A rubber match between the red-hot Los Angeles Dodgers and the contending St. Louis Cardinals is on tap in a premier National League showdown this evening! It is time to check out our MLB odds series, where our Dodgers-Cardinals prediction and pick will be unveiled.
Winners in 12 of their previous 14 ballgames, the Dodgers are beginning to hit their stride at the perfect time. Increasing their division lead on the Padres by 8.5 games over that time, Los Angeles is sitting comfortably to say the least. Tasked with keeping the ball rolling on the mound will be southpaw Tyler Anderson. The lefty is a remarkable 9-1 on the season and has a very productive 3.15 ERA to boot.
While the Cardinals haven't experienced as much success as the Dodgers thus far this season, they have an opportunity to give LA a series loss for the first time in nearly two weeks. At 48-43, the ‘Cards will send out RHP Dakota Hudson in an attempt to stay alive in the NL Central race.
Here are the Dodgers-Cardinals MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Dodgers-Cardinals Odds
Los Angeles Dodgers: -1.5 (+102)
St. Louis Cardinals: +1.5 (-122)
Over: 9 (-114)
Under: 9 (-106)
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Why the Dodgers Could Cover the Spread
Arguably the hottest team in baseball at the moment, the Dodgers force the opposition to play the perfect played game to beat Los Angeles. While fans throughout the league have grown used to chanting “Beat LA” over the years, it is starting to become a rare occurrence. After a brief struggle that saw the Dodgers lose a few unexpected series in which they probably should've been victorious, Los Angeles has not looked back since. With a win on Thursday at Busch Stadium, the Dodgers will have won their fourth straight series.
In the opening pair of games that ended identically in 7-6 fashion against the Cardinals, the Dodgers will approach the rubber match of this series by using their balanced attack to overwhelm St. Louis. Not to mention, but the Dodgers may have the best offense and pitch from a statistical point of view. Through their first 87 games, Los Angeles possesses the second-lowest ERA at 3.02 and is the second-highest scoring squad in all of the major leagues. Additionally, LA has proven they can hit the ball a long way with a .435 slugging percentage at the plate. To sum it up, teams tasked with facing off with the Dodgers have to hope for the boys in blue to have an off day or else it becomes extremely difficult to win against them.
With excellent performances from OF Mookie Betts and SS Trea Turner in Wednesday's come-from-behind six-run deficit win, the weapons within this lineup are jaw-dropping. Even if the Dodgers don't always get off to a hot start, the talent inside the clubhouse gives them the luxury of a heroic and dramatic comeback win at any possible moment. Against the spread, the Dodgers are a phenomenal 50-37 on the season.
Why the Cardinals Could Cover the Spread
It was certainly a tough pill to swallow for St. Louis during yesterday's matchup with the Dodgers. After leading the game 6-0 heading into the seventh frame, the wheels completely fell off. The Cardinals' bullpen implosion was a reminder that the Dodgers are truly never out of any game they play and should not be taken for granted.
No doubt, the ups and downs of baseball have players and fans from around the league checking on their own sanity more often than not. Regardless, only a few teams can afford such a collapse as the one St. Louis experienced before it starts affecting their play in future games. Hoping to avoid that, the Cardinals must continue their aggressive brand of play that has pushed the Dodgers to the brink.
Sitting only two games behind the Brewers for first place in the NL Central, the Cardinals have played up to snuff on paper. Statistically, St. Louis has scored the eighth-most runs in the league and even has hit a productive .251 batting average throughout their lineup. With deadly bats at the heart of the offensive attack in Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, generating runs is the least of the Cardinals' concerns heading into Thursday.
The biggest difference-maker in this contest will fall on the shoulders of starter Dakota Hudson. After getting shelled for six runs in four innings at Atlanta, Hudson was able to rebound nicely by pitching six shutout frames against the Phillies. With Anderson's dominance on the mound for the Dodgers, the Cardinals' ability to cover the spread this evening may depend on Hudson's ability to keep Los Angeles guessing at the dish.
Final Dodgers-Cardinals Prediction & Pick
Buckle up baseball fans, we have a diaper dandy between these two squads! Unfortunately for St. Louis, it is hard to imagine that yesterday's bitter loss won't be a factor in this one. With the slight chance that the ‘Cards will be mentally fatigued in this one, siding with the scorching hot Dodgers to cover the spread may be the move.
Final Dodgers-Cardinals Prediction & Pick: Dodgers -1.5 (+102)
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