The San Diego Padres gave it their all in last night’s 16-inning marathon against the Los Angeles Dodgers but, once again, came up short.
San Diego's postseason hopes are fading quickly, and things won’t get any easier tonight as they go up against Los Angeles' newest ace in Max Scherzer. Can the return of Yu Darvish help the Padres take down the red-hot Dodgers as underdogs?
Find out with our free MLB betting picks and predictions for Dodgers vs. Padres on Thursday, August 26.
Dodgers vs Padres game info
• Location: Petco Park, San Diego, CA
• Date: Thursday, August 26, 2021
• Time: 9:10 p.m. ET
• TV: BSSD, SportsNet LA
Dodgers vs Padres odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
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Dodgers vs Padres betting preview
Starting pitchers
Max Scherzer (11-4, 2.65 ERA): Scherzer has looked outstanding in Dodger blue. The right-hander has pitched to a 2.11 ERA, is limiting teams to a .205 batting average, and has racked up 31 strikeouts in his first 21 1-3 innings of work as a Dodger.
Yu Darvish (7-7, 3.70 ERA): Darvish hasn’t pitched since August 12 due to a back ailment, but he just hasn’t looked right since the start of July. The right-hander has been lit up for a 7.13 ERA and is giving up a .268 opponent batting average, including 11 dingers over his last seven starts.
Weather
Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our MLB weather info.
Key injuries
Dodgers: Mookie Betts RF (Questionable), Scott Alexander RP (Out), Evan Philips RP (Out).
Padres: Taylor Williams RP (Questionable), Matt Strahm RP (Out).
Find our latest MLB injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Over is 5-2-1 in the last eight meetings between the Dodgers and Padres. Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Padres.
Moneyline pick
This brutal stretch for the Padres looks like it has taken another gut punch after they came up short in last night’s 16-inning defeat. The loss was the Padres' 11th in their last 13 games but, luckily for them, the Cincinnati Reds lost as well and SAn Diego remains one game behind Cincy for the final National League wild-card spot.
A big reason for the Padres’ slump is that their bats have run ice cold. Over this 13-game stretch, San Diego ranks dead last in MLB in both batting average (.191) and OPS (.623). And a date against Mad Max doesn’t bode well.
Scherzer, 37, is having one of the best seasons of his career. The right-hander has allowed more than two earned runs just four times over his 23 starts and sports a career-best WHIP of 0.91 WHIP while striking out 12.1 batters per nine innings.
Darvish, meanwhile, wasn’t pitching well before getting hurt and is being thrown straight into the fire coming off the IL, going against a Dodgers team that has won 15 of their last 17 games overall. This is a good price to back Scherzer and the Dodgers.
PREDICTION: Dodgers (-135)
Over/Under pick
When it comes to the total, 7.5 feels like a number that would be more accurate if Darvish was at his best. He does have three excellent performances against the Dodgers this season, but that's just something we can’t be sure about coming off the IL, particularly for a back injury, which can take nothing for a pitcher to tweak.
He faces a Dodgers lineup that is clicking with Trea Turner leading off and is plating 5.12 runs per contest over this 17-game stretch. Plus, they could get Mookie Betts back for this game. And if Darvish can’t go long, he’ll have to hand the ball to a Padres bullpen that ranks 28th in ERA and WHIP over the team's 13-game slump and is likely gassed after last night’s lengthy matchup.
And while Scherzer is dealing right now, two of his worst starts this season have come against the Padres. Bet on this one to eclipse the number.
PREDICTION: Over 7.5 (-110)
Dodgers vs Padres betting card
- Dodgers (-135)
- Over 7.5 (-110)
Picks made on 8/26/2021 at 1:20 p.m. ET
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