MLB matchup analysis

Padres vs Dodgers Prediction, Odds and Model Pick

Wednesday, September 23, 2026 at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium · 10:10 PM ET

Official Pick

Leo prediction: Los Angeles Dodgers moneyline

Lab Rating
7.9/10
Model lean
Dodgers 73.4%
Market probability
61.2%
Model edge
+12.2%
Best moneyline
-167
Sportsbooks checked
7
Leo model
73.4%
Market
61.2%

The case for Los Angeles Dodgers

Starting pitcher edge: 19 points
Leo gives Yoshinobu Yamamoto a 19-point edge over Robbie Ray, driven mainly by BB/9 (2.1 vs 4.6) and K-BB% (20.1% vs 8.0%).
Bats are hot: +0.050 wOBA
Los Angeles Dodgers is outhitting its own season form over the last 15 days. Recent form is context, not a model input, but it points the same way here.

The case for San Diego Padres

Late-inning bullpen advantage
Los Angeles Dodgers relievers have a 2.08 ERA over the last 7 days; San Diego Padres relievers have a 1.54. If this is still close after six innings, that gap favors San Diego Padres.
Their bats are hot: +0.066 wOBA
San Diego Padres is outhitting its own season form over the last 15 days.

What to watch

Own bullpen carries risk: 8.6/10
The Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen comes in high risk. A lead after six innings is less safe than usual.
Opponent is swinging it
The other lineup is +0.066 wOBA above its season form over the last 15 days.

Why the setup score is what it is

Conviction: 9.19/10
Leo's win probability for Los Angeles Dodgers (73.4%) is well clear of a coin flip -- this is a real, stated lean, not a guess.
Pitching plan: 40/40
Yoshinobu Yamamoto rates 82 on Leo's pitcher score, judged on its own merits (50-80 is the credited range). That is a strong start on its own, and it earns most or all of the available credit here.
Offense: 29.44/50
Los Angeles Dodgers's recent offensive form clearly outpaces San Diego Padres's over the tracked windows.

Why the price is what it is

Team strength: 64.8%
Before any pitcher or bullpen adjustment, Leo's team-strength model alone makes Los Angeles Dodgers 64.8% to win. Everything below moves the price from this starting point.
Pitcher score gap: 19 points
The pitcher-score gap favors Los Angeles Dodgers by 19 points. This is the biggest single mover of the price -- a large gap moves it a lot, a small gap barely moves it.
Bullpen adjustment: -0.063
The bullpen-fatigue gap between the two pens nudges the price toward San Diego Padres. This moves the price less than the starting pitchers do, since a starter covers more of the game than the bullpen.
Net effect: 64.8% -> 73.4%
Team strength alone had Los Angeles Dodgers at 64.8%. After the pitcher and bullpen terms, the price is 73.4% -- the same number shown as Model Lean above.
The verdict Leo backs Los Angeles Dodgers at -167. 73.4% to win against a market implying 61.2% - the model sees value and the setup clears every gate.
Read the full model output

Los Angeles Dodgers is an official moneyline pick because it clears both gates: 73.4% model win probability and 7.9/10 Lab Rating. Leo projects 73.4% against a 61.2% no-vig market number, a 12.2% model edge at -167. Los Angeles Dodgers owns the starting pitcher edge by 19 points. Bullpen read: Adds caution. Los Angeles Dodgers's pen efficiency: Effective (6.8/10). Lineup check: Los Angeles Dodgers is swinging a hot bat (+0.121 OPS); San Diego Padres is swinging a hot bat (+0.171 OPS).

Final result

Padres 5, Dodgers 1

How the analysis held up

San Diego Padres won. Leo's model favored the other side.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Los Angeles Dodgers) was Leo's favored starter by pitcher score, but Robbie Ray actually pitched better tonight: 3.1 IP, 1 ER (2.70 ERA) against 6.0 IP, 2 ER (3.00 ERA). The edge did not show up in this game.

The San Diego Padres bullpen was not flagged pregame, but it had a night worth noting: 0 earned runs allowed over 5.2 relief innings (0.00 ERA) — quietly better than the pregame read implied.

The Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen was flagged as elevated risk pregame (High risk). In relief it actually allowed 1 earned run over 3.0 innings (3.00 ERA) — the risk read did not show up on the scoreboard tonight. Note: 2 of the runs charged to the Los Angeles Dodgers pitching staff overall were unearned — not something the bullpen's stuff should be blamed for.

Los Angeles Dodgers scored 1, 5.1 fewer than the 6.1 pregame projection.

Likely driver: Los Angeles Dodgers's offense scored 5.1 fewer runs than projected, and the San Diego Padres bullpen quietly shut the game down (0.00 ERA over 5.2 innings), unflagged pregame.

Game information

MatchupSan Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers
DateWednesday, September 23, 2026
First pitch10:10 PM ET
VenueUNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium
Starting pitchersRobbie Ray vs Yoshinobu Yamamoto
WeatherGame-time forecast: 72°F, 0% precipitation chance, 5 mph wind from W.

