LA Looks to Keep Bats Hot
The Los Angeles Dodgers (1-0) cruised on Opening Day with an 8-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks (0-1). The Dodgers put on a clinic of hitting against Arizona’s starting pitcher Zac Gallen, who finished fifth in last season’s National League Cy Young voting. This blew away the sportsbook’s projected total.
The two will meet for round two on Friday night. Dustin May will make the surprise start for the Dodgers, and Merrill Kelly gets the nod for the D-Backs. Will Los Angeles dominate once again? Here’s everything you need to know before placing your MLB picks.
Diamondbacks Crash After Quick Start
Opening Day did not go as planned for Arizona. The Diamondbacks are hoping to make strides with their young roster. Instead, they were thoroughly dominated on Thursday. They got off to a fast start with three hits and two runs through two innings.
The game completely flipped in the final seven innings. Arizona would only have one more hit, finishing with four. Gallen was pulled in the fifth inning after the Dodgers totaled six hits and five runs. The Diamondbacks would not keep it close, losing 8-2.
After a solid 2022 season, Kelly will make his first start on Friday. He was one of the United States’ starters in the World Baseball Classic. However, Kelly struggled in the final against Japan, allowing three hits in the second inning. Could this be a sign of things to come? Will Kelly have a down year? MLB lines have Kelly’s projected allowed hits at 4½.
May Makes Surprise Start
A fan rushing the field was one of the biggest stories in MLB news on Thursday. The Dodgers fan decided to propose to his girlfriend in the center field, of all places. Security’s reaction made the clip go viral, with the security officer turned into a linebacker, spearing the fan into the ground.
Proposal gone wrong at Dodger Stadium 💀 pic.twitter.com/qankLwE5sW
— maze (@Mazeaveli) March 31, 2023
Don’t let this viral clip overshadow the Dodgers’ performance, though. Their bats were hitting the cover off the ball with 12 hits. Catcher Will Smith was the star of the night with three hits in four at-bats. Following his four-RBI night, Las Vegas odds have his total bases at over/under 1½.
Dustin May’s start will likely be the story of the night. Los Angeles naming the fifth-year pitcher as their second choice over Clayton Kershaw was a major surprise, especially after May started in only six games last season due to injury. However, Arizona could be a great matchup for May to get his feet wet. The D-Backs ranked 26th in team batting average last season.
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers Game Injuries
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers Head-to-Head
The Dodgers are 7-3 in the last 10 matchups. In May’s last start against Arizona, the Diamondbacks coasted to a 6-1 win.
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers Game Information
- Game: Diamondbacks (0-1) vs Dodgers (1-0)
- Location: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
- Day/Time: Friday, March 31, 10:10 p.m. ET
- Diamonds vs Dodgers Live Stream: MLB.tv
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers Betting Lines
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers Picks and Prediction
Second-year outfielder Alek Thomas figures to be a key piece for Arizona this season. However, he missed Opening Day. If he is out once again, the D-Backs’ defense could be lacking. In 12 starts against the Dodgers, Kelly is 0-9 with an ERA of 5.97. Plus, May could be shaky after a few starts last season. The over looks like the best online gambling option for Friday’s clash.
Los Angeles is listed at -189 in our Las Vegas MLB lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Dodgers, you have a chance to win $53. Arizona is 169, offering a chance to win $169 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives Los Angeles a 65.40% chance to win, with the Diamondbacks at 37.17%
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers Trends
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers Edge
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers Results
Diamondbacks vs Dodgers Game Summary
