The Los Angeles Dodgers host the San Diego Padres at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, September 24, with first pitch scheduled for 10:10 PM ET. Tyler Glasnow gets the ball for Los Angeles against San Diego's Nick Pivetta in a late-season NL West matchup that carries real divisional weight. The game airs on SportsNet LA, MLB Network, and Dodgers Radio AM570. With September winding down, every game against a division rival matters, and this one is no exception.

Starting Pitchers: Glasnow vs. Pivetta

Tyler Glasnow draws the start for the Dodgers. When healthy, the big right-hander is one of the more overpowering arms in the National League, capable of running up double-digit strikeout totals and dominating lineups with a mid-to-upper-90s fastball paired with a sharp curveball. His availability and effectiveness this season will go a long way toward determining how dangerous Los Angeles looks heading into the final stretch of the regular season.

Nick Pivetta gets the nod for San Diego. The veteran right-hander has shown the ability to mix his pitches and keep hitters off-balance, making him a legitimate challenge for any lineup. Pivetta against this Dodgers roster is no easy assignment, but he has the experience to compete in a hostile environment like Dodger Stadium.

Dodgers Lineup: A Deep and Dangerous Order

Los Angeles is rolling out one of the most formidable lineups in baseball on Thursday night. Shohei Ohtani leads off at DH, followed by Mookie Betts at shortstop and Freddie Freeman at first base. That one-two-three punch alone is enough to give any starter problems. The middle of the order features Teoscar Hernández in left and Kyle Tucker in right, both legitimate power threats. Max Muncy provides pop at third, Andy Pages handles center field, Hunter Feduccia catches, and Tommy Edman rounds out the nine-hole at second base.

The depth in this lineup is real. There is no soft spot. Pivetta will need to execute his game plan from the first pitch to the last, because any mistake in any part of this order can be punished.

Keys to Watch

• Glasnow's command: When Glasnow is locating his fastball and burying that curveball, he is extremely difficult to square up. Watch whether he can establish the zone early and limit walks.
• Ohtani at the top: Batting Ohtani leadoff puts the best hitter in the world in the most plate appearances possible. How Pivetta handles that first at-bat — and every one that follows — sets the tone for the entire game.
• Tucker and Hernández vs. Pivetta: The four and five hitters in this lineup are capable of doing serious damage against right-handed pitching. If Pivetta can neutralize that part of the order, San Diego stays in the game.
• Bullpen depth: Late September means rosters are expanded and managers have options. How both teams deploy their relievers in the middle and late innings could be the deciding factor.

Prediction

This is a quality pitching matchup in a game that has postseason-positioning implications written all over it. Glasnow at home, backed by that lineup, is a difficult combination for any opponent to overcome. The Dodgers win this one at Dodger Stadium, 5–2.