The Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers will square off in the final of their four-game series on Thursday. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our MLB odds series, which includes a Dodgers-Brewers prediction and pick we have laid out below.
Los Angeles owns baseball’s best record with an 81-35 mark, going 8-2 in their last 10 games. This roster is one of the deepest in the game, and Los Angeles already has a strong reputation as talented developers. The team’s +251 run differential is tops in the league. An impressive record and wonderful play have the team’s playoff spot all but wrapped up.
Milwaukee is in the middle of the playoff race, with their 62-54 record good for second place in the NL Central. Milwaukee is just two games out of the final NL Wild Card spot, and three games out of the division lead. Milwaukee is in a bit of a skid lately, going 4-6 in their last 10 games.
Here are the Dodgers-Brewers MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Dodgers-Brewers Odds
Los Angeles Dodgers: -1.5 (+164)
Milwaukee Brewers: +1.5 (-200)
Over: 7.5 (+102)
Under: 7.5 (-124)
Why The Dodgers Could Cover The Spread
Simply, Los Angeles is one of the best teams in the league, pretty obvious considering their record. In all aspects of the game, Los Angeles is one of the strongest in the league. This afternoon, Andrew Heaney will toe the rubber. Heaney has navigated multiple injuries this season to a 1.16 ERA in his seven starts. In those seven starts, Heaney has only totaled 31 innings, pitching five or more innings just twice, and his season high is only six innings. Still, Heaney can successfully hold the opponent’s offenses down, whether it is for three innings (last start) or six. Los Angeles’ bullpen has the third-best ERA in the league, with a 3.12 ERA. Evan Phillips has pitched to a 1.34 ERA, striking out 56 batters in 47 innings, while Caleb Ferguson has pitched to a sparkling 0.46 ERA in his 19.2 innings.
Mookie Betts has dominated this season, despite missing some time with a rib injury. Betts is hitting .271 with 27 home runs and 10 stolen bases. If we were to sit here and praise all the offensive accomplishments of this team, you would not have enough time to watch the game. Trea Turner has launched 18 home runs, leading the team with 83 RBI and 20 stolen bases. Freddie Freeman leads not only the team but the league with 39 doubles. Freeman has also stolen 10 bases and owns a .319 batting average. Los Angeles is tied for fourth with 157 home runs and is second with 241 doubles.
Why The Brewers Could Cover The Spread
Milwaukee is sending their best to the mound in this one, Corbin Burnes, who is third in the NL with a 2.39 ERA. In his 143 innings, Burnes has struck out 181 (!) batters. Do yourself a favor and go to Corbin Burnes’ Baseball Savant page and look at his percentile rankings. There is a LOT of red in those percentile rankings, meaning he is in the 90th percentile or above in most statistical categories. Burnes throws his cutter more than half of the time, and batters have managed a measly .193 batting average against the nasty offering. To contrast a dominant starting rotation, Milwaukee’s bullpen has been squarely average, ranking 18th with a 3.89 ERA. Josh Hader no longer lurks at the end of games, but Devin Williams and his wipeout changeup are still around. Williams has pitched to an astonishing 1.59 ERA, striking out 72 batters in 45.1 innings, going a perfect 7-7 in save situations.
Offensively, Milwaukee has gotten production from different players than usual for them. Christian Yelich finally launched a home run this week, bringing his season total to just 9. Yelich is hitting just .250 but has been his usual self in terms of getting on base, with a .355 on-base percentage. In the wake of Yelich’s slump, three Brewers have hit at least 20 home runs. Rowdy Tellez paces the team with 24, while Willy Adames (23) and Hunter Renfroe (20) have supplemented in the power department. Yelich (16), Kolten Wong (11), and Jace Peterson (10) have all amassed double-digit stolen bases.
Final Dodgers-Brewers Prediction & Pick
Burnes is just too good to pass up in this one.
Final Dodgers-Brewers Prediction & Pick: Milwaukee +1.5 (-200), under 7.5 (-124)
