With the postseason a single win away for San Diego, and Los Angeles chasing a seeding advantage that could reshape its October path, this game carries weight that goes well beyond late-September routine. The Padres have been one of baseball’s hottest teams, going 8-2 over their last ten games, and they arrive at Dodger Stadium having already knocked the Dodgers around in their most recent meeting — Manny Machado driving in three runs, including a home run, to hand Los Angeles a 5-1 defeat. The Dodgers, meanwhile, are 7-3 in their last ten and have the division title secured, but there is still something meaningful on the line for them in terms of playoff positioning.

On the mound, the matchup is sharp. Nick Pivetta takes the ball for San Diego carrying a 3.30 ERA and three wins, while Tyler Glasnow counters for Los Angeles with a 3.46 ERA and five victories. Both pitchers have the stuff to keep this game close into the late innings, which means the bullpens — and specifically Mason Miller, who has 37 saves and a 1.19 ERA for the Padres — could loom large.

Fernando Tatis Jr. brings 95 runs, 177 hits, and 36 stolen bases into this game for San Diego. For Los Angeles, Max Muncy has 29 home runs and 76 RBI, and Shohei Ohtani has contributed 30 home runs and 80 RBI on the season.

San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers Game Information

Game Date: September 24, 2026
Game Time: 10:10 PM ET
TV Channel: San Diego Padres, Spectrum SportsNet LA, and MLB.TV – Los Angeles Dodgers
Location: UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Live Stream: Fubo (free trial)

Game Preview

San Diego sits nine games back in the division but is locked in a tight NL wild-card race, and a win here clinches a playoff berth — what would be the franchise’s third consecutive postseason appearance. The Dodgers, already NL West champions, can secure no worse than the No. 2 seed in the National League with a win, locking up a first-round bye. Both teams have something concrete to play for, which gives this late-season matchup the texture of a game that will be remembered regardless of how October unfolds.

Los Angeles Dodgers Team Statistics and Rankings

Win-Loss Record: 97-61
Home Record: 51-29
Away Record: 46-32
Division Record: 18-14
Streak: 1 Loss streak
Winning Percentage: .614

San Diego Padres Team Statistics and Rankings

Win-Loss Record: 88-70
Home Record: 49-29
Away Record: 39-41
Division Record: 14-17
Streak: 1 Win streak
Winning Percentage: .557

Stat Leaders

Los Angeles Dodgers (97-61, #1 in division)

Batting Average Leader: Josue De Paula, 0.323
RBI Leader: Shohei Ohtani, 80 RBI
Home Run Leader: Shohei Ohtani, 30 HR
Runs Leader: Shohei Ohtani, 89 Runs
Hits Leader: Freddie Freeman, 165 Hits
Stolen Bases Leader: Andy Pages, 12 SB
ERA Leader: Shohei Ohtani, 1.79 ERA
Strikeout Leader: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 182 K
Wins Leader: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 14 W
Saves Leader: Tanner Scott, 23 SV

San Diego Padres (88-70, #2 in division)

Batting Average Leader: Gage Workman, 0.333
RBI Leader: Manny Machado, 87 RBI
Home Run Leader: Manny Machado, 29 HR
Runs Leader: Fernando Tatis Jr., 95 Runs
Hits Leader: Fernando Tatis Jr., 177 Hits
Stolen Bases Leader: Fernando Tatis Jr., 36 SB
ERA Leader: Mason Miller, 1.19 ERA
Strikeout Leader: Michael King, 159 K
Wins Leader: Michael King, 12 W
Saves Leader: Mason Miller, 37 SV

What to Watch For

Machado is the player San Diego needs most right now. He has 29 home runs and 87 RBI on the season, and his performance in the previous meeting — a home run and three RBI in a 5-1 Padres win — demonstrated exactly the kind of clutch production that defines his value in high-stakes situations. Jackson Merrill has also been a consistent force, hitting .252 with 26 home runs, 86 RBI, and 26 stolen bases, giving San Diego a second middle-of-the-order threat that Glasnow cannot afford to overlook.

