The September 3, 2025 interleague clash between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park provides a fascinating contrast between a perennial contender trying to fine-tune itself for October and a rebuilding club eager to spoil and develop, as the Dodgers arrive at 78-60 with their sights set on a deep playoff run while the Pirates sit at 62-77, long out of contention but playing some of their most spirited baseball of the year with nine wins in their last twelve games, and the betting markets reflect that disparity by installing Los Angeles as a clear moneyline favorite near –196, though Pittsburgh’s recent play suggests they won’t be an easy out, and the ATS figures further highlight the differences with the Dodgers posting a respectable 24-22 mark against the spread while the Pirates have struggled badly at 19-32, underscoring how difficult it has been for them to consistently perform to expectations, and on the mound the Dodgers counter with the ever-reliable Clayton Kershaw, who despite injuries and age remains a master of command and guile, tasked with shutting down a Pirates lineup that has shown surprising life, while Pittsburgh counters creatively with opener Carmen Mlodzinski setting the stage for electric prospect Bubba Chandler, a 22-year-old right-hander with a fastball that touches 101 mph and who has already impressed in limited action with flashes of dominance, and the contrast between Kershaw’s experience and Chandler’s raw electricity creates a compelling pitching narrative.

Offensively the Dodgers carry an arsenal that can overwhelm most teams, led by Shohei Ohtani, who recently blasted his 100th home run in a Dodgers uniform, alongside the consistent production of Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Will Smith, a quartet that can change a game in an instant, and while Los Angeles has stumbled in series openers—dropping five of nine in August—they remain a team built to dominate once they settle in, while the Pirates counter with hot bats from Jared Triolo, who has delivered multi-hit games with extra-base power, veteran Tommy Pham, who has added stability and clutch production, and a bullpen that has recently found enough form to close games out, which has been crucial to their recent stretch of success, and for Pittsburgh the formula is clear: ride the adrenaline of Chandler, spark early offense through aggressive at-bats against Kershaw, and lean on the bullpen to preserve whatever lead they can scrape together, while for the Dodgers the path is equally straightforward: Kershaw must suppress the Pirates’ energy early, the bats must cash in scoring opportunities against the opener, and the bullpen, though taxed at times, must avoid late-inning collapses that have hurt them in recent weeks, and ultimately this matchup pits a Dodgers team looking to steady itself on the road against a Pirates squad that has nothing to lose, and while the odds, talent, and track record all lean heavily toward Los Angeles, the recent form of Pittsburgh combined with the unpredictability of a rookie fireballer like Chandler gives the Pirates a puncher’s chance of pulling off another upset in what should be a spirited September game.