San Diego vs Los Angeles Dodgers: First game of the season series stays with the Dodgers

The National League West Division rivals San Diego and the Los Angeles Dodgers will play their first head-to-head series of the new season. Who will be the stronger of the two in the opening game? There are a few options to bet on at once.

On the eve of the clash with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the San Diego team warmed up on the National League's top outsider, the Cincinnati Reds. The Padres took all three games of their home winning streak (4-1, 6-2, 6-0) and improved their stats after poor series with Atlanta (12-1, 2-5, 2-5, 2-1) and San Francisco (4-2, 2-13, 1-2). Bob Melvin's team is now 9-5 and third in the division, behind Colorado and the Dodgers.

Nick Martinez, 31, will pitch for San Diego in the upcoming game. In two starts in the new season, the pitcher has five runs allowed and 12 hits in 10 innings against San Francisco (4-2) and Atlanta (2-5).

Dave Roberts' team is off to a good start to the 2022 championship. The Dodgers approach the series in San Diego with a 9-3 balance and in first place in the National League standings. After losing 2 out of 3 games in their opening series with Colorado, Los Angeles lost only 1 game in the next 9 against Minnesota, Cincinnati, and Atlanta.

Julio Urias will start on the pitcher's mound for the Dodgers in the upcoming game. The Mexican blew his debut game of the new season against Colorado, allowing 6 runs in 2 innings, but made amends in the game against Cincinnati (5-2) - no injuries and only 1 hit in 5 full innings.

San Diego are having a hard time rolling into the season with new manager Bob Melvin, without the injured Fernando Tatis, and a revamped roster. The Dodgers, on the other hand, seem to have gotten even stronger with the signing of Freddie Freeman. Even though Dave Roberts' team is already one of the most consistent in the MLB in recent years. The Dodgers, with nearly the same lineup they have now, have made it to the World Series three times and won it once. There's not much doubt that the LAD will pick up the first game of the season series against San Diego either, even in someone else's stadium.

The prediction is a win for the Dodgers.

• Dodgers Handicap (-1.5) for 1.98;
• W1 and Total Over 7.5 for 2.55;
• Dodgers Handicap (-2.5) for 2.50.