For Los Angeles, Glasnow enters with a 3.46 ERA and five wins, and the Dodgers will need him to be sharp against a Padres lineup that has been rolling. Muncy’s 29 home runs and Kyle Tucker’s 88 runs scored give the Dodgers legitimate power throughout the order. Tanner Scott, who has 23 saves for Los Angeles, figures to be a factor if the game stays close.

Pivetta’s 3.30 ERA suggests he has been effective in his recent work, and keeping the Dodgers’ offense in check at home — where Los Angeles is 51-29 — will be the central challenge for San Diego’s pitching staff.

Los Angeles Dodgers Injury Report

Ben Casparius – Shoulder (D60) – The Los Angeles Dodgers transferred RHP Ben Casparius to the 60-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation.
Eric Lauer – Elbow (D60) – The Los Angeles Dodgers placed SP Eric Lauer on the 60-day injured list.
Blake Snell – Groin (Day-to-Day) – Quantrill is not in Tuesday’s (Sep. 22) game against Giants due to a groin injury.

Dalton Rushing – Elbow (D10) – The Los Angeles Dodgers placed C Dalton Rushing on the 10-day injured list with right elbow discomfort.
Brusdar Graterol – Shoulder (D60) – The Los Angeles Dodgers transferred RHP Brusdar Graterol from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list as he recovers from right shoulder surgery.
Edgardo Henriquez – Back (D15) – The Los Angeles Dodgers placed RP Edgardo Henriquez on the 15-day injured list.
Gavin Stone – Shoulder (D60) – The Los Angeles Dodgers transferred RHP Gavin Stone from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation.
Jake Cousins – Elbow (D60) – The Los Angeles Dodgers transferred RHP Jake Cousins from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list due to recovery from Tommy John surgery (UCL reconstruction) on his right elbow.
Will Klein – Elbow (D60) – The Los Angeles Dodgers transferred RHP Will Klein from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list due to elbow discomfort.

San Diego Padres Injury Report

Jeremiah Estrada – Shoulder (D15) – The San Diego Padres placed RHP Jeremiah Estrada on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder impingement.
Lucas Giolito – Elbow (D60) – The San Diego Padres transferred RHP Lucas Giolito to the 60-day injured list with right elbow inflammation.
Luis Rengifo – Knee (D60) – The San Diego Padres transferred OF Luis Rengifo from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day injured list with a right knee sprain.
Miguel Andujar – Wrist (D10) – The San Diego Padres placed DH Miguel Andujar on the 10-day injured list due to fractured right wrist.
Joe Musgrove – Elbow (D60) – The San Diego Padres transferred RHP Joe Musgrove to the 60-day injured list due to his elbow surgery.
Bryan Hoeing – Elbow (D60) – The San Diego Padres transferred RHP Bryan Hoeing from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list due to a right elbow surgery.
Ramón Laureano – Hip (D60) – The San Diego Padres placed OF Ramón Laureano on the 60-day injured list.
Gavin Sheets – Foot (D10) – The San Diego Padres placed INF Gavin Sheets on the 10-day injured list with left foot sprain.

Los Angeles Dodgers Upcoming 2026 Schedule

September 24, 2026 vs San Diego Padres
September 25, 2026 at San Francisco Giants
September 26, 2026 at San Francisco Giants
September 27, 2026 at San Francisco Giants

San Diego Padres Upcoming 2026 Schedule

September 24, 2026 at Los Angeles Dodgers
September 25, 2026 vs Arizona Diamondbacks
September 26, 2026 vs Arizona Diamondbacks
September 27, 2026 vs Arizona Diamondbacks

Our game previews are produced programmatically using real-time data via Sportradar and AI writing tools. Articles are regularly reviewed for accuracy before publication.

The San Diego State Aztecs head to the Midwest for their final non-conference game, facing the Toledo Rockets at the Glass Bowl in a matinee showdown that kicks off at noon local/9 a.m. PT.

