Los Angeles Dodgers @ San Diego Padres 9:40pm EST

Dodgers -1.5 -110 (1u)

This is Game 1 of a 3 game series between the Padres and Dodgers. The Dodgers come into this game with the best offense in the MLB in almost every statistical category. They have won 14 out of their last 16 games, including 7 straight. They have covered -1.5 in 6 of those 7 games, with the one exception being the 4-3 win over the Atlanta Braves. As a team, the Dodgers are batting .270 with a .354 OBP. Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts have the 1st and 3rd highest individual average in the league at .355 and .346.

The Padres are lethal on offense as well. They are right behind the Dodgers in team average, OBP, hits and runs. They have been solid all year, and the addition of Luis Arraez to their roster has only increased their offensive capability. However, they come into this game licking a few wounds. In their last 12 games, the Padres are 6-6, including a sweep by the Phillies. The Padres have been prone to letting good teams score on them, as evidenced in their series against the Phillies, Cubs and Dodgers earlier this season.

Let’s dive into the pitching matchup here:

(LAD) Tyler Glasnow

8 G / 6-1 / 2.70 ERA / 50.0 IP / 63 SO / 0.92 WHIP

(SD) Michael King

8 G / 3-3 / 4.29 ERA / 42.0 IP / 43 SO / 1.40 WHIP

Plain and simple, Tyler Glasnow has been great this year. He comes into the game with a 6-1 record and the Dodgers have won 7/8 games that he has started. He has 4 games with at least 9 strikeouts, including 2 games with 10 and one with 14. He is tied for first in the MLB with 63 Ks. He has allowed 2 runs or less in 6 starts, including 4 games allowing 1 or less in at least 6 innings every time. Glasnow has an impressive sub 1 WHIP at 0.92. He has been terrific at limit base runners and not getting into trouble. In his first matchup against San Diego, Glasnow went 5.0 innings, allowing 2 hits and 2 runs in a 5-2 Dodgers win. Glasnow has only gotten better, as he only had 3 Strikeouts in this game with 4 walks. In 34 plate appearances against this Padres lineup, he has only allowed 4 hits and 1 RBI. Glasnow can shut this Padres lineup down no doubt, and he gets a chance to do it with the Dodgers coming alive on offense.

Michael King will be taking the mound tonight for the Padres in his ninth start of the season. King has been very hot and cold this year, with 3 games allowing 6 or more runs, and 3 games allowing 1 or less. In 2 games against the Dodgers, King has gone 8.1 innings, allowing 10 hits, 10 runs with 5 Home Runs and 5 walks. The Padres won both of those games with scores of 8-7 and 15-11. Tonight should be different, however, as the Dodgers send Glasnow to the mound and are much better on offense than they were at the beginning of the season. The Dodgers have shown that they can string hits together, especially with their deadly lineup in Betts, Ohtani, Freeman, Smith, Muncy and Teoscar Hernandez. King’s 1.40 WHIP suggests he is vulnerable to letting people on base, which can become a major problem against Los Angeles.

We love the Dodgers in this spot as they look to avenge some early losses against their divisional foe. Tyler Glasnow should be electric on the mound tonight and we look for the Dodgers to continue to exploit King tonight.