Two of the National League’s best square off Saturday night as the Los Angeles Dodgers (9-3) face the San Diego Padres (9-5) at Petco Park.
It’ll be the second game of the series after the Dodgers grabbed a 6-1 victory in game one on Friday. Former Dodger Yu Darvish will be on the bump for San Diego, while Tyler Anderson is expected to get the nod for Los Angeles.
Check out our free MLB picks and predictions for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres on Saturday, April 23.
Dodgers vs Padres odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
The Padres opened as +103 underdogs at home. The line currently resides between Padres +102 and -105 depending on the book. The total has been set at 8 across all markets.
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right up until kickoff and be sure to check out the full MLB odds before placing your bets.
Dodgers vs Padres predictions
Picks made on 4/23/2022 at 2:30 a.m. ET.
Click on each pick to jump to the full analysis.
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Dodgers vs Padres game info
• Location: Petco Park, San Diego, CA
• Date: Saturday, April 23, 2022
• First pitch: 8:40 p.m. ET
• TV: SportsNet LA, Bally Sports San Diego
Dodgers vs Padres betting preview
Starting pitchers
Tyler Anderson (1-0, 2.25 ERA): The Dodgers have not formally announced a starting pitcher as of the time of this writing, but all signs indicated that Tyler Anderson will get the nod. The 32-year-old left-hander has a career ERA of 4.59 and his peripherals aren’t exactly exciting. He’s expected to eat up some innings for the Dodgers this season. He’s pitched only eight innings this season but had performed well, striking out eight with a 0.50 WHIP.
Yu Darvish (1-1, 6.28 ERA): The veteran right-hander has ugly numbers across three starts this season, but he’s pitched very well in two of those outings. In 12 2-3 combined innings against the Diamondbacks and Braves, he allowed only one earned while striking out 11. Sandwiched in between those starts was a disastrous performance against the Giants, in which he allowed nine earned over only 1 2-3 innings. He had a stellar 3.32 xERA a season ago.
Weather
Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our MLB weather info.
Key injuries
Dodgers: Dodgers: Gavin Lux SS (Questionable), Blake Treinen RP (Out), Caleb Ferguson RP (Out), Tommy Kahnle RP (Out), Jimmy Nelson RP (Out).
Padres: Fernando Tatis Jr. SS (Out), Pierce Johnson RP (Out), Drew Pomeranz RP (Out), Michel Baez RP (Out), Austin Adams RP (Out).
Find our latest MLB injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Padres are 4-0 in their last 4 home games. Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Padres
Dodgers vs Padres picks and predictions
Our side and total predictions are based upon our analysis of the line and total in this game. Our best bet is our favorite pick across all markets.
Moneyline analysis
The Padres should enjoy a pitching advantage in this matchup. Yu Darvish will be on the bump, and his numbers don’t paint an accurate picture of his true value on the mound.
Yes, he allowed a ghastly nine earned runs against the Giants in less than two innings of work — not ideal! That being said, he’s pitched very well in his two other starts (one earned across over 12 innings of work) and has enough experience in the MLB for us to know the true Darvish.
Darvish was sharp in his first season in San Diego, but his 8-11 record and 4.22 ERA don’t necessarily display that for the masses. His 3.75 xFIP and 3.32 xERA make it very clear that he was unlucky in 2021, and his 2.01 ERA in 2020 shows that he’s an elite pitcher when on his A-game.
Tyler Anderson holds a career 4.59 ERA and is nothing special. It’s not difficult to discern that the Padres possess the upper hand in this pitching matchup. The Dodgers hold the upper hand when comparing lineups, but the margin is slimmer than some may imagine.
The Dodgers rank fifth in OPS (.338), while the Padres check in at eighth (.330). The early action has backed San Diego, and we agree with that assessment. The Padres were hit hard by injuries a year ago but are a complete baseball team and are primed to make a run toward the postseason in 2022.
The Dodgers took the first game of the series, and that should light a fire under the Padres to come out hot in game two. They have the starting pitching advantage and should capitalize on this winnable spot.
Prediction: Padres ML (+102 at Unibet)
Over/Under analysis
As alluded to above, I’m a fan of Darvish’s profile. He’s been around the league on several teams and has become an underrated asset due to his seemingly unimpressive debut season in San Diego.
The numbers paint a very clear picture that he was unlucky a year ago (3.32 xERA as opposed to 4.22 ERA) and we expect positive regression. We don’t have many positives to say about Tyler Anderson, but the journeyman is certainly no scrub.
The Padres have a solid lineup but rank near the middle of the pack in wOBA (13th) and wRC+ (12th). We favor this lineup enough to warrant a moneyline play but aren’t particularly bullish on an offensive explosion.
Both bullpens appear solid in the early goings of 2022. The Dodgers rank fourth in bullpen ERA (2.44), while the Padres' bullpen is slightly below average with a 3.40 ERA.
The first game of the series went Under the total in a 6-1 Dodgers win. We expect another low-scoring affair on Saturday and therefore recommend the Under.
Prediction: Under 8 (-110 at Unibet)
Best bet
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Yu Darvish is an underrated commodity in the MLB. He’s been a solid front-of-the-rotation starter for years now and is still being disrespected in betting markets when the underlying numbers show that he’s a quality arm.
The Padres were one of the most unfortunate teams in the league in 2021 and will look to turn the tide around in 2022. They have the pitching staff and lineup to make a run, and could use a few statement wins along the way to help their case.
Saturday should prove a prime spot for San Diego to nab a win over a very quality opponent. We’re backing Darvish and the Padres on the moneyline.
Pick: Padres ML (+102 at Unibet)
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