Coming off a disappointing home loss to James Madison, the Aztecs (1-2) are 2.5-point underdogs against a Toledo team that staged a wild comeback for an overtime victory against Temple to jump to 2-1.

The game will be carried by CBS Sports Network and San Diego Sports 760 radio. 

The Aztecs are +122 on the moneyline while the Rockets are -146. The over-under is 52.5 points.

SDSU running out of time before Pac-12 play

The Aztecs are running out of time to find their identity before their historic Pac-12 opener at home against Texas State on Oct. 3. They’ve started slowly in their last two games, a 28-10 loss against UCLA at the Rose Bowl and then a 26-13 home loss to James Madison.

The Aztecs’ offense was a no-show in the first halves of both games. The defense at least played UCLA to a scoreless halftime tie, but then let JMU zoom to a 19-0 halftime lead. Of course, it didn’t help that JMU turned two interceptions by Jaylen Denegal into nine points. 

The Rockets, meanwhile, showed off an explosive offense as they rallied from a 42-28 deficit with less than four minutes to play to force overtime and then win 49-48.

“They are explosive as hell,” said SDSU coach Sean Lewis, who used metaphors from a handful of sports to describe the Rockets. “They got guys that are home run threats all over the yard. You know, the last three minutes and 30 seconds of that game against Temple, they have home run hitters that can touch the paint and touch the end zone at any given moment. 

“So yeah, they’re dangerous in a lot of ways.” 

Toledo brings an eight-game home winning streak

The teams are playing for just the second time. The first meeting was on Sept. 24, 2022, when the Aztecs beat the Rockets 17-14 in their first season at Snapdragon Stadium.

Lewis hasn’t given an update on Lucky Sutton’s “lower-body” injury that kept him out of the JMU game. Lewis said it was a game-time decision to sit Sutton after saying days earlier that he would be good to go. 

Sutton’s absence opened the door for sophomore transfer Javion Kinnard to have a monster game. He rushed 33 times for 181 yards and one score, and had an additional 70 yards on four catches. 

Senegal struggled again, throwing two interceptions and just one touchdown. He’s now thrown four interceptions and four TDs in three games. 

Toledo junior quarterback John Alan Richter had career highs with 36 completions, 429 yards passing and four touchdowns in the win against Temple. In the final three drives alone, he was 10 for 15 for 151 yards and two scores. 

The Rockets have won eight straight games at the Glass Bowl, with an average margin of 35.4 points.

San Diego State vs. Toledo odds, TV channel 

Spread: San Diego State +2.5 (+100)

Moneyline: San Diego State +122, Toledo -146

Over/under: 52.5 points (-106)

Game time: 9 a.m. Pacific time | Saturday, Sept. 26

Location: Glass Bowl | Toledo, Ohio

TV channel: CBS Sports Network

Odds are courtesy of FanDuel. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Re “Deficits might wipe out a third of MTS bus routes” (Sept. 18): What an eye-opener. After years of the “build, baby build” housing policies of the YIMBYs, Todd Gloria, our City Council and the state Legislature — pushing the building of high-density housing along transit routes — we learn that MTS is going broke and may need to cut back bus routes and trolley service. Yet our politicians keep wanting to build high-density housing with minimal parking requirements.

This will immediately affect the mayor’s grand vision of Midway Sinking and “improving” our traffic on Sports Arena Boulevard by converting car lanes to bus lanes and bike lanes. And now Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson and other state lawmakers are working with the mayor to approve the project without any input from local communities.

— Randi Coulthard, Sunset Cliffs

“A looming budget crisis could force local transit agencies to eliminate as many as one-third of bus routes, reduce service on another third and run San Diego Trolley lines less frequently,” the Sept. 18 article noted.

I shudder to think about the impact this could have on the thousands of new housing units that have been approved with little or no parking based on their proximity to public transportation.

— Elizabeth DeWitt, Point Loma