The September 23, 2025 matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field is a compelling late-season divisional showdown that highlights two clubs with very different but equally pressing motivations, as the Dodgers arrive looking to cement their postseason seeding and maintain momentum while the Diamondbacks are fighting to keep their Wild Card hopes alive and need every win they can get. For Los Angeles, this game is about discipline and depth, as their lineup has consistently been one of the most feared in the league, with star hitters who blend power and patience to punish mistakes and wear down opposing pitchers; their starting pitching and bullpen, while not flawless, have generally given them stability in high-leverage spots, and manager Dave Roberts will be looking for sharp execution from his rotation to ensure his bullpen enters October in good form. Arizona, on the other hand, is banking on the spark provided by Corbin Carroll, who has become the franchise’s first 30-30 player with 30 homers and 30 steals, signaling both his star potential and the energy he can bring to the offense, while players like Christian Walker and Ketel Marte give the lineup additional thump and balance, making them capable of stringing together big innings if Dodgers pitchers lose command.

The pitching matchup looms large: Arizona’s starter will need to neutralize the Dodgers’ early-game explosiveness, avoiding free passes and home-run pitches, while the bullpen has to protect any lead or keep the game close into the late innings, which has been an Achilles’ heel for them at times this season. Los Angeles’s starter will be tasked with keeping Carroll off base, as his speed and aggressive baserunning create havoc, while minimizing damage from the middle of Arizona’s order, because if the Diamondbacks seize momentum at home, they have shown the ability to ride that energy to upset wins. Defensively, both teams know that mistakes could swing the game—Arizona must be sharp to keep pressure off their pitching staff, while Los Angeles will need to avoid the kind of lapses that give the D-backs extra chances in what figures to be a high-stakes contest. From a betting perspective, the Dodgers are the clear moneyline favorites, but their history of struggling to cover the run line against Arizona suggests that bettors may find more value on the D-backs keeping it close, especially at home, while the total near 8.5 runs reflects the potential for both lineups to generate offense if starting pitching falters. Ultimately, this game will be decided by whether the Dodgers’ experience, depth, and consistency can overpower a Diamondbacks team fighting for survival, or whether Arizona’s urgency, Carroll’s spark, and the comfort of Chase Field will allow them to deliver one of their most important wins of the season.