Venue: Oracle Park, San Francisco, California.
Scheduled first pitch: 10:15 p.m. ET (7:15 p.m. PT).
TV: NBCS-BA / SportsNet LA (and MLB.TV options).
This is the opener of a three-game NL West series (the 11th meeting of the 2026 season; Dodgers lead the season series 6-4).
Records: Los Angeles Dodgers 97-62 (1st in NL West, locked in as the No. 2 seed with a first-round bye); San Francisco Giants 65-94 (4th in NL West). Dodgers are strong on the road (46-32); Giants are roughly even at home (37-41).
Probable starting pitchers:
Los Angeles: Tarik Skubal (LHP, 11-7, 2.85 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 176 K in 151.2 IP). Acquired midseason from Detroit; elite form overall with strong strikeout rate (~10.4 K/9) and low walk rate. Making his final regular-season tune-up.
San Francisco: Yunior Marte (RHP, 0-1, 4.66 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 11 K in 19.1 IP). Rookie making a limited number of starts; previously struggled against the Dodgers (6 runs in 4.2 IP in a recent outing).
Current Weather Forecast (Oracle Park)
Mostly sunny to partly cloudy with highs near 67–70°F during the day, cooling into the evening (game-time temps in the upper 50s to low 60s). West winds 10–15+ mph with possible gusts. Dry conditions expected with low precipitation chance. Classic cool, breezy San Francisco night baseball weather that typically favors pitchers.
Injury Reports
Dodgers: Dalton Rushing (C, elbow, 10-day IL, expected return around Sept. 25); Blake Snell (SP, groin, day-to-day/possible Saturday start); Edgardo Henríquez (RP, back, 15-day IL); longer-term: Gavin Stone (SP, shoulder), Jake Cousins (RP, elbow), Brusdar Graterol (RP, back/shoulder), Ben Casparius (RP, shoulder), Eric Lauer (SP, elbow), Will Klein (RP, elbow). Shohei Ohtani and Andy Pages recently activated and available.
Giants: Bryce Eldridge (1B/DH, concussion/head, 7-day IL); Jung Hoo Lee (OF, groin, 10-day IL, season-ending); Willy Adames (SS, elbow, 10-day IL); Nate Furman (2B, oblique, 10-day IL); Logan Webb (SP, finger, 15-day IL); Reiver Sanmartin (RP, oblique, 15-day IL); longer-term: Rafael Devers (1B, abdomen/core), Matt Chapman (3B), and multiple arms (e.g., Carson Whisenhunt, Blade Tidwell elbows). Significant depth issues on both sides of the ball.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups & Notes
Skubal (elite lefty with dominant recent body of work) faces a depleted Giants lineup featuring Drew Gilbert, remaining position players, and limited power options. Giants rank mid-pack in AVG but struggle overall. Marte faces a loaded Dodgers lineup that includes Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith (hot recently), Kyle Tucker, Teoscar Hernández, Max Muncy, Tommy Edman, and recently returned Shohei Ohtani and Andy Pages. Dodgers lead the league in many offensive categories and excel when recording 8+ hits. Oracle Park is pitcher-friendly, but the talent gap is substantial.
Recent Team Forms
Dodgers: 7-3 last 10 (.277 AVG, elite 2.33 ERA, +24 run differential). Rolling into the final series with momentum and postseason readiness.
Giants: 3-7 last 10 (.228 AVG, 4.14 ERA, outscored). Struggling to close the season.
Series History
Dodgers lead the 2026 season series 6-4 and have won the last several completed meetings (outscoring Giants significantly in recent matchups). Classic NL West rivalry with historical intensity, but current form heavily favors Los Angeles.
Betting Trends
Dodgers dominate when hitting well and with elite pitching; under has cashed in recent games for both clubs. Skubal’s efficiency and Oracle Park’s dimensions support lower scoring, though Dodgers’ offense introduces over potential.
Game Odds
Los Angeles Dodgers – 300
San Francisco Giants 7
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Thursday, September 24, 2026
