The Los Angeles Dodgers take on the Arizona Diamondbacks. Check out our MLB odds series for our Dodgers Diamondbacks prediction and pick.

Michael Grove goes to the rubber for the Dodgers, while Zach Davies gets the call for the Diamondbacks.

Michael Grove has pitched once for the Dodgers since June 1. He started on Aug. 29 against the Marlins and was able to eat some innings and keep the Dodgers in the game. He wasn't great, but he wasn't terrible, going 4 2/3 innings and allowing two runs. If the Dodgers can get five innings and two runs allowed from Grove in this game, they'll be happy. The Dodgers clinched the National League West on Tuesday night. They're closing in on the No. 1 seed in the National League playoffs. They're in a very comfortable position, knowing they'll lock up the top seed before too long. The main thing is to get innings from their back-end starters so that the bullpen is not overextended heading into October. Grove's task is less about winning and more about giving the Dodgers length in this game.

Zach Davies has a 4.09 ERA. Since the start of August, he reeled off seven straight starts in which he pitched at an ERA under 3.50. He has generally been a good pitcher since the All-Star break and an injury layoff in the month of July. However, in his most recent appearance on Sept. 9, the Colorado Rockies roughed him up for six runs in 3 2/3 innings. On an Arizona staff in which Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly have been tremendous this year, Davies needs to be better for the D-Backs if he wants a place on this team in 2023. That's the main reason why this start is so important for him, even though Arizona is obviously not part of the playoff chase in the final three weeks of the season.

Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Dodgers-Diamondbacks MLB odds.

MLB Odds: Dodgers-Diamondbacks Odds

Los Angeles Dodgers: -1.5 (+115)

Arizona Diamondbacks: +1.5 (-138)

Over: 9 (-110)

Under: 9 (-110)

Why The Dodgers Could Cover the Spread

The Dodgers are a much better team than the Diamondbacks, and every other team in the National League West. The Dodgers needed just 141 games to clinch the National League West, tucking the division to bed three weeks before the end of the regular season. That's complete dominance, and it shows how consistent the Dodgers are. They are going to make a run at last year's team, which won 106 games but was nipped at the wire by the 107-win San Francisco Giants. The Dodgers dusted themselves off and replicated their 2021 excellence in the regular season, while the Giants are not even going to reach .500 unless they deliver a big finishing kick to the season. This is simply an excellent team, and it has spent most of the year covering spreads.

Why The Diamondbacks Could Cover the Spread

The Dodgers just clinched their division. They are sending up a spot starter, Michael Grove, to handle this game. Even though Zach Davies is not an especially great pitcher, this is a clear hangover game for the Dodgers. It's true that their celebration of a division title was not emotional or rowdy on Tuesday night in Phoenix. It's not as though this team is emotionally exhausted. However, it's still natural for a team which just won a division title to be not quite as urgent or intense the next day at the ballpark. It's a letdown situation the D-Backs — who are very intense — can take advantage of.

Final Dodgers-Diamondbacks Prediction & Pick

This is a unique chance to pick the Diamondbacks over the Dodgers with a certain degree of confidence, since the Dodgers have a rarely-used starter on the mound the day after popping champagne. Take Arizona.

Final Dodgers-Diamondbacks Prediction & Pick: Diamondbacks +1.5