The San Diego Padres (10-6) avoided a late-game throwaway of Saturday's game when Austin Nola secured the win in the bottom of the 10th with a sacrifice fly after surrendering two runs in the top of the eighth to tie the game 2-2.
The series is now knotted up with the Los Angeles Dodgers (10-4) at 1-1, and Sunday's game will determine the winner of the first series between these two NL West contenders.
Read our MLB picks and predictions to find out who will win Sunday afternoon with both teams sending talented arms to the mound to secure the win.
Dodgers vs Padres odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
The Dodgers opened as -135 favorites and have since moved all the way up to -155. The total opened at 7.5 and has since moved down to 7.
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right up until first pitch and be sure to check out the full MLB odds before placing your bets.
Dodgers vs Padres predictions
Picks made on 4/24/2022 at 12:00 p.m. ET.
Click on each pick to jump to the full analysis.
If you're signing up for a new sportsbook for the 2022 MLB season, here are two of the best bonuses* available:
A) New users can bet $20 and get $200 in free bets with Caesars! Sign Up Now
B) New users can get two risk-free bets up to $2,000 at PointsBet! Sign Up Now
*Eligible USA locations only
Dodgers vs Padres game info
• Location: Petco Park, San Diego, CA
• Date: Sunday, April 24, 2022
• First pitch: 4:10 p.m. ET
• TV: Bally Sports, Sportsnet
Dodgers vs Padres betting preview
Starting pitchers
Clayton Kershaw (2-0, 3.00 ERA): The former MVP and three-time Cy Young winner really needs no introduction at this point. Kershaw followed up his perfect seven-inning conversation-stirring outing with four earned runs in five innings against the Braves in his last time out.
Sean Manaea (2-1, 1.42 ERA): The former Athletic was sent to the Padres just before the season began, and the seventh-year pitcher has paid dividends thus far. With a whopping three quality starts and a sterling 0.79 WHIP to his name, Manaea is providing the Padres with their best starting pitching in 2022 thus far.
Weather
Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our MLB weather info.
Key injuries
Dodgers: Tommy Kahlne RP (Out), Blake Treinen (Out), Darien Nunez RP (Questionable).
Padres: Fernando Tatis Jr. (Out), Pierce Johnson RP (Out), Luke Voit 1B (Questionable).
Find our latest MLB injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Dodgers have gone 9-4-1 (69.2%) to the Under and the Padres have gone 12-4 (75%). 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
In an attempt to elevate their ceiling as of late, the Padres have thrown a lot of capital towards starting pitching. Blake Snell, Mike Clevinger, and Yu Darvish are among some of those arms the Padres have traded for and all have not been the investment they were hoping for either through subpar play or injuries.
The signing of Joe Musgrove two offseasons ago was the first success story (11-9. 3.18 ERA) but that was a free agency signing plus the Padres would need more in lieu of the shortcomings of the aforementioned trades. Enter Sean Manaea, who has been one of the main reasons why the Athletics were a threat in recent years and who the Padres traded for days before Opening Day to help fill out their injury-plagued and underwhelming rotation.
Manaea has been worth the price of admission, leading the league with three quality starts. Quality starts (six innings or more pitched with three or fewer earned runs allowed) unrightfully and rarely get the allure and attention as wins do, but they are incredibly invaluable during a 2022 season in which pitchers have not been able to go an appreciable distance yet due to a shortened Spring Training.
But it's not that the Padres' new arm just eats up innings, he does it with incredible command of the game at the same time. Manaea's .152 batting average allowed is seventh-best in the MLB and his 0.79 WHIPis tied for 11th. But in a small sample, these Dodgers batters have fared better than most against Manaea.
In a combined 50 plate appearances, Manaea has managed just an 8% strikeout rate compared to his 21.3% career mark. They've also hit Manaea for a .348 average and a .761 slugging percentage. Mookie Betts has seen Manaea the most (18 PAs) and has hit him for a .353 BA and .882 SLG, including two home runs. If Betts is in the lineup for Sunday's getaway game, Sunday afternoon could become a long one for the Padres.
Clayton Kershaw will take the mound for the Dodgers and will hope for an outing closer to his first one (seven perfect innings) as opposed to his latest (four earned runs in five innings).
The Padres' hitters have come to the plate 182 times against Kershaw, have struck out 23.2% of the time, and have managed just a .227 batting average. Eric Hosmer has had the most success against Kershaw with his .303 batting average in 33 plate appearances, but Kershaw, to his credit, has kept that contact soft by allowing just two extra-base hits.
Prediction: Dodgers moneyline (-147 at WynnBET)
Over/Under analysis
Both teams are among the friendliest towards Unders, with the Dodgers playing to a 9-4-1 (69.2%) record that way and the Padres playing an even better 12-4 (75%), the second-best mark in the league.
The wind projects to blow 10-12 MPH left to right by game time, but the humidity is what is to note. The game projects to have an abnormally low 22% humidity, which means the air will be denser and the ball will not fly as far as usual.
Add on to the fact that all 30 stadiums use humidors, which store balls at a league-wide standard of 50% humidity, the ball will be more moist and dense than the air, further deadening the ball's potential pop.
Then throw in the fact that Sunday's matchup will feature two premier arms, and you have all the ingredients for an Under.
Prediction: Under 7 (-115 at WynnBET)
Best bet
Sean Manaea has had a fantastic start to 2022 but his track record when it comes to these Dodgers hitters is a bit shaky. And Clayton Kershaw has been a fantastic pitcher over the course of his future Hall of Fame career, but his two starts have fallen on complete opposite ends of the spectrum.
Although we cannot project which pitcher will have a solid outing on Sunday afternoon between the two with high confidence, the likelihood that at least one has one is particularly high. And with that in mind, our focus may be best channelled towards the Under.
With both teams already playing favorably in that direction this year and the weather playing that way as well, it may be best to not sweat who will win what projects to be a great pitching duel and just make the sensical wager on the total.
Pick: Under 7 (-115 at WynnBET)
Did you know that if you parlayed today’s MLB Dodgers vs. Padres picks, you could win $21.41 on a $10 bet?
Use our MLB parlay calculator to create your own parlays and see their potential payouts.
