The baseball world turns its attention to the West Coast as the San Diego Padres begin a series with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night in Chavez Ravine.
It’s a crucial game — and series — in the NL West standings, where the Padres have moved one game up in first place after a recent hot stretch mirrored by a Dodgers cold spell.
See why my Padres vs. Dodgers predictions and MLB picks for Friday, August 15 are targeting Shohei Ohtani.
Padres vs Dodgers prediction
Padres vs Dodgers best bet: Shohei Ohtani Over 1.5 total bases (-141)
The San Diego Padres were riding high, winning five consecutive games to move into first place in the NL West. The good vibes were tempered a bit when Michael King, who was supposed to start the series opener tonight, was placed on the IL with left knee inflammation.
This immediately put San Diego in an unenviable pitching situation. Enter Randy Vasquez, recalled from Triple-A El Paso. While his 3.93 ERA doesn’t look bad on the surface, his 5.98 xERA is absolutely begging for the regression monster to pay a visit to Dodger Stadium.
The 26-year-old hurler doesn’t make batters miss (first percentile whiff rate and K-rate) and gets hit hard (fifth percentile in barrel rate). He gets tagged particularly hard by lefties, who have left him with a 6.70 xFIP and 1.69 WHIP that can be regarded with nothing other than contempt.
Shohei Ohtani mashes against right-handed pitching (186 wRC+) and typically performs well at home (178 wRC+). He’s averaging 2.4 total bases across his last 10 games and will be well-rested after Thursday’s day off. Regression is coming for Vasquez, and it’s name is Shohei Ohtani.
Padres vs Dodgers same-game parlay (SGP)
Shohei Ohtani Over 1.5 total bases
Fernando Tatis Jr. Over 1.5 total bases
Will Smith Over 1.5 hits + runs +RBI
Fernando Tatis Jr. has gotten the best of Clayton Kershaw in the past, going 7-for-20 with four home runs and a 1.359 OPS against the legendary lefty.
Will Smith stands to benefit from the favorable matchup against Vasquez. The catcher leads the NL in batting average (.312) and has reverse splits, posting a 169 wRC+ against right-handed pitchers.
Padres vs Dodgers odds
- Moneyline: San Diego +158 | Los Angeles -177
- Run line: San Diego +1.5 | Los Angeles -1.5
- Over/Under: Over 9.5 | Under 9.5
Padres vs Dodgers trend
Shohei Ohtani has recorded 2+ total bases in each of his last five home games. Find more MLB betting trends for Padres vs. Dodgers.
How to watch Padres vs Dodgers and game info
| Location | Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA |
| Date | Friday, August 15, 2025 |
| First pitch | 10:10 p.m. ET |
| TV | SDPA, SportsNet LA |
| Padres starting pitcher | Randy Vasquez (3-5, 3.93 ERA) |
| Dodgers starting pitcher | Clayton Kershaw (6-2, 3.14 ERA) |
Padres vs Dodgers latest injuries
Padres vs Dodgers weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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