2025-08-22 Dodgers at Padres Matchup Preview

Starting Pitcher Matchup

Blake Snell takes the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers, bringing a repertoire known for its effectiveness and deception. Facing him is Yu Darvish of the San Diego Padres, a seasoned veteran with an array of pitches designed to disrupt hitters' timing and movement.

Dodgers' Offensive Outlook Against Darvish

The Los Angeles Dodgers' offense has been a force to be reckoned with this season, demonstrating a high propensity to get on base. A significant factor in their success is their ability to work deep into counts, demonstrated by a high walk percentage. Against Darvish, the Dodgers hitters will need to maintain their plate discipline and avoid chasing pitches outside the strike zone. Darvish's effectiveness is reliant on his ability to induce weak contact, so Los Angeles will look to capitalize on mistakes and drive pitches into the gaps. Given their high isolated power and their success in generating extra-base hits, the Dodgers present a formidable challenge for Darvish. It will be important for Darvish to command the strike zone early in the count to keep the Dodgers from getting into hitter-friendly counts.

Padres' Offensive Outlook Against Snell

The San Diego Padres' offense, while capable of explosive stretches, has exhibited an interesting mix of strengths and weaknesses this season. The Padres have demonstrated that they are one of the best teams in the league when it comes to not striking out. This is a particularly important strength going up against Snell. Snell’s arsenal features pitches with a high whiff rate, but the Padres' contact skills will test his ability to miss bats consistently. Furthermore, the Padres have posted a solid batting average on balls in play. This indicates a capability of finding holes in the defense and turning batted balls into hits. If they can force Snell to work out of the stretch, their ability to steal bases could further disrupt his rhythm and put additional pressure on the Dodgers' defense. With a propensity to put the ball in play, the Padres could manufacture runs against Snell, forcing him to navigate traffic on the basepaths.

Los Angeles Dodgers Team Analysis

The Los Angeles Dodgers enter this game boasting one of the league's most potent offenses, ranking highly in numerous offensive categories. Their walk percentage illustrates their discipline at the plate, while their ability to avoid double plays keeps the pressure on opposing pitchers. The Dodgers' offense will be looking to exploit any weaknesses in Darvish's approach, forcing him into uncomfortable situations and maximizing their opportunities to score runs.

San Diego Padres Team Analysis

The San Diego Padres, playing on their home field, will be looking to capitalize on their strengths. Their knack for avoiding strikeouts can be a major asset. San Diego's ability to put the ball in play and generate a high batting average on balls in play suggests they are adept at finding ways to score runs even without relying solely on home runs. The Padres will need to leverage these strengths to get to Snell early and often, disrupting his rhythm and putting the Dodgers' defense to the test.

Prediction

Considering the Dodgers' potent offense and their ability to work deep into counts, they seem poised to score a few runs against Darvish. However, the Padres' ability to put the ball in play and their baserunning prowess suggests they will manufacture enough runs to stay competitive. Ultimately, the Dodgers' overall offensive firepower gives them a slight edge in what is expected to be a closely contested game.