The Dodgers and Padres will meet Friday night in what is today’s best game in terms of winning records. Los Angeles has just two losses, both on the road. Expect the travel for the Padres coming in from Pittsburgh to have an effect in Game 1 of this series. Take the Dodgers.

The Dodgers are the better team and the odds show as much here, but the Padres have a lot of things in their favor for Friday night. They are returning home, they are getting Fernando Tatis Jr. back, it'll be the first time with both Tatis and Trent Grisham in the lineup and this is mostly a bullpen game for them. Their relievers have been strong and they can keep throwing new looks at the Dodgers all game with it. If lefty Ryan Weathers can get through the Dodgers' lineup twice -- they are worse against lefties -- the Padres are golden.

Ryan Weathers had five appearances during spring, allowing 11 runs in 12.2 innings. The 21-year-old lefty gets his first MLB start tonight against the hot-hitting Dodgers, who lead baseball in batting average (.285) and OPS (.876). They have won six straight, and I expect them to flash their World Series rings and keep telling the Padres they’re still the Padres in the NL West. The Padres just lost two of four at Pittsburgh. Walker Buehler and the Dodgers get the win.

While the Dodgers remain without Cody Bellinger and the Padres will activate Fernando Tatis Jr. on Friday (see news feed), I have to take L.A. at just -149 because you will not get the loaded champs at that price very often. Tatis wasn't hitting much before he landed on the IL with a shoulder issue that has bothered him for weeks. The pitching matchup looks lopsided between Dodgers Cy Young candidate Walker Buehler (1-0, 1.50) and Padres rookie lefty Ryan Weathers (1-0, 1.50) making his first big-league start. Weathers has been great in relief, but starting is a very different animal and Weathers probably won't be out there more than 3-4 innings regardless. The Friars are 1-5 in their past six as underdogs.

I had to double take this line before I thought it was real. The Dodgers have their ace in Walker Buehler starting against the Padres in a bullpen game starting Ryan Weathers. Fernando Tatis Jr. is expected to return from injury tonight and the Padres do have the best bullpen ERA in the league, but they haven’t face the Dodgers yet. The Padres bullpen has also pitched a whopping 17.2 innings in the last three days. The Dodgers have won six straight games and nine of their last 10 games overall, with the one loss being in extra innings. I almost feel like the Dodgers let the Rockies take the lead each of the last two games to test themselves, but we know that won’t happen here. This is the first matchup between these two teams so both will want to show off their brute. Funny enough, this will also be one of the best lines you’ll see on the Dodgers all season.