On Friday night, the Dodgers return to Los Angeles for a six-game homestand, which includes this series against the San Francisco Giants.

The Dodgers just secured their fifth consecutive NL West crown on Thursday with a win over the Reds.

But there is still more baseball to be played before the postseason starts, and Los Angeles will be fighting for playoff positioning with the Milwaukee Brewers, who currently hold a two-game lead for the top seed in the NL.

If the Dodgers want to cut into Milwaukee’s lead, however, they will need to do so without superstar Shohei Ohtani, who remains on the injured list while recovering from several minor issues.

Fortunately, Ohtani is expected to return before the end of the regular season, but the Dodgers will need Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and the rest of the lineup to carry the offense against San Francisco.

Tyler Glasnow will get the start for Los Angeles tonight after posting a strong 4-1 record and 3.50 ERA this season, while San Francisco will counter with left-hander Cesar Perdomo (0-1, 3.68 ERA).

The stakes of this rivalry matchup would normally be higher, but with the Giants well outside of the playoff picture, their only real motivation is trying to complicate Los Angeles’ final stretch before the postseason.

Giants vs. Dodgers Game Details:Matchup: San Francisco Giants vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Date: Friday, September 18, 2026 First pitch: 10:15 p.m. ET / 7:15 p.m. PT Venue: UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium San Francisco probable starter: Cesar Perdomo, 0-1, 3.68 ERA Los Angeles probable starter: Tyler Glasnow, 4-1, 3.50 ERA TV: Apple TV

On paper, Glasnow gives Los Angeles the more established arm, while Perdomo enters with only a small major league sample and is coming off his roughest outing.

Updated Kalshi Odds for Giants vs. Dodgers Friday:

The Dodgers are the obvious favorite entering Friday’s matchup, which will be the first of a three-game series against the Giants.

MarketSelectionKalshi ChanceYes PriceNo PriceMoneylineLos Angeles Dodgers73%74¢27¢MoneylineSan Francisco Giants27%27¢74¢Run lineDodgers win by over 1.5 runs56%56¢45¢TotalOver 7.5 runs53%54¢47¢How the Dimers Model Sees Giants-Dodgers:

While Dimers’ model and Kalshi traders both expect the Dodgers to win on Friday night, the former is slightly less bullish on Los Angeles, assigning it just a 70.7% chance of winning instead of Kalshi’s 73% implied probability.

TeamDimers Win ProbabilityKalshi ChanceKalshi Yes PriceLos Angeles Dodgers70.7%73%74¢San Francisco Giants29.3%27%27¢Dimers Best Trade: Over 8.5 Runs

Dimers believes there is value in three separate markets for Friday’s Dodgers-Giants game, but the biggest edge belongs to the Over.

In fact, the model gives Over 8.5 runs a 50.3% probability and lists a 3.3% edge, making it much more interesting than the run line or moneyline.

Cesar Perdomo gave up five runs in 4 2/3 innings in his last outing, and he will now be up against one of the best lineups in the league.

The Dodgers rank fourth in total runs and third in batting average this season.

PositionDimers ProbabilityDimers EdgeOver 8.5 runs50.3%3.3%Giants moneyline29.3%1.8%Giants +1.545.6%0.1%Giants vs. Dodgers Prediction:

Los Angeles has several advantages here, beginning with Glasnow and extending to a deeper lineup even with Ohtani unavailable.

The Dodgers also arrive home immediately after clinching the NL West and have an opportunity to close the gap on Milwaukee for the top spot in the NL.

Meanwhile, San Francisco is merely playing out the final weeks of a disappointing season.

Dimers win probability: Dodgers 70.7%, Giants 29.3%Kalshi market: Dodgers 73%, Giants 27%Best model-backed angle: Over 8.5 runs — 50.3% probability, 3.3% edgePrediction Markets for Dodgers vs. Giants:

Local Dodgers and Giants fans in California, Oregon, and Washington can now use prediction markets to trade on the MLB as an alternative to typical betting. Here are our top options, and available promo codes for new users:

PlatformNFL/MLB Eligible?September ’26 Sign-Up BonusVerified Promo CodesPolymarketYes$50CUSE
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MASS
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OREGON
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SILIVE
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CLEVEKalshiYes$25SYRACUSE
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OREGONLIVE1
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MASSLIVE1
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SILIVE
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CLEVELANDNovigYes$25SYRACUSE
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OREGON
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MASSLIVE
, CLEVELANDMLB Friday: Dodgers vs. Giants

We emphasize that all of the MLB best trades and MLB predictions in this preview are based on 10,000 data-driven simulations of the Dodgers vs. Giants, and they are correct at the time of publishing.

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