- What: MLB Divisional Series Playoff Game
- When: Sunday, October 6th
- Who: San Diego Padres vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
- Time: 5:03 p.m. PST
- Where: Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles, CA)
The Los Angeles Dodgers host the San Diego Padres in the second game of their National League Divisional Series. The Dodgers took a 1-0 series lead by defeating the Padres 7-5 on Saturday night.
San Diego Padres
The Padres offense allowed them to take an early lead in the first game of this series. When their offense is clicking, they’re as good as any team in baseball.
They will send Yu Darvish to the mound today. Darvish has faced challenges in the postseason, posting a 4-6 record with a 4.19 ERA over 11 career appearances.
Darvish’s performance this season mirrors that of previous ones. Although he has improved in limiting hits, he struggles with allowing home runs.
It’s Darvish Day.#FightForTheFaithful pic.twitter.com/qGQo0trLHw
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) October 6, 2024
However, he did find some success against the Dodgers in his recent playoff matchup with them and aims to deliver a similar performance.
Darvish will need to pitch deeper into the game compared to Dylan Cease, who pitched only 3 1/3 innings in the first game and allowed four earned runs on six hits.
The Padres have the firepower to match the Dodgers in this game. With a potential improvement in their pitching performance from the first game, they have a good chance to even the series tonight.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers answered every time the Padres took a lead in the first game. Having the best player in the National League helps and it’s even better when they deliver.
Shohei Ohtani crushed a three-run homer to right field in the second inning. The Dodgers are counting on more of that from him as he’s the key hitter they need to make a difference in the rest of the series
Tonight’s NLDS Game 2 #Dodgers lineup vs. Padres: pic.twitter.com/7OMyH2tVwE
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 6, 2024
The Dodgers lineup will need a repeat performance of the first game if they want to take a commanding 2-0 series lead. Ohtani, Betts, Freeman and Hernandez must continue to hit well to put pressure on Darvish and get to the bullpen.
The Dodgers will hand the ball to Jack Flaherty, who has not been able to pitch as well for them as he did for the Tigers earlier this season. He has a 3.58 ERA in his last ten starts.
Flaherty has had mixed results in the playoffs, with a record of 1-3 and a 3.60 ERA over five career postseason appearances. He will need to pitch better than Yamamoto did yesterday to help preserve the bullpen that was depleted in the first game of the series.
Padres-Dodgers Best Bet
This continues to be the most interesting series of the playoffs. The Dodgers had everything go right for them in the first game. Both teams starting pitchers struggled and didn’t pitch very long causing both teams to go to their bullpen early.
It’s difficult to imagine the Dodgers hitting as well again as they did yesterday. The Padres continued to put men on base even into the ninth inning. While our best bet of over 7.5 runs cashed with ease yesterday, I’m going to look at the moneyline in this matchup.
I am going to back the Padres in this one on the moneyline. They’re priced at +125 at most sportsbooks and despite the result in game one, their offense feels like a much better bet than the Dodgers right now.
The best bet in this one is Padres moneyline at +125 odds.
Are the Dodgers on upset alert against the Padres in the NLDS?
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Tony Reyes is a sports betting analyst and reporter for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X @TonyParlay.
