Dodgers blank Padres 6-0 to seize NL West lead, anchored by Teoscar Hernández’s homer and an RBI sac fly, and a multi-hit night from Ohtani. Freeman added a second-inning two-run knock as L.A. chased Dylan Cease early, piling on with Hernández’s 20th homer in the fifth. Blake Snell matched six scoreless innings for the Dodgers, while San Diego’s starter labored with six walks and three miscues in two frames.

LA will face San Diego again Sunday with Yu Darvish starting for the Padres and Tyler Glasnow for the Dodgers, then another three-game series in SD next week. For fantasy fans, the Dodgers’ top-heavy lineup—Ohtani, Hernández, Freeman—remains a premium stack, while Padres pitchers potentially provide pivot points if Cease can settle in and Darvish squared off against the LA attack.

Padres vs. Dodgers in Game 2 of a pivotal NL West showdown carries clear fantasy implications. San Diego sends Dylan Cease to the hill opposite Blake Snell and the Dodgers, with the run line at Padres +1.5 and the total set at 8. The Padres are underdogs at +106, a nod to Snell’s recent form despite a strong 2.37 ERA. Offensewise, San Diego has been the better post-break unit (.756 OPS, .272) versus Los Angeles (.751 OPS, .245), setting up a potential upset in a high-leverage spot at Dodger Stadium.

One sharp angle: Snell over 2.5 walks is priced at +125, leveraging his command struggles and a Padres lineup that features a 9.1% walk rate against lefties. The betting case leans toward San Diego, especially given Cease’s volatility and Snell’s regression signals (FIP ~3.90, WHIP ~1.526). This duel shapes up as a tight, run-scarce contest where late-inning outs and bullpen leverage could swing fantasy outcomes and prop bets alike.

The piece also nudges readers toward the Padres as the contrarian upset pick, aligning with recent offense trends and Snell’s vulnerabilities. For fantasy bettors, this is a night to weigh Padres exposure and Snell’s walk propensity while monitoring bullpen usage at Dodger Stadium, with a sprinkle on the over 8 if late scoring appears probable.

Blake Snell and Dylan Cease anchor a pitcher heavy Saturday slate, with Snell favored despite facing Cease in their collision. Snell has looked sharp since returning, delivering strikeouts in his starts, while Cease brings elite upside at the high end. Casey Mize is priced up beyond his ceiling, but Lorenzen and Zebby Matthews present solid value bets in midrange ranges. On offense, Shea Langeliers is heating up after the break, and Ketel Marte with Corbin Carroll offer compelling Coors Field upside. Angels at Athletics and Giants vs Rays emerge as the two clearest stacks, anchored by Neto, Trout, Ward and Ramos, Schmitt, Devers respectively. Balance salaries with midrange pieces like Colt Keith and Slade Cecconi to round rosters.

Los Angeles Dodgers topple into sole possession of first place in the NL West, erasing a four-game skid with a 3-2 win over San Diego in the series opener. Clayton Kershaw delivered six sturdy innings, allowing two hits and one run, while the bullpen faced another late-inning scare before shutting the door. The Dodgers rode an early third-inning rally and a Teoscar Hernandez homer in the seventh to pull ahead, then leaned on a bullpen that has been scraping the bottom of the barrel for weeks due to injuries. The finish featured Alexis Diaz fanning two in relief and Jack Dreyer closing it out on Ryan O’Hearn’s fly ball, capping a win built on depth and timing. With the division still tied, LA now eyes a weekend set in which Blake Snell will clash with Dylan Cease, followed by Tyler Glasnow vs Yu Darvish. The tiebreaker against San Diego is secured with one more win, thanks to a 5-2 mark in head-to-head play this season.

The Dodgers have leaned on a deep bullpen roster to navigate August, and their willingness to deploy high-leverage relievers in high-leverage spots has become the team’s identity as injuries mount. Teoscar Hernandez added a seventh-inning homer to back Kershaw’s effort, while San Diego countered with critical bullpen work of its own and timely contact from Luis Arraez, whose sacrifice fly delivered the Padres’ run. The weekend slate will test the resilience of both clubs, as LA attempts to secure the tiebreaker and Padres aim to turn head-to-head momentum in their favor.

The San Diego Padres leaned into Dylan Cease at the 2025 deadline, flirting with a blockbuster that never fully closed. Since the trade lull, Cease has flipped the script, leaning on a knuckle-curve he previously overruled. In his last two starts, he used the pitch at a 14.5% clip and delivered two strong outings totaling 11 innings, 2 earned runs, and 16 strikeouts. The result: a 4.52 ERA and a rebound in value as postseason pivots loom.

With Yu Darvish slumping and Nestor Cortes an unsettled piece, Cease—backed by a Padre trio of kingpins like Michael King and Nick Pivetta—could anchor the rotation come October. A stronger finish could boost his free-agent appeal this winter and help San Diego push through a deep playoff run, making the late-season turnaround not just a win in the standings, but a strategic reset for Cease’s career arc.