It is that specific, restless feeling. You’re sitting on the couch or finishing up a shift, and you realize you haven’t checked the lineup yet. You need to know: are the Dodgers playing right now, or did I miss the first pitch?
Baseball is a grind. 162 games means that for six months out of the year, the answer is almost always "yes." But with cross-country travel, those weird Thursday getaway games, and the occasional (though rare in Los Angeles) rainout, keeping track of the Blue Heaven schedule can be a bit of a headache. Honestly, the worst feeling is sitting down with a drink and realizing it’s an off-day.
Whether you’re looking for the start time for tonight's matchup at Chavez Ravine or trying to figure out if they’re stuck in a rain delay in Chicago, staying on top of the Los Angeles Dodgers schedule requires knowing exactly where to look.
Where to check if the Dodgers are playing right now
The fastest way to see if are the Dodgers playing is usually a quick glance at the MLB App or the official team site. If you're on the go, Google’s "Scorebox" is generally reliable, but it can lag by a few minutes during high-traffic postseason games.
Don't just trust the date. Baseball timing is tricky. You've got to account for time zones. A 7:10 PM start in New York means 4:10 PM for those of us on the West Coast. If they’re playing the Giants up north, it’s usually a standard evening affair, but those mid-week games against the Rockies or Diamondbacks often feature early afternoon starts to help teams catch flights to their next city.
👉 See also: Last Match Man City: Why Newcastle Couldn't Stop the Semenyo Surge
Most home games at Dodger Stadium still aim for that classic 7:10 PM PT start time. Why? Because management knows getting through L.A. traffic by 6:00 PM is basically an impossible dream for most humans.
The best sources for real-time updates:
- The MLB At Bat App: This is the gold standard. It gives you pitch-by-pitch data and tells you exactly who is on deck.
- Dodgers Twitter (X) / Social Media: The official @Dodgers account posts the starting lineup about two to three hours before every game. If a game is postponed, this is where you'll hear it first.
- Local Radio (AM 570): If you're stuck in your car, there's no better way to find out if the boys in blue are on the field than tuning into the pre-game show.
Why the schedule gets confusing
Sometimes you check the calendar and it says there's a game, but the TV is showing a rerun of a cooking show. What gives?
Blackout rules are the bane of every baseball fan's existence. Even if the Dodgers are playing, you might not be able to see them if you're using a specific streaming service or if the game is being broadcast exclusively on a national network like ESPN or FOX.
Then there are the "Split-Squad" games during Spring Training in February and March. During this time, the team literally splits in two. One half might be playing the Rangers in Surprise, Arizona, while the other half stays back at Camelback Ranch to face the Cubs. If you're asking are the Dodgers playing during the spring, the answer might actually be "yes, in two places at once."
✨ Don't miss: Cowboys Score: Why Dallas Just Can't Finish the Job When it Matters
Weather is rarely an issue at home. Dodger Stadium has had remarkably few rainouts in its history—just 17 since it opened in 1962. But when the team travels to the Midwest or the East Coast in April, all bets are off. If a game is "Postponed," it’s usually made up as a "Doubleheader" the following day. That’s a marathon for the players and a dream for fans who want eight hours of baseball in one sitting.
Understanding the rhythm of a Dodgers season
To know when the Dodgers are playing, you have to understand how a series works. Baseball isn't like football where you play once a week. It’s a series of three or four games against the same opponent.
Usually, a team will play a "Home Stand" where they stay in L.A. for six to ten days, followed by a "Road Trip." If the Dodgers just finished a long stretch at home, they’re likely flying out on a Monday. Mondays and Thursdays are the most common "Off-Days" in the MLB schedule. These are the days when the answer to are the Dodgers playing is a disappointing "no."
Keys to the 2026 Schedule
- Interleague Play: With the balanced schedule, the Dodgers now play every single team in the MLB at least once. This means you’ll see the Yankees or Red Sox more often than you used to in the old days.
- The Postseason Push: September is when the schedule gets intense. Doubleheaders become more common as teams try to make up games before the playoffs begin in October.
- The All-Star Break: Every July, the team takes a mandatory four-day break. This is the only time during the summer where you can be 100% sure the Dodgers aren't playing a regular-season game.
The importance of the pitching rotation
Knowing if they are playing is one thing. Knowing who is playing is another.
🔗 Read more: Jake Paul Mike Tyson Tattoo: What Most People Get Wrong
The "Probable Pitchers" list is usually released a few days in advance. If Shohei Ohtani or a healthy Tyler Glasnow is on the mound, the game becomes "Must-Watch" TV. Fans often plan their entire week around which starter is scheduled.
Keep in mind that rotations change. A pitcher might get "scratched" due to a tight hamstring or a sudden trade. Always check the "Lineup" post on social media about 90 minutes before the first pitch to see the official batting order and the starting pitcher. This is also where you'll see if stars like Mookie Betts or Freddie Freeman are getting a "day of rest," which happens more often than it used to in this era of load management.
How to never miss a game again
If you're tired of manually checking "are the Dodgers playing today," the best thing you can do is sync the schedule to your digital calendar. The official Dodgers website offers a "Sync to Calendar" feature for Google, Outlook, and Apple calendars.
Once you do this, your phone will give you a little buzz an hour before the game starts. It’s a lifesaver. You’ll never find yourself accidentally scheduling a dinner date during a crucial matchup against the Padres again.
Actionable steps for the dedicated fan:
- Download the MLB App and set the Dodgers as your "Favorite Team" to get scoring alerts and start-time notifications sent directly to your lock screen.
- Bookmark the Probable Pitchers page on MLB.com to see who is scheduled to throw for the next five games.
- Sync the official schedule to your phone calendar so you can see "Home" and "Away" designations at a glance.
- Check the local weather if the team is playing in cities like St. Louis, Cincinnati, or New York to anticipate potential delays or postponements.
- Verify the broadcast channel at least 30 minutes before the game, especially for Friday night games which are often exclusive to Apple TV+.
The Dodgers are more than just a baseball team; they are a daily summer habit. By staying ahead of the schedule and knowing the nuances of the MLB calendar, you can make sure you're always ready when the umpire yells "Play Ball."