Where to watch Dodgers vs Padres? Schedule for each game and TV Channel of the NL West Classic
The West Division classic that smells like October takes place this week
In the closing stretch of the 2026 MLB regular season, few matchups carry as much weight as the one set to take place at Dodger Stadium. The Los Angeles Dodgers host the San Diego Padres in another chapter of one of baseball’s most electric rivalries, and this time the stage could not be better: both teams lead the National League West, with the division pennant and postseason positioning still up for grabs.
Preview of the games at Dodger Stadium: two powerhouses in the thick of the battle
The standings say it all. The Dodgers come into this matchup in first place in the National League West with a record of 96 wins and 60 losses, just behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the race for the best record in the entire National League.
Their run differential is crushing: 780 runs scored against 587 allowed (+193), the second-best mark in the Major Leagues.
For their part, the Padres occupy second place in the division with 87 wins and 69 losses, tied in victories with the Chicago Cubs and firmly positioned in the wild-card zone.
San Diego has built its season on pitching: it allows 649 runs, a notably solid figure, although its offense (690 scored) falls short of the offensive storm produced by Los Angeles.
The gap between the two in the West Division is nine games, so for the Padres this series is more about fine-tuning the machine ahead of October than about chasing down the leader.
When and where to watch all the games in the series between the Dodgers vs Padres?
The first pitch is scheduled for the night of Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at 10:10 p.m. ET (9:10 p.m. Central Time and 7:10 p.m. Pacific Time). The venue is Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, the historic cathedral of Chavez Ravine with a capacity of 56,000 fans.
The following games will have the following schedule:
Date : Wednesday, September 23
Eastern Time : 10:10 p.m.
Date : Thursday, September 24
For Dodgers and MLB fans, coverage of the games between San Diego and Los Angeles can be watched on television on: TBS and truTV; while via streaming, the entire series will be available on: FUBO and MLB.TV.
The underlying showdown between rosters: elite pitching at Dodgers Stadium
If anything defines this version of the Dodgers, it is the monstrous depth of their rotation. On paper, the starting staff features heavyweight names: the Japanese Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, along with veteran left-hander Blake Snell and the powerful Tyler Glasnow.
It is a pitching staff designed to dominate in a short series, and against an offense like San Diego’s, any one of them can make the difference.
On San Diego’s side, the formula is just as ambitious. The rotation is led by Michael King, backed by left-hander Robbie Ray, the experienced Nick Pivetta, and the return of familiar names like Walker Buehler and Joe Musgrove.
But where the Padres can really decide a close game is in the bullpen: Mason Miller, with his blazing fastball, and Japanese closer Yuki Matsui, along with Jason Adam and Jeremiah Estrada, make up a relief brigade designed to shorten games and stifle rallies.
This is precisely the kind of matchup where every runner left on base and every earned run weigh like gold. With two staffs of this caliber, a tight score decided in the final innings would not be surprising.
Implications in the divisional race for the MLB Playoffs
For the Dodgers, each victory brings them closer to clinching the NL West pennant and solidifies their position heading into the playoff seeding, where home-field advantage could prove decisive. Keeping pace with the Brewers — leaders of the National League with 98 wins — requires not letting up against a direct rival like San Diego.
The Padres, although no longer with a realistic margin to reach first place in the division, are playing for the best possible Wild Card position. With 87 wins, San Diego is sailing in the National League qualification zone, but the competition is fierce: the Cubs match their record and the Philadelphia Phillies are close behind with 86. A strong finish on hostile ground would be a statement of intent just before October.
Dodgers vs Padres predictions: What is the forecast for the games in Los Angeles?
Run differential and offensive depth tip the scales toward the home team. At Chavez Ravine, with their elite rotation and an offense that has punished opponents all season, the Dodgers enter as favorites to win this matchup.
That said, the Padres' pitching—and especially their bullpen—has the level to steal a close game if they manage to keep the Angels' bats in check until the final innings. The most sensible read: a narrow Los Angeles win, with a score that will very likely be decided in the late frames.
