D-backs Take On Dodgers in First NL West Matchup of 2025

The Arizona Diamondbacks will face an NL West rival for the first time in 2025 on Thursday. This comes in the form of the potent Los Angeles Dodgers, as they travel to the desert to play at Chase Field in what is an exciting weekend of baseball. First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m.

Entering Thursday's slate of games the Diamondbacks sit at a record of 19-18, six games back of the Dodgers for the division lead, and 2.5 games back of the Phillies for a Wild Card spot.

The Dodgers on the other hand enter this series on a four series win streak, looking to create seperation from the Padres and Giants who sit hot on their tail for the top of the division.

Pitching Matchup

Brandon Pfaadt, RHP, 5-2, 3.79 ERA

Arizona's most consistent starter so far in 2025 has been 26-year-old Brandon Pfaadt. The right-hander has been solid through seven starts, really only being roughed up in his last outing. There he was knocked around by the Phillies for six earned runs, nearly doubling his previous high this season.

Still, he has been a workhorse for the D-backs. Coming off a season where he led Arizona's pitching staff in innings with 181.2, he has already posted 40.1 innings this year.

An issue for Pfaadt in his previous outing was undoubtedly command. While he was pitching in rainy conditions, he seemingly never got a good grip on the ball, making his pitches uncompetitive, or leaving mistakes across the plate.

The Dodgers are familiar with Pfaadt, having faced him five times in the regular season, and once in the playoffs. During regular season games Los Angeles has roughed him up, putting up a 6.20 ERA in 20.1 innings. His two most recent outings, both coming in 2024, are slightly better, allowing 5 ER in 11.2 innings.

In the playoffs Pfaadt shut down the Dodgers' lineup. Coming during the D-backs' magical 2023 postseason run, the right-hander pitched 4.1 innings, allowing no runs and only two hits against one of the leagues most potent offensive groups.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, RHP, 4-2, 0.90 ERA

There is a strong case to be made that Yamamoto has been baseball's best starting pitcher through his first seven starts. His 0.90 ERA paired with a solid 40 innings total is a reflection of his record-setting contract which the Dodgers signed him to ahead of 2024.

Still, last season the right-hander out of Japan missed significant time with injury. In his 2024, 90-inning sample he was still dominant, pitching to a 3.00 ERA, and striking out 105 hitters, but his current form seems to be a better refection of what Los Angeles hoped for when recruiting him originally.

The Diamondbacks will face Yamamoto for the third time on Thursday night. So far those matchups haven't gone too well for Arizona, as in 12.1 innings pitched he has allowed only two runs on 12 hits. The D-backs will need to do better, and knock him out of the game in order to have a chance at taking the series opener.

Lineups