Los Angeles Dodgers vs Arizona Diamondbacks Picks and Predictions May 19th 2025

Brandon Pfaadt, Diamondbacks Set Sights on Dodgers

The Arizona Diamondbacks are heading into Los Angeles with confidence after a resilient stretch of play, and they’ll open a critical three-game road series against the defending World Series champion Dodgers on Monday. At the center of their charge is right-hander Brandon Pfaadt, who has already proven he can silence the Los Angeles Dodgers’ dangerous lineup.

Pfaadt Poised for Another Big Outing

Pfaadt (6-3, 3.73 ERA) was sensational the last time he faced the Dodgers, spinning 6 1/3 scoreless innings on May 8 with six strikeouts while allowing just four hits and three walks. In five career starts against Los Angeles, he holds a 3-2 record with a 4.73 ERA and a 10-strikeout gem at Dodger Stadium under his belt from last September.

Pfaadt’s impressive performance led Arizona to a 5-3 win in the opener of a four-game set earlier this month. The D-backs took two of four from that series and have since gone 4-2, showing signs of finding their stride.

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Their most recent outing was a 1-0 shutout of the Colorado Rockies, powered by Merrill Kelly’s 11-strikeout, one-hit masterpiece and a solo homer from Starling Marte. The bounce-back effort came after a chaotic 14-12 slugfest loss the night before.

Dodgers Reeling from Injuries and Roster Shakeups

The Dodgers, on the other hand, enter the series amidst turbulence. They were swept over the weekend by the last-place Los Angeles Angels and are grappling with significant injuries across their pitching staff. Starters Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Roki Sasaki are all sidelined, while the bullpen is severely depleted — Kirby Yates, Brusdar Graterol, Michael Kopech, Evan Phillips, and Blake Treinen are all on the IL.

“It’s not sustainable,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I personally just look at each night and try to figure out who’s available and how to try to win the game… we certainly need our starters to go deeper.”

Right-hander Landon Knack (2-1, 5.89 ERA) will start for the Dodgers. He’s making his fifth start of the season and has struggled to find consistency. Knack faced Arizona twice last year and went 0-1 with a 4.82 ERA.

A New-Look Dodgers Squad

The roster upheaval hasn’t stopped with the pitching. The Dodgers released veterans Austin Barnes and Chris Taylor, opting to inject new life into the lineup with top prospect Dalton Rushing and promising infielder Hyeseong Kim.

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“It’s a delicate balance of stability vs. infusing new guys,” said Dodgers President Andrew Friedman. “But this wasn’t part of the plan coming into the season — it’s just how it played out.”

With all the roster uncertainty, it’s a pivotal time for the Dodgers, who still sit atop the NL West but are showing vulnerability.

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Diamondbacks Out to Capitalize

The Diamondbacks, meanwhile, are surging. Winners of four of their last six, they’re positioned to challenge L.A. with a rested bullpen, a hot top of the lineup, and Pfaadt leading the charge.

For those eyeing MLB betting insights, this series offers plenty of angles. Arizona’s momentum and L.A.’s injury woes make it a compelling matchup for savvy wagers. You can track all the latest MLB predictions and picks as this NL West showdown unfolds.