involves having less control over setting up your starting pitching.However, the Padres have a deep rotation, as Cease would’ve pitched Game 3 in the wild-card round if needed. Caese does have decent numbers against this Dodgers roster.
In 91 plate appearances, they’re batting .231 with a .307 on-base percentage. Los Angeles will counter with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and the Dodgers lost both of his starts against the Padres this season. Yamamoto made his major-league debut in the season’s second game against the Padres and only pitched one inning after allowing five runs on four hits.While the Japanese right-hander remains a quality pitcher, he missed nearly three months with a shoulder injury and hasn’t gone more than five innings since a June 7 start against the Yankees.If Yamamoto struggles to pitch deep into the game, the Dodgers’ bullpen could be their Achilles heel against a Padres team that’s well-stocked with relievers.It’s worth noting that since the MLB introduced its new playoff format in 2022, underdogs that scored five or more runs coming off a sweep in the wild-card round are on a 3-0 run straight-up and 3-1 overall.The Padres are peaking at the right time and are in a position to steal Game 1.BET: Padres moneyline (+118, FanDuel)Michael Arinze handicaps most major sports for the New York Post.He’s cashed two 15-leg teasers in his betting career as well as a 12-leg parlay that included eight Little League World Series gam...