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The Los Angeles Dodgers begin their World Series defense with an NL West showdown vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks on MLB Opening Day. First pitch for Thursday, March 26's matchup is at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
Below, we’ll break down our Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers prediction and picks for Thursday night’s game. Make your MLB picks on PrizePicks and earn real money if you’re right, including on game winners, spreads, and totals!
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Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers Prediction, Spread, Over/Under
The Dodgers will send their ace to the mound in SP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who recorded a 0.99 WHIP across 30 starts last season. According to Fangraphs, his sparkling 2.49 ERA was backed by a .272 xERA and a 3.05 xFIP.
Supporting Yamamoto will be a stellar lineup that only got better during the offseason, as the Dodgers signed OF Kyle Tucker away from the Cubs.
For his career, Tucker has a .366 wOBA to go along with his .234 ISO. He can also do damage on the base paths, posting at least 25 steals in three of the last four seasons.
Diamondbacks SP Zac Gallen will look to slow down the Dodgers' potent lineup. He comes off the worst season of his career with a 4.83 ERA, 4.28 xERA, and a 4.12 xFIP in 2025. His 1.5 HR/9 allowed was one of the main reasons for Gallen's struggles. That broke a streak of three straight seasons with no more than 0.9 HR/9 allowed.
Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers Spread, Over/Under
The Dodgers are home favorites tonight, returning a 1.36x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if they win outright.
The Diamondbacks are road underdogs and return a 3.22x payout if they win outright, per PrizePicks Team Picks, where you can earn money with your picks in 35 states.
- Spread: Dodgers -1.5 (1.78x payout)
- Over/Under: 8.5 runs (1.75x payout on over)
- Gamer Winner Payout: Diamondbacks 3.22x | Dodgers 1.36x
Team picks data is live as of this writing and is subject to change.
Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers Prediction to Win – 3/26/26
Here are the key stats to know before locking in your Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers prediction on the winner for Thursday, March 26 on PrizePicks.
- The Dodgers were 52-29 at home last season, compared to 41-10 on the road.
- The Diamondbacks recorded a 37-44 mark away from Arizona last year.
- Last year, the Dodgers ranked second in baseball in OPS (.768) and home runs (244).
- While Los Angeles showed plenty of power at the plate, they didn’t swing and miss much. Per Fangraphs, their 21.9% strikeout rate was the 12th-lowest mark.
- The Diamondbacks posted a .739 OPS on the road last season, versus a .780 OPS at home.
- Gallen’s inability to keep hitters inside the ballpark last season could be a problem, as the Dodgers had the highest home ISO (.214) in baseball last year.
Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers Picks for PrizePicks Today: 3/26/26
Here are top Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers picks to target for Thursday, March 26, on PrizePicks. Today's PrizePicks MLB player picks are headlined by Dodgers DH Shohei Ohtani and Diamondbacks OF Corbin Carroll.
Dodgers DH Shohei Ohtani vs. Diamondbacks Projection: 9.5 Hitter Fantasy Score
- Despite being both a hitter and a pitcher, Ohtani racked up 727 plate appearances last season.
- He mashed 55 home runs on his way to scoring 146 runs and producing 102 RBIs, backing his case for another MVP award in 2026.
- According to Fangraphs, Ohtani has finished with a wOBA of at least .418 and an ISO of at least .336 in each of the last three seasons.
- The four-time MVP recorded a .438 wOBA and a .378 ISO vs. right-handed pitchers last year.
- Gallen was especially bad on the road in 2025, posting a 4.69 FIP and a 4.23 xFIP away from Arizona.
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Diamondbacks OF Corbin Carroll vs. Dodgers Projection: 1.5 Hits+Runs+RBIs
- Carroll is coming off a great season in which he set a career high with 31 home runs. He also registered 32 steals for the first 30-30 season of his career.
- As good as he was, Carroll enters the new campaign recovering from a broken hamate bone.
- The injury got Carroll off to a late start, resulting in only 21 plate appearances during Spring Training. He logged only one extra-base hit along the way.
- As one of baseball's top pitchers, Yamamoto allowed just a .321 slugging percentage at home last year.
- While the Dodgers’ star pitcher held righties to a .265 wOBA last season, he was even better versus lefties, limiting them to a .221 wOBA.
- In his career, Yamamoto has only given up 6 home runs to left-handed hitters.
Dodgers OF Teoscar Hernandez vs. Diamondbacks Projection: 1.5 Hits+Runs+RBIs
- Despite being limited to 134 games due to injuries last season, Hernandez recorded 25 home runs and 89 RBIs.
- His first season with the Dodgers came in 2024, appearing in in 154 games while posting 33 home runs and 99 RBIs.
- Across his two seasons with the team, the slugging outfielder has a .352 wOBA and a .248 ISO at home. On the road, he carries a .327 wOBA and a .193 ISO.
- Hernandez generates plenty of quality contact, recording a 13.8% barrel rate and a 47.2% hard-hit rate for his career.
Make Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers Picks on PrizePicks
Ohtani and Hernandez will try to valut the Dodgers to a win at home on MLB Opening Day. Carroll could be fighting an uphill battle to be productive for the Diamondbacks, given the pitching matchup and his limited Spring Training at bats.
You can make Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks to earn real money. Just pick MLB players, predict More or Less on their projected stats, and cash in if you’re correct. And with Team Picks, you can make predictions on winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 35 states.
Stick around with the Playbook for continued MLB predictions, picks, and news throughout the 2026 season.
