San Diego Padres vs Los Angeles Dodgers Picks and Prediction for Saturday July 4 2026
Use Code WWWC On Saturday, the San Diego Padres (43–43) head to Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles to take on the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers (57–31). With the Padres sitting at .500, they’ll be looking to steady themselves, shake off their recent struggles, and put together a strong performance that gets them back in the win column against one of the league’s toughest teams. Get involved in the action with our free MLB picks.
San Diego vs. Los Angeles Game Information
- July 4, 2026
- 9:40 PM EST
- Chase Field
- Brewers.TV/DBACKS.TV/MLB.TV/Fubo
Los Angeles Form & Recent Results
Los Angeles heads into this matchup riding a bit of momentum. They’ve won four of their last five games going into Friday’s second game of the series, with those victories coming in a mix of places and opponents, with one win over the Padres at home, another against San Diego on the road, plus two more against the Athletics up in Sacramento. That recent stretch of games have been fueled by an offense that’s been consistently loud, and it showed again on Thursday in their 12–7 win over the Padres in Los Angeles. The Dodgers piled up 17 hits and finished with 26 total bases, putting constant pressure on San Diego’s pitching all night. Catcher Dalton Rushing was at the center of it all, turning in a perfect 4-for-4 performance that included a home run, three runs scored, and four RBIs, basically the kind of game that can swing a series.
Even with all that offense, the Dodgers still had to survive a shaky start on the mound. Roki Sasaki only lasted three innings, giving up seven hits and six earned runs while also issuing two walks and striking out three, so it took a full-team effort to keep the Padres at arm’s length. On the season, the lineup has plenty of power and production at the top. Shohei Ohtani leads the team with 18 home runs, and Max Muncy is right behind him with 17. Andy Pages has been their most reliable run producer, leading the club with 62 RBIs, while Freddie Freeman has been their most consistent hitter for average, sitting at .294. Over their last five games, Los Angeles is averaging seven runs per game, which underlines just how dangerous this offense has been lately. With that kind of form, they’ll be aiming to keep the pressure on San Diego when the teams meet again Saturday in game three of the four-game series.
San Diego Form & Recent Results
San Diego comes into this matchup in a tough spot, riding a six-game losing streak heading into Friday. Two of those losses came against the Dodgers, one in Los Angeles and another back home, while three more were the result of a three-game sweep at the hands of the Cubs in Chicago. The most recent setback was Thursday’s 12–7 loss to the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium, a game where the Padres at least showed some life with the bats by launching three home runs. Second baseman Jake Cronenworth was a bright spot, finishing 1-for-5 but making it count with a homer, a run scored, and three RBIs to help keep San Diego within striking distance for parts of the night.
Get Free $30 Credit for Premium Picks + Exclusive Discounts
Subscribe Now
Even with the skid, there are still a few clear leaders carrying the offense. Manny Machado has been their top power and run-producing threat, leading the team with 17 home runs and 48 RBIs on the season. Gavin Sheets has provided plenty of pop as well, sitting second on the club with 14 homers. Meanwhile, Fernando Tatis Jr. has been their most consistent hitter overall, pacing the Padres with a .280 batting average. The bigger issue lately hasn’t been scoring, it’s been run prevention. Over their last five games, San Diego’s pitching staff has been hit hard, giving up an average of 10.2 runs per game. Sitting right at the .500 mark, the Padres will be trying to stop the slide before they dip below it, but they’ll have their hands full again with another big test against the Dodgers in L.A. on Saturday, the Fourth of July.
Key Stats
- San Diego’s Manny Machado this season: 17 HRs, 48 RBI, .192 AVG
- Los Angeles’ Shohei Ohtani this season: 18 HRs, 50 RBI, .291 AVG
Betting Odds & Market Overview:
- LAD -271 / SD +217; O/U 8.5
San Diego vs. Los Angeles Picks and Prediction
The Padres are really spiraling right now, and the Dodgers are in a perfect spot to pounce, especially with San Diego’s pitching continuing to falter. The Padres will hand the ball to right-hander Griffin Canning, who’s had a rough season so far, sitting at 1–5 with a 7.09 ERA, while Los Angeles responds with righty Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who’s been just about the opposite at 8–5 with a 2.67 ERA and has consistently kept teams in check. If San Diego wants any chance of snapping this losing stretch, they can’t afford to play from behind. They’ll need to come out aggressive early, put some pressure on Yamamoto right away, and score before he settles into a rhythm and starts mowing through the lineup. Final Score Prediction, Los Angeles Dodgers win 3-2.
Never Tried Winners and Whiners? Now Is Your Chance
- Get your first daily picks package for ONLY $1 using coupon code DOLLAR
- If the pick loses, we credit your account with 3 Flex Picks
- If the pick wins, we still give you 1 Flex Pick on the house
- Win or lose, you walk away ahead. One dollar. No catch.
- Check out more MLB predictions
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
New Users – Bet $5 Get $200 in Bet Reset Tokens for 5 Days
