San Diego Padres vs Los Angeles Dodgers Picks and Prediction for Tuesday September 22 2026

The San Diego Padres visit the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. First pitch is scheduled for 10:10 PM ET with coverage on MLB.TV and TBS. San Diego enters at 87-69 overall and 38-40 on the road, while Los Angeles is 96-60 overall and an impressive 50-28 at home. The Dodgers lead the NL West by nine games over the Padres and have won four straight, but San Diego arrives with an even longer five-game winning streak. Los Angeles has controlled the season series, winning seven of the first 10 meetings. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Be sure to check out our free MLB picks for more MLB predictions throughout the season.

Starting Pitchers

San Diego is scheduled to start Michael King, who enters at 12-9 with a 3.03 ERA and 1.16 WHIP through 181 innings. He has allowed 142 hits and 20 home runs while recording 154 strikeouts against 68 walks. Los Angeles counters with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is 14-8 with a 2.51 ERA and outstanding 0.87 WHIP through 179 innings. He has surrendered only 114 hits and 19 home runs while striking out 178 and walking 41. Both starters have delivered strong seasons, but Yamamoto owns the statistical advantage with the lower ERA and WHIP, more strikeouts and significantly fewer walks and hits allowed despite nearly identical workloads. King gives San Diego a legitimate chance to stay close, but Los Angeles enters with the stronger starting-pitching profile.

San Diego Arrives on a Five-Game Winning Streak

San Diego enters this divisional showdown at 87-69 and has won five consecutive games. The Padres swept three games from Miami after closing their Colorado series with consecutive victories. They scored at least seven runs in all five victories, winning 9-3, 9-2, 8-2, 7-6 in 10 innings and 7-3. That adds up to 40 runs scored and only 16 allowed during the five-game streak. The Padres remain nine games behind Los Angeles in the NL West, but they are bringing some of their best recent baseball into this matchup.

San Diego is batting .244 with 690 runs, 1,261 hits and 179 home runs. The Padres own a .319 on-base percentage and .400 slugging percentage. Their pitching staff has been considerably stronger, carrying a 3.94 ERA and 1.29 WHIP while issuing 528 walks and recording 1,267 strikeouts. Opposing hitters are batting .241 against San Diego pitching. Those numbers provide the Padres with a balanced profile even though their offense has been far more productive during the current winning streak than it has been over the full season.

The major question is whether that offensive surge can continue against one of the strongest pitching matchups San Diego has faced recently. The Padres have also been much less imposing away from home, carrying a 38-40 road record into Dodger Stadium. Los Angeles has already won seven of 10 head-to-head meetings this season, so San Diego's recent streak does not erase the matchup difficulties it has experienced against its division rival. Still, scoring 40 runs over five games makes the Padres dangerous enough that Los Angeles cannot simply rely on its season-long superiority.

Los Angeles Continues to Control the NL West

Los Angeles enters at 96-60 and owns a nine-game advantage atop the NL West. The Dodgers have won four straight games after dropping a 6-2 decision at Cincinnati. They responded by winning 8-2 before sweeping three games from San Francisco by scores of 8-2, 10-4 and 3-1. Over their last five games, the Dodgers are 4-1 and have outscored their opponents 31-15. They have also been excellent at Dodger Stadium this season, where their 50-28 record gives them a substantial home-field advantage.

The Dodgers are batting .257 with 780 runs, 1,349 hits and 197 home runs. They have a .339 on-base percentage and .426 slugging percentage, giving them clear advantages over San Diego in every one of those major offensive categories. Los Angeles has also been stronger on the mound, producing a 3.62 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with 471 walks and 1,450 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting only .219 against Dodgers pitching.

Los Angeles therefore brings the more complete statistical profile into this matchup. The Dodgers have scored 90 more runs than San Diego, have the lower team ERA and WHIP, and have struck out 183 more opposing hitters. They also have the better starting-pitching numbers Tuesday and have dominated the season series. San Diego's five-game winning streak makes this more competitive than the overall records alone might suggest, but Los Angeles has multiple measurable advantages and has been extremely difficult to beat at home.

San Diego Padres vs Los Angeles Dodgers Picks and Prediction

Pick: Los Angeles Dodgers Moneyline

This is a strong matchup between two hot teams, but Los Angeles holds too many advantages to ignore. The Dodgers have the superior overall record, a 50-28 home mark and a 7-3 advantage in the season series. They also hold meaningful advantages in batting average, runs scored, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, team ERA, WHIP and opponent batting average. San Diego's five-game winning streak deserves respect, but the Padres are below .500 on the road and now face an opponent that has won four straight while receiving the better starting-pitching matchup. With no confirmed price available, the Dodgers moneyline is the preferred side.

Pick: Under 8 or Higher

There is plenty of offensive firepower in this matchup, especially with San Diego scoring 40 runs over its last five games and Los Angeles producing 31 during the same span. The starting matchup, however, creates a different handicapping angle. San Diego's starter carries a 3.03 ERA through 181 innings, while the Los Angeles starter owns a 2.51 ERA and 0.87 WHIP through 179 innings. The Dodgers also have a 3.62 team ERA and .219 opponent batting average, while San Diego owns a respectable 3.94 ERA. At a total of 8 or higher, the under provides the better value in a game featuring two starters capable of controlling the early innings.

Final Picks: Los Angeles Dodgers Moneyline and Under 8 or Higher

This preview was completed on Monday, September 21, 2026. Starting pitchers, betting lines and other game information are subject to change before the game begins.