Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Diego Padres odds, picks and predictions

The Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres open the 2024 Major League Baseball season in the Korea Series Wednesday morning in Seoul, South Korea. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 a.m. ET (ESPN). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Dodgers vs. Padres odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.

Season series: Dodgers won 2023 season series 9-4

This will be the 1st MLB regular-season game played on South Korean soil. The game takes place at the Gocheok Sky Dome in the capital city of Seoul, home of the Kiwoom Heroes of the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO). Former Dodgers and Padres major leaguer Chan Ho Park, the first Korean-born player in the majors, will be on hand to toss out the 1st pitch.

The Dodgers won the National League West with a 100-62 regular-season record, 16 games clear of the Arizona Diamondbacks. But Los Angeles ended up getting swept by the Snakes in the NLDS 3-0. The Padres were 2 games above .500 at 82-80 last season, 18 games back of the Dodgers. But there is a ton of excitement and expectations with the addition of DH Shohei Ohtani.

Padres manager Mike Shildt announced OF Jackson Merrill won the starting center field job. The 20-year-old, 1st-round pick in 2021 (27th overall) is expected to become just the 3rd player in the past 50 years to start in center field on Opening Day before turning 21 years old. The other 2 were Ken Griffey Jr. and Andruw Jones, so that’s quite an exclusive club.

Dodgers vs. Padres projected starters

RHP Tyler Glasnow vs. RHP Yu Darvish

Glasnow (10-7, 3.53 ERA) made 21 starts in 2023 with the Tampa Bay Rays. He had a 1.08 WHIP, 2.8 BB/9 and 12.2 K/9 through 120 innings.

• 2023 night game splits: Went 8-5 with a 3.62 ERA with 30 BB and 113 K across 87 IP in 15 starts
• Hasn’t faced the Padres since July 1, 2018, when he was a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. That appearance came in relief

Darvish (8-10, 4.56 ERA) made 24 starts in 2023. He posted a 1.30 WHIP, 2.8 BB/9 and 9.6 K/9 through 136 1/3 innings.

• 2023 night game splits: Went 7-7 with a 4.47 ERA with 29 BB and 97 K across 98 2/3 IP in 17 starts
• 2023 splits vs. LAD: 1-0, 1.98 ERA across 13 2/3 IP in 2 starts with 1 BB and 10 K

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Dodgers vs. Padres odds

BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday at 5:34 p.m. ET.

Dodgers vs. Padres picks and predictions

Prediction

Dodgers 5, Padres 3

The Dodgers (-200) will cost 2 times the potential return. That’s a lot of risk in a game with a lot of unknowns.

One, we haven’t seen Glasnow start against the Padres in his career. Two, we haven’t seen the right-hander pitcher in a Dodgers uniform just yet. Three, we don’t know a lot about how the ball will jump off the bat at the Skydome in Seoul.

There is just too much risk and not enough reward. Still, while we know the Dodgers are, or at least should be, better than the Padres (+165), this is a PASS.

The DODGERS -1.5 (-120) are a better play, with a little less risk, on the run line.

Glasnow, if he is 100 percent healthy, could be a tremendous addition to the Los Angeles rotation. Prior to his Tommy John surgery in August 2021 to repair a partial tear of the UCL and a flexor strain in his right arm, he was on a quick upward trajectory. He looked like one of the brightest stars in the game. Now, he has a high-octane offense backing him.

In 2023, Los Angeles won 9 of the 13 regular-season matchups with the Padres. The previous 8 victories for the Dodgers came by at least 2 runs. So if you like L.A., you should like it on the run line, too.

UNDER 9 (-120) is the lean, but go lightly. We don’t know a lot about how Gocheok Sky Dome is going to play out, but we do know Glasnow and Darvish have each been dealing in Cactus League spring starts.

We should see good pitching, at least early on. The 2nd game of this 2-game series (Thursday), features 2 starters who might be a little more giving.

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