The Los Angeles Dodgers are favorites to win the World Series, and nothing about that has changed after they defeated the San Diego Padres in Game 1 of the NL Division Series on Tuesday.
The price on the Dodgers for this best-of-five-game NLDS is now at -480, with San Diego listed at +370 after losing Game 1, 5-3. These odds are from FanDuel.
Game 2 lines show the Padres at +170 and the Dodgers, with veteran Clayton Kershaw pitching, favored at -200, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
Oddsmakers have the Dodgers at +200 to win the World Series and +100 to win the National League pennant, according to NLDS markets listed at BetMGM, Caesars, and FanDuel. The Padres are +2100 to win the World Series (via FanDuel), which the franchise has never won.
The Padres gamely fought back from a five-run deficit in Game 1, and twice had the tying run at the plate. But the Dodgers superlative bullpen maintained the lead and closed out the game. Los Angeles has won the NL Division Series in each of the last two seasons, both times over NL West division rivals: the Giants in 2021, and Padres in 2020.
Game 2 of this series will be played at 8:37 p.m. ET at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday. It can be seen on FS1 or heard on ESPN Radio.
Padres vs. Dodgers Game 2 Odds
Here are current odds for Game 2 of the National League Division Series between the Padres and Dodgers, scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 12 in Los Angeles, from top sports betting apps.
Dodgers Odds to win Pennant, World Series
Following a franchise record 111 wins in the regular season, the Dodgers are the favorites to win the NL pennant and the World Series. The team led Major League Baseball in runs scored and fewest runs allowed. The Dodgers hit 212 homers and led MLB with a .775 OPS. The roster features four former MVP Award winners: Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Cody Bellinger, and Clayton Kershaw.
Given their amazing season, the Dodgers are understandably listed as the favorite to win the World Series:
- BetMGM: +200
- Caesars: +220
- DraftKings: +215
- FanDuel: +200
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Padres vs. Dodgers Pitching Matchup, Game 2 NLDS
Yu Darvish (16-8, 3.10 ERA) vs. Clayton Kershaw (12-3, 2.28 ERA)
Every start Kershaw makes this postseason could be the last time he toes the rubber for the Dodgers. The day after the end of the World Series, Kershaw’s contract will expire and he becomes a free agent. Next April, the Dodgers lefty will be 35 years old. His last Cy Young Award was in 2014, and he hasn’t pitched as many as 180 innings in any season since 2015. Will the Dodgers resign this generation’s Sandy Koufax? Could they let him walk and wear another uniform, maybe even one that’s brown and yellow or the color of the crosstown Angels?
That drama is the backdrop of every start by Kershaw from now on, but in Game 2, the question will be: can the southpaw flummox the Padres lineup once again? In two starts vs. San Diego in 2022, Kershaw allowed one earned run in 12 innings. But then there’s the puzzling fact that Kershaw has been a mediocre (at best) pitcher in the postseason. Despite a career 2.48 ERA in the regular season, Kershaw has a stinky 4.19 ERA in the postseason, including 28 homers in 30 starts. It’s the only blemish on his Hall of Fame career.
We cover Darvish below in our Game 2 prediction.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Trea Turner, right, hits a solo home run as San Diego Padres starting pitcher Mike Clevinger, left, and catcher Austin Nola watch during the first inning in Game 1 of a baseball NL Division Series Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Dodgers, Padres NLDS Game 2 Prediction
It feels like the Padres got as close as they were going to in Game 1 to stealing a victory on the road. Now in Game 2, Yu Darvish will be asked to repeat his fine pitching in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series. That seems unlikely.
If we’ve learned one thing so far in these playoffs, it’s that veteran starting pitchers have struggled. Other than Darvish, other revered starters like Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander have been battered around this October. It seems unlikely that Darvish will follow his last start with another masterpiece. This will be Darvish’s fourth start at Chavez Ravine this year, and historically he’s not been effective at the ballpark (10 HR allowed in 10 starts, a 3-5 record, and a 3.49 ERA).
We expect the Dodgers to plate more than five runs this time around, knocking Darvish out before the fifth. Look for Will Smith and Trea Turner to continue to be in the middle of the run-scoring action.
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