⚾ Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers Prediction & Picks: MLB Odds for Thursday, March 26

The Los Angeles Dodgers begin their quest to be the first three-peat World Series champions since 2000, and they open up the 2026 campaign against the division rival Arizona Diamondbacks. The pitching matchup features Zac Gallen vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, with first pitch from Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET, airing on NBC and streaming on Peacock. The Dodgers are as high as -260 moneyline favorites.

Though I offer a score prediction, my best Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers prediction among my MLB picks backs the Over in what should be a high-scoring affair. Since I'm expecting a slugfest, I am getting behind the Overs on player props involving Geraldo Perdomo and Freddie Freeman.

⚾ Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers picks & odds today

See all of our experts’ MLB picks based on the latest MLB odds; picks rated on a 1-to-5 star confidence scale based on betting value.

Total wagered: 2.5 units | Max profit: 4.85 units

🏆 Who will win Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers?

The Dodgers have flexed their muscle over the NL West, winning 12 division titles in 13 years. After winning 100-plus games in every full season from 2019 to 2023, Los Angeles "only" averaged 95.5 regular season wins in each of its last two World Series-winning years. But I expect it to start 1-0 despite facing an Arizona team that won six of the 13 regular season meeting last year.

Score prediction: Dodgers 7, Diamondbacks 4

💰 Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers prediction & best bet

Over 9 (-105)

On paper it looks like the Dodgers offense regressed from 2024 when it finished with a wRC+ that was 17% better than league average, as it finished with a plus-13% mark last year. Though that appears to be a decline, both marks still ranked second in the majors. Now Los Angeles added arguably the top free agent bat in the offseason in Kyle Tucker.

Meanwhile, Arizona’s offense leads Major League Baseball in runs scored from 2024 to 2025 (1,677). But the fact that it hasn’t made the playoffs either of those years speaks to its consistent pitching struggles.

🔥 Best Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers player prop bet

Geraldo Perdomo Over 0.5 runs (+160)

Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo bats in an elite run-scoring spot in the lineup, hitting ahead of All-Stars Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll. Including Perdomo, those three all had an OPS of .851 or better last year.

Perdomo is coming off a year where he had career-highs in home runs (20) and stolen bases (27), so he is always a threat to put himself into scoring position if he isn’t plating himself.

Perdomo is just 2-for-10 with two singles in his career against Yoshinobu Yamamoto. But he should get great protection from Marte, who has five hits (two extra-base hits) and a 1.044 OPS against the righty in 15 career at-bats. And dating back to last season, Perdomo has hit safely in eight consecutive road games.

💣 Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers home run prediction

Freddie Freeman to hit a home run (+459)

Freddie Freeman is the only active Dodger with more than one career home run against Zac Gallen. Four of Freeman’s last six hits off of Gallen have gone for extra bases, with two leaving the yard. That has resulted in a .583 slugging percentage in his last 24 at-bats off the righty, who struggled while pitching to a 7.59 ERA in 10 ⅔ innings in Spring Training.

Gallen is coming off a career-worst 1.5 HR/9 rate last season, which is a steep decline after finishing with a 0.9 HR/9 rate or better each of the previous three years. That is seemingly a direct result of a 30.3% fly ball rate, his highest since his rookie year in 2019.

🚀 Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers same-game parlay

The three legs of this same-game parlay all pair beautifully together, as Perdomo scoring a run and Freeman hitting a home run would all greatly enhance the chances of the Over cashing. Though I am sacrificing some value on the home run prop by making this wager at bet365, it was out of necessity, as DraftKings didn't have any batter props available for runs scored as of this writing.

💵 My betting record for MLB picks

All MLB picks, including SGPs, have been tracked since March 26.

💡 How I'm betting Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers: MLB strategy

Follow all of our MLB analysis and expert predictions for baseball season.

If it weren't for Zac Gallen's struggles with a 7.59 ERA in Spring Training, I would have looked into sprinkling either 0.25 or 0.5 units on Arizona's moneyline odds (+210 are the best odds at Caesars and bet365). That is because the Diamondbacks went 6-7 against the Dodgers last year, including winning 3-0 in Gallen's only start at Dodger Stadium.

Instead of getting involved with the moneyline or game spread, I am banking on at least nine runs being scored for the fourth time in the last five meetings between these teams.

📊 Live Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers odds

The Dodgers are anywhere from -245 to -261 moneyline favorites. They still should attract plenty of wagers from bettors as a team projected for 103 wins by PECOTA, while facing an Arizona team projected for just 79.5 (and a fourth place finish in the division).

The O/U is at 9 runs with the Over juiced to -105 across the market. Even though the -115 juice on the Under suggests the total is more likely to tick down than up before first pitch, the fact that 59% of the early wagers support the Over means the total will likely remain where it is.

📈 Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers betting trends

🚑 Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers injuries

📺 How to watch Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers

• Date: Thursday, March 26
• First pitch: 8:30 p.m. ET
• Ballpark: Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles)
• TV: NBC
• Streaming: Peacock