The final matchup on the MLB betting board tonight is an NL West battle between the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Padres took the first game in this series with a 3-2 victory last night, but the Dodgers are -145 favorites to bounce back with a win tonight.
Here are our best free Padres vs. Dodgers picks and predictions for Friday, April 23, with the first pitch at 7:10 p.m. ET.
Padres vs Dodgers odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
Compare MLB odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
MLB sharp money and line movement report
By Patrick EversonLos Angeles opened -148 Thursday night at DraftKings, ticked down to -143, then moved as high as -157 early this evening. As of 7 p.m. ET, the Dodgers are -155 while taking 71 percent of tickets and 76 percent of cash on the moneyline. The total is down a full run to 6.5 (Over -120), with 57 percent of tickets/64 percent of money on the Under.
Check out the full line movement for this gamePadres vs Dodgers betting preview
Starting pitchers
Yu Darvish (1-1, 2.55 ERA): Darvish looked awful in his Padres debut against the Diamondbacks but has been lights out since, allowing just one run in each of his last three starts.
The four-time All-Star is looking for an encore performance after finishing as the NL Cy Young runner-up last year, going 8-3 with a 2.01 ERA and 0.96 WHIP for the Cubs.
Clayton Kershaw (3-1, 2.19 ERA): Kershaw was also rocked in his season debut at hitter-friendly Coors Field and has been excellent ever since. He hasn't allowed a single run in 12 innings over his last two starts.
The three-time NL Cy Young Winner is coming off a 2020 season where he pitched to a 2.16 ERA with a WHIP of 0.84 during the regular season, before exorcising his postseason demons with an excellent World Series.
Weather
Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our MLB weather info.
Key injuries
Padres: Austin Nola C (Out), Matt Strahm RP (Out).
Dodgers: Gavin Lux SS (Questionable), Cody Bellinger RF (Out), Joe Kelly RP (Out).
Find our latest MLB injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Under is 6-0 in the Padres' last six games overall. Find more MLB betting trends for Padres vs. Dodgers.
Moneyline pick
With both teams rolling out ace starters for this matchup, pitching will likely be a wash. But the Dodgers have a clear advantage when it comes to hitting.
These teams faced off against each other with the same starters on the mound last week with the Dodgers winning 2-0. The Padres were shut out in that game and have struggled at the plate all season, ranking 20th in the majors in OPS (.677) and 29th in scoring with 3.53 runs per game.
The Dodgers have one of the most feared lineups in the majors, featuring Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, Corey Seager, and Justin Turner. Los Angeles is sixth in the majors with 5.04 runs per game, while ranking third in OPS at .774.
The Dodgers are 40-11 in their last 51 games against a right-handed starter, while the Padres are just 14-40 in their previous 54 contests against a left-handed starter. Expect the Dodgers to bounce back with a win.
PREDICTION: ML Dodgers (-145)
Over/Under pick
These teams combined for just five runs last night and totaled just two runs when Darvish and Kershaw faced off last week.
Darvish is coming off a terrific season for the Cubs and was fantastic against the Dodgers on Saturday, allowing just one hit and fanning nine batters through seven innings of work.
Kershaw continues to build on his Hall of Fame resume and also had a blinder last Saturday when he held the Friars to two hits and struck out eight across six scoreless innings.
It isn't just the starters who have been great for these teams. The Padres bullpen ranks fourth in the majors with an ERA of 2.77, while Dodgers relievers rank eighth with a 3.46 ERA.
The Padres were one of the best power-hitting teams in the majors last season but rank just 27th with 0.85 home runs per game this year. That dropoff in offensive production has made them an Under bettors dream, with San Diego going 5-15 O/U in its previous 20 games.
Los Angeles, meanwhile, is 6-2 to the Under in its last seven home games and the Under has also cashed in 12 of the previous 16 meetings between these teams in L.A. Take the Under again.
PREDICTION: Under 7 (-120)
Padres vs Dodgers betting card
- ML Dodgers (-145)
- Under 7 (-120)
Picks made on 4/23/2021 at 12:05 p.m. ET
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