Starting pitcher matchup

Full Pitcher Matchup Tool →
Robbie RayPadres · LHP
vs
Yoshinobu YamamotoDodgers · RHP
MetricPadresDodgers
Pitching planTraditional starterTraditional starter
Expected innings5⅓6⅔
ThrowsLR
Leo pitcher score (higher is better)6382
ERA (lower is better)3.602.51
WHIP (lower is better)1.330.87
K/9 (higher is better)7.78.9
K-BB% (higher is better)8.0%20.1%
K% (higher is better)20.1%26.1%
BB% (lower is better)12.1%6.0%
BB/9 (lower is better)4.62.1
HR/9 (lower is better)1.21.0
Ground-ball rate39.8%53.6%
Fly-ball rate60.2%46.4%

Pitcher edge: Leo gives Yoshinobu Yamamoto a 19-point edge over Robbie Ray, driven mainly by BB/9 (2.1 vs 4.6) and K-BB% (20.1% vs 8.0%).

How to read this: the scorecards above name the starters; every number lives in this table.

Strikeout Projections Full strikeout projections →

Robbie Ray strikeouts
3.7 Leo projected Ks
No K play · +0.2K difference is below Leo's 0.7K threshold
Market 3.5K · O -128 / U +114 · 6 books
6.2 Leo projected Ks
No K play · -0.3K difference is below Leo's 0.7K threshold
Market 6.5K · O -104 / U -114 · 6 books

Same data source as the Pitcher Matchup Tool, where every starter on the slate is compared side by side.

Padres are 8-2 in their last 10 and averaging 6.5 runs per game over the last 15 days; Dodgers are 7-3 in their last 10 and averaging 5.8 runs per game over the last 15 days. On the season Dodgers carry the better run differential per game (+1.24 against +0.24).

MetricPadresDodgers
Last 108-27-3
Last 10 by venue (away team on the road, home team at home)7-3 on the road9-1 at home
OPS, last 15 days0.8870.886
wOBA, last 15 days (hot/cold read)0.3820.387
Runs per game, last 15 days6.55.8
K% last 15 days (lower is better)19.2%17.2%

Last 15 days only. Hot and cold streaks for all 30 teams live on the Stats page.

30-day offense

Full offense tool →
Last 30 daysPadresDodgers
OPS0.757 (+0.041 vs szn)0.783 (+0.018 vs szn)
Runs per game4.85 (+0.453 vs szn)5.00 (+0.013 vs szn)
wOBA (model offense input)0.331 (+0.014 vs szn)0.348 (+0.011 vs szn)
K% (lower is better)20.2% (-1.3% vs szn)19.0% (-1.3% vs szn)

Over the last 30 days the Dodgers have been the better offense, 0.348 wOBA to 0.331. They are running hot against their own season line (+0.011 wOBA).

Season profile

Full Stats page →
MetricPadresDodgers
Record87-7097-60
Run differential / game (team quality)+0.24+1.24
Runs scored / game (offense, season)4.404.99
Runs allowed / game (defense, season, lower better)4.163.75
Season OPS0.7160.765
K% season (lower is better)21.5%20.3%
OPS vs opposing hand (season)0.7210.758

Season-long team quality, not recent form. Run differential and run environment come from the season standings; splits for all 30 teams live on the Stats page, including the run environment table.

Every team on today's slate, on any two axes you pick. Padres and Dodgers are highlighted.

Padres
Combined risk
6.5 Tired
Fatigue
7.3 Tired
Efficiency
6.7 Effective
Dodgers
Combined risk
8.6 High risk
Fatigue
9.5 High risk
Efficiency
6.8 Effective

Risk is what the model actually uses: fatigue blended with how well the pen has pitched. High fatigue with high efficiency is a tired pen that is still getting outs.

MetricPadresDodgers
Fatigue7.3/10, Tired9.5/10, High risk
Efficiency6.7/10, Effective6.8/10, Effective
Combined risk6.5/10, Tired8.6/10, High risk
Relief innings, last 7 days23.339.0
Back-to-back arms74
7-day ERA1.542.08
7-day WHIP1.200.95

Fatigue measures workload. Efficiency measures recent run prevention. Combined risk is what the moneyline and totals systems use.

Run total projection

Full Totals Projections →
Leo projection
10.3
Market total
7.5
Projected away runs
4.5
Projected home runs
6.1
Over price
-102
Under price
-110
San Diego Padres team total
4.5 projected
Line 3.5 · O +118 / U -145
Over research lean (+1.0)
Los Angeles Dodgers team total
6.1 projected
Line 4.5 · O +118 / U -150
Over research lean (+1.6)

The model projects 2.8 runs above the market total. A research lean still requires a setup rating of at least 7.0/10. Team totals remain research-only until their graded sample is established.

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