The Dodgers’ 10th playoff appearance in 10 seasons begins Tuesday in Game 1 of the National League Division Series when they play host to the San Diego Padres.
Familiar division rivals advanced to this stage of the playoffs after the Padres dispatched the New York Mets in a three-game series.
The final game of the four division series matchups on Tuesday is the 20th meeting of the season between the teams with the Dodgers holding a 14-5 edge. Los Angeles won the National League West division over the second-place Padres by 22 games, setting a franchise record with 111 victories.
The Dodgers are -225 to win the series at Caesars Sportsbook and PointsBet and +300 to sweep the series at DraftKings and Caesars.
HERE’S THE PITCH
Manager Dave Roberts said the Dodgers had the luxury of a virtual coin flip with the decision to start Julio Urias or Clayton Kershaw on Tuesday. The tea leaves tell a different story of why it’ll be Kershaw in Game 2.
Urias dominated the Padres in four starts this season, going 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA over 24 innings. Three of those starts came in September, when Urias went 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA. In 15 career appearances (10 starts) against San Diego, Urias is 6-1 with a 2.19 ERA (61 2/3 innings).
Urias had a 2.43 ERA at home this season.
If you are searching for reason to buy the Padres or over 7 runs (-133 at Caesars), Urias did allow three total home runs to San Diego in Sept. 3 and Sept. 10 starts.
–Our Pick: Julio Urias under 4.5 hits allowed at -130 with DraftKings
MACHO MACHADO MAN
Machado led the Padres with 32 home runs and had two dingers off of Urias in an 8-4 loss Sept. 10. He hits .370 in his career against Urias with four home runs in 27 at-bats.
Urias is unlikely to put many pitches near the plate with Machado in the box. That’s because Juan Soto (1 for 18) and Trent Grisham (0 for 7) haven’t touched him, and Austin Nola isn’t much better: 3 for 15, three strikeouts.
–Our Pick: Manny Machado under 1.5 total bases at -120 with DraftKings
FREE SWINGING
Freddie Freeman might’ve smiled when the Padres announced right-hander Mike Clevinger as their Game 1 starter. The last time he saw Clevinger was last month, and he homered in the first inning, then plated another run with a sacrifice fly on his next swing.
The Dodgers owned Clevinger in 2022. He went 0-2 with a 9.69 ERA, gave up 14 runs and 16 hits in 13 innings pitched over three miserable starts and Los Angeles mashed five home runs off of the 31-year-old right-hander.
In his final six starts of the season, Clevinger allowed eight home runs and 20 earned runs in 23 innings.
–Our Picks: Dodgers over 2 hits in bottom of first at +240 with DraftKings
–Field Level Media
