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The Colorado Rockies take on the Los Angeles Dodgers. Check out our MLB odds series for our Rockies Dodgers prediction and pick.
Kyle Freeland takes the bump for the Rockies, while Julio Urias goes to the hill for the Dodgers.
Kyle Freeland has a 4.31 ERA, but he is steadily improving this year. He posted a 6.16 ERA in the month of April. In May, his ERA for that particular month was 4.28. In June, his monthly ERA was 3.27. He is clearly headed in the right direction and will try to maintain this trajectory on the Fourth of July in Dodger Stadium. Freeland has pitched a lot against the top two teams in the National League West in recent weeks. He faced the Padres twice earlier in June and gave up a total of six runs in 13 innings. In Freeland's last start on June 28, he limited the Dodgers to three runs in six innings. If he can replicate that pitching line in this game against the Dodgers, Colorado would take it. Freeland is not going to dominate. His job is to eat up innings and keep his team in the game with a reasonable chance of winning.
Julio Urias has a 2.64 ERA. What stands out about his pitching this year is how consistent he has been. In April, his ERA was 2.50. In May, his ERA was 3.09. In June, his ERA was 2.20. He has made 15 starts this season, and only three could reasonably be considered below-average. Urias is one of the steadiest and most reliable starting pitchers in the sport, and his dependability is a key reason the Dodgers have been able to maintain a first-place position in the National League West Division in a season when Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler have missed significant amounts of time due to injuries.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Rockies-Dodgers MLB odds.
MLB Odds: Rockies-Dodgers Odds
Colorado Rockies: +1.5 (+116)
Los Angeles Dodgers: -1.5 (-140)
Over: 8.5 (-102)
Under: 8.5 (-120)
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Why The Rockies Could Cover the Spread
The Rockies won a series against the Dodgers last week. Colorado has been feisty and competitive against the top tier of the National League West. Earlier in June, before winning that series against the Dodgers, Colorado swept the San Diego Padres. It's true that Colorado swept that series in Denver at Coors Field, but it remains that the Rockies gave the Padres a tough time. They split a four-game series in San Diego before they brought out the brooms at Coors. This is a weird team, but the Rockies have their share of moments when they play really well. Now that Kris Bryant is back in their lineup after missing a lot of time due to injuries, this is a better and more beefed-up batting order which can give Julio Urias problems. Kyle Freeland is, as mentioned above, trending in the right direction. This is not a layup for the Dodgers.
Why The Dodgers Could Cover the Spread
Julio Urias is clearly a better pitcher than Kyle Freeland. There is a meaningful and noticeable gap in quality between the two. Start there. Then realize that after blowing a lead to the Padres in the ninth inning on Sunday, the Dodgers are going to come into this game focused and prepared. They were thrown off balance by MacKenzie Gore on Sunday. Against Kyle Freeland — whom they faced last week in Denver — the Dodgers should be able to put much better swings on the ball and score several runs against the Rockies.
Final Rockies-Dodgers Prediction & Pick
The Dodgers are going to be mad after their loss on Sunday. They saw Kyle Freeland last week. Los Angeles should score at least six runs in this game and win comfortably.
Final Rockies-Dodgers Prediction & Pick: Dodgers -1.5
