Dodgers vs. Padres prediction and odds for Monday, August 7 (San Diego needs a split)

This NL West rivalry will wrap up their weekend series this afternoon at Petco Park after an 8-2 win for the Los Angeles Dodgers over the San Diego Padres on Sunday Night Baseball. San Diego got a terrible start from newly acquired Rich Hill, so they’re hoping that Seth Lugo can step up today against Tony Gonsolin. 

After that win the Dodgers lead the division by four games at 64-46 and the Padres are fourth at 55-57, but still in the Wild Card race. Gonsolin is 6-4 in 17 starts for LA and comes into No. 18 with a 4.11 ERA. Lugo will be making his 17th start of the year for San Diego tonight and is 4-5 with a 3.54 ERA. 

After winning yesterday, the Dodgers are underdogs in the series finale against the Padres. 

The Dodgers got a great offensive performance yesterday and they’re doing much of their damage with two outs. They’ll need to continue to produce runs today because Gonsolin has been struggling. Since his start on June 18 when he came in with a 1.93 ERA and gave up seven runs over 5.2 innings against the Giants he has a 6.59 ERA in eight starts with eight home runs allowed.

Gonsolin has always been a pitcher that thrives off short outings and a lack of exposure, but this season the Dodgers have needed more innings from him with their lack of depth in the rotation and it has gone terribly. He’s had a string of rough starts and I wouldn’t be surprised by another one today.

The Padres aren’t a great team, but they have superstar talent in their lineup and with Ha-Seong Kim’s development at the plate they are even deeper. Yesterday LA got an uncharacteristically good start from Lance Lynn in large part because they developed an early lead and he was able to attack with his variety of fastballs. Lugo won’t give up that type of early lead and San Diego’s bullpen was saved by Pedro Avila who went 4.2 innings in relief yesterday. 

I trust Lugo much more than Gonsolin and when it comes to the lineup it’s pretty much a wash. I still believe that San Diego will make the postseason and I see them getting a split today. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change