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Two franchises that are forever etched in the history of baseball will go head-to-head as the Chicago Cubs square off with the Los Angeles Dodgers for game two at Dodger Stadium. You know what time it is! Let's take a look at our MLB odds series, where our Cubs-Dodgers prediction and pick will be unveiled.
Chicago came out on the short end of things in a 5-3 defeat yesterday. Despite being in third place within the NL Central, the Cubs trail the Brewers by 12.5 games for the top spot in the division. Winners in six of their previous nine games, the Cubbies will send out RHP Keegan Thompson with his 7-3 record and 3.41 ERA.
The Dodgers have officially hit their groove, as LA has now won eight of nine ballgames and is doing it in an impressive fashion. Looking to make it five straight victories which includes a 27-13 record at home, southpaw Tyler Anderson will get the nod from manager Dave Roberts. Anderson is a near-perfect 9-1 with a 3.09 ERA on the season.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Cubs-Dodgers MLB odds.
MLB Odds: Cubs-Dodgers Odds
Chicago Cubs: +1.5 (-120)
Los Angeles Dodgers: -1.5 (+100)
Over: 8.5 (-110)
Under: 8.5 (-110)
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Why The Cubs Could Cover the Spread
Baseball has always been coined “A game of failure.” Chicago has certainly experienced its fair share of failures this season. Nevertheless, all it takes is a stellar performance from a name in the lineup or from on the rubber to give this Cubs squad a chance to conquer the Dodgers.
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All in all, the Cubs do have some talent to hand the Dodgers a rare home loss. It all begins with the approach in the batter's box when facing off with expected starter Tyler Anderson. The bats have been the most electric part of Chicago's game this year, as they are smack dab in the middle of the league with 362 runs scored. Additionally, the Cubbies have the fifth-highest on-base percentage with a deadly .324 mark. When given the chance, Chicago can actually inflict some damage against opposing pitching.
Surely, the same can be said about other teams matching up with the Cubs' pitching staff. This is where Chicago has really struggled in 2022. With the fifth-highest ERA at 4.67, the Cubs have found it difficult to record outs. Even worse, Chicago has only received 19 quality starts from their starters which is the second-fewest in the majors.
While the sample size hasn't been pretty, the good news is that the Cubs will be calling upon their wins leader in Keegan Thompson to baffle the Dodgers at the plate. Thompson has allowed two earned runs or fewer in three of his last four starts and has a 2.82 ERA over that stretch. Against Los Angeles, Thompson is 0-1 with a 2.16 ERA in two starts.
Why The Dodgers Could Cover the Spread
With the best record in the NL, the Dodgers do not appear to be slowing down any time soon. Not only are they possibly the National League's best chance at winning the World Series, but there may be no hotter team in the league right now then the boys in white and blue. Fierce defense, otherworldly talent at the plate, and an abundance of arms on this staff have given the Dodgers all they need to compete in every game they play.
In order to hand the Cubs their second loss in just as many nights, don't be surprised if infielder Justin Turner continues his sweltering play with the bat in his hands. After hitting a dreadful .168 through May 9th, Turner has come alive. In his previous eight games, Turner is slashing .518 with four home runs. Even scarier? If someone like Turner has an off night, there is still plenty of reinforcements to finish the job. As a whole, the Dodgers have the second-most runs in baseball and the best on-base percentage in the National League.
Even if the Dodgers' offensive onslaught is slowed down slightly, Los Angeles still has numerous other ways to defeat you. In this case, the pitching prowess that the Dodgers possess is second to none. Literally, the Dodgers sport the lowest ERA in baseball with an insane 2.91 earned-run average. Also, LA is second in WHIP and third in batting average against. If lefty Tyler Anderson has a repeat of his last start where he fired 6 1/3 innings while giving up only one run, then the Cubs may be in for a long night within the Chavez Ravine. From top to bottom, even the kryptonite that makes Superman appear weak would not leave a mark on this Dodgers team.
Final Cubs-Dodgers Prediction & Pick
Can the Cubs cover the spread against the Dodgers on Friday? Absolutely. Will they? It's doubtful. Simply put, the Dodgers are miles ahead of the Cubs on paper when it comes to talent and they also have players with years of big game experience that Chicago just does not have. The Cubbies may give a valiant effort, but the Dodgers will be too much at home.
Final Cubs-Dodgers Prediction & Pick: Dodgers -1.5 (+100)
