The San Diego Padres head north on the 5 for a late-night showdown at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, September 24, with first pitch scheduled for 10:10 PM ET. Nick Pivetta gets the ball for San Diego against Los Angeles ace Tyler Glasnow in a marquee NL West regular season matchup. This rivalry never needs extra stakes, but late September baseball between these two clubs always carries weight in the standings. Catch it on Padres.TV Presented by UC San Diego Health or listen locally on KWFN 97.3.

Pitching Matchup: Pivetta vs. Glasnow

Nick Pivetta draws one of the tougher assignments a Padres starter can get. Glasnow is a power pitcher capable of missing bats with elite velocity and a devastating curveball, and Dodger Stadium gives him a favorable backdrop. Pivetta will need to be sharp from the first pitch, because this Los Angeles lineup has zero weak spots from top to bottom.

Pivetta's ability to limit the big inning will be the defining factor. Against a lineup that can string together damage in a hurry, avoiding the crooked number is just as important as piling up strikeouts.

The Dodgers Lineup San Diego Must Navigate

Los Angeles is running out an imposing nine, and there is no comfortable spot in the order for Pivetta to exhale. Shohei Ohtani leads off at DH, followed by Mookie Betts at shortstop and Freddie Freeman at first base. That three-hole alone would be the centerpiece of almost any other lineup in baseball.

• Shohei Ohtani — DH (leadoff)
• Mookie Betts — SS
• Freddie Freeman — 1B
• Teoscar Hernández — LF
• Kyle Tucker — RF
• Max Muncy — 3B
• Andy Pages — CF
• Hunter Feduccia — C
• Tommy Edman — 2B

Teoscar Hernández and Kyle Tucker occupying the four and five spots means Pivetta cannot simply work around Freeman and hope for a reset. Tucker, acquired to add another elite bat to an already stacked roster, gives the Dodgers a threat that extends the danger deep into the order.

Keys to the Game for San Diego

• Pivetta's command early: Glasnow can be a handful, which means the Padres cannot afford to spot Los Angeles an early lead. Pivetta walking the ballpark into trouble against this order is a fast track to a short night.
• Finding an angle on Glasnow: The Padres offense needs to work counts and look for pitches they can drive. Glasnow's stuff plays, but disciplined at-bats can force him into hitter-friendly counts.
• Bullpen readiness: If Pivetta exits before the sixth, San Diego's relief corps will be tested against one of baseball's most dangerous late-game offenses.
• Situational hitting: Runs will likely come at a premium. The Padres cannot leave traffic stranded and expect to beat this pitching staff.

Prediction

This is a difficult road spot. Glasnow is a genuine frontline starter, and the Dodgers lineup is built to punish any mistake. That said, Pivetta is capable of a quality start, and the Padres have shown they can compete in this building. Expect a low-scoring game decided by two runs or fewer. San Diego will need everything to go right to steal this one, but close and competitive is very much on the table. Lean Dodgers, but do not count the Padres out.