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San Diego pitcher Joe Musgrove is off to easily the best start of his career and he’s among the NL Cy Young betting favorites but faces a tough task on Thursday night as the Padres open a series at the rival Los Angeles Dodgers, who are favored on the MLB odds.

How to Bet Padres at Dodgers MLB Odds & TV Info

When: Thursday, 10:10 PM ET
Where: Dodger Stadium
Probable pitchers (away/home): Joe Musgrove/Mitch White
TV: Fox Sports 1
Stream/gameday audio: Fox Sports Go
Opening MLB Lines: Dodgers -120, Padres +110 (total 8)

Why Bet on San Diego?

The Padres went 1-2 vs. the Dodgers earlier this year from April 22-24 in San Diego.

San Diego hasn’t had Manny Machado since he injured his ankle on June 19 but he’s getting close and might play Thursday. The team didn’t put him on the injured list. He said the ankle feels better every day. Tuesday brought another step in the right direction, as he ran the bases pregame and fielded ground balls — not just ones that were hit directly at him, either. He moved around to scoop them up, another encouraging sign. Machado doesn’t think there’s any particular “test” he needs to pass in order to get back onto the field during a game and re-enter the starting lineup.

“I think each and every day he gets that much better,” Manager Bob Melvin said. “Every day we kind of play it by ear and see how he responds to the workload. But so far, so good, as far as his progression goes.”

Star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. projects to join the Padres in late July or early August. Tatis underwent yet another follow-up CT scan Tuesday on his surgically-repaired left wrist, and this one showed a good amount of healing. He’s already been taking dry swings for the last week or so and can now ramp up a bit more. He is now expected to begin swinging a bat full speed: “It’s timing, seeing pitches,” Tatis said. “Once I have my timing, I feel like we’re going to take off from there.”

It’s Joe Musgrove (8-1, 2.12 ERA) on the mound. He was rocked a season-high six runs over six innings last Thursday in a loss to the Phillies. Musgrove, who spent time on the COVID-19 injured list ahead of the start, had allowed two earned runs or fewer in 12 consecutive starts to open the 2022 campaign. He carried a shutout into the fifth inning before giving up an RBI single to Odúbel Herrera, and the wheels came off in the ensuing frame when Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto took him deep. Musgrove allowed six earned runs in all of April, then he allowed six earned runs in all of May.

Musgrove was pitching on an extra day of rest last week. But he’d also spent a significant chunk of his time between starts in quarantine, throwing off his routine.

“A little fatigue early in the game, more than I’m used to,” Musgrove said. “It felt like my fastball was fading … so we backed away from that a little bit in those situations where we had runners on base.” In Musgrove’s estimation, he became a bit too reliant on his breaking pitches as a result.

Why Bet on LA Dodgers?

The Dodgers this week place INF/OF Zach McKinstry on the 10-day injured list with a stiff neck. McKinstry has only played in six games for the Dodgers this season, only two of which came after getting recalled June 19 as the corresponding move to Mookie Betts being placed on the 15-day IL. To replace him, the team called up Jake Lamb. Overall this season in Triple-A, Lamb has hit .290/.395/.537 with 12 doubles, 15 home runs and 50 RBI across 60 games. He figures to primarily receive opportunities as the designated hitter in the Dodgers lineup and potentially make spot starts at first base or third base.

Star outfielder Mookie Betts resumed baseball activities on Wednesday. Manager Dave Roberts added that Betts in a best-case scenario could return to the Dodgers’ lineup in roughly 7-to-10 days after resuming baseball activities. The 29-year-old landed on the injured list back in mid-June with a right rib fracture and it sounds like he has a shot to return at some point in early-to-mid July.

All-Star DH Max Muncy has been among the several Dodgers regulars plagued by bouts of inconsistency this season, and those struggles have again resurfaced. While Muncy has shown signs of potentially turning things around, he is still being affected by the torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his left elbow that was suffered at the end of the regular season last year and may not fully recover until 2023. Muncy is hitting well below .200.

He remains confident the results will eventually come: As long as I can keep focusing on my process, I have faith things will get going for me. I feel like I’ve been hitting the ball extremely hard. I’ve just got to keep focusing on that, keep focusing on the work I’ve been doing and going out there and helping the team.”

It’s Mitch White (1-1, 4.25 ERA) scheduled on the mound Thursday. White yielded three runs over four innings last Saturday in a no-decision against the Braves. He also allowed five hits, walked two, and whiffed three. White held his own through two innings, but in the bottom of the third, Dansby Swanson hit a two-run home run. He was taken out of the game after the Braves hit two consecutive singles to open up the bottom of the fifth.

White was recalled prior to the contest to make the start, which was originally lined up to be handled by Andrew Heaney (shoulder). White has a 4.25 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 30:10 K:BB through 29.2 innings on the season, and he may be given the opportunity to stick in the rotation while Heaney remains out of action.