The Los Angeles Dodgers face the Colorado Rockies this afternoon, looking to avoid dropping three out of four to the worst team in baseball.

The two teams are on opposite ends of the standings, with the Dodgers holding an insurmountable 30.5-game lead over the Rockies.

But this game isn’t about the gap. It’s about momentum, pride, and staying ahead of the surging San Diego Padres, who the Dodgers face in a pivotal three-game series starting Friday.

After being swept by the Angels last week, then sweeping the Padres, the Dodgers remain maddeningly inconsistent. Last night, they were outslugged by the Rockies, who racked up 16 hits in an 8-run performance. Shohei Ohtani was roughed up for five runs on five hits over four innings.

The good news for the Dodgers: today’s pitching matchup tilts heavily in its favor.

Clayton Kershaw gets the ball for L.A. At 37, the left-hander is putting together another stellar season, entering today’s game with a 7–2 record and a 3.01 ERA. He’s been dominant in August, allowing just one earned run over three starts (1.00 ERA).

In his previous outing against Colorado this season, Kershaw gave up just one run over six innings — a performance that mirrors his recent form.

Colorado’s offense, however, has been heating up. The Rockies are averaging six runs per game over their last six contests, going 5–1 during that stretch. But they’ll be without red-hot rookie Warming Bernabel, who’s hitting .364 over his last seven games and .311 on the season.

The big question: can Colorado’s pitching hold up? The answer: Probably not.

Rookie Chase Dollander starts for the Rockies. He’s 2–9 with a 6.43 ERA and struggled in his first outing against the Dodgers earlier this year, allowing three runs over 5.2 innings.

He won’t have to face Ohtani today, as the two-way star is expected to return Friday against San Diego. Teoscar Hernandez is also getting the day off. But the rest of the Dodgers’ lineup is likely to feast on him.

Still, without two of its biggest bats at the plate today, don’t expect a 10-run blowout from the Dodgers.

Prediction

Expect the Dodgers to bounce back, while Kershaw contains Colorado.

Final Score Prediction: Dodgers 6, Rockies 2.

Starting Lineups

Los Angeles Dodgers

1. Mookie Betts – SS

2. Freddie Freeman – 1B

3. Will Smith – C

4. Michael Conforto – LF

5. Alex Freeland – 3B

6. Dalton Rushing – C

7. Andy Pages – CF

8. Jesse Call – LF

9. Miguel Rojas – 2B

Starting Pitcher: Clayton Kershaw (LHP) — 7–2, 3.01 ERA

Colorado Rockies

1. Tyler Freeman – RF

2. Ezequiel Tovar – SS

3. Hunter Goodman – DH

4. Jordan Beck – LF

5. Brenton Doyle – CF

6. Braxton Fulford – C

7. Kyle Farmer – 1B

8. Orlando Arcia – 3B

9. Ryan Ritter – 2B

Starting Pitcher: Chase Dollander (RHP) — 2–9, 6.43 ERA

How to Watch Dodgers vs. Rockies

First pitch for this afternoon’s Dodgers-Rockies game is set for 3:10 PM Eastern / 1:10 PM Mountain / 12:10 PM Pacific at Coors Field.

The game airs live on SportsNet LA and Rockies.TV.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Colorado Rockies

Date: Thursday, August 21, 2025

Time: 3:10 PM Eastern / 1:10 PM Mountain / 12:10 PM Pacific

Venue: Coors Field, Denver, CO

TV: SportsNet LA (LAD region), ROCKIES.TV (COL region)

Streaming: MLB.TV (out-of-market)