Dodgers vs Cubs MLB Same Game Parlay Picks, March 18: Bet Dodgers and Over

Dodgers vs Cubs Same Game Parlay Picks Today

Welcome back, baseball bettors. The 2025 MLB season is officially here, and we’re kicking off the campaign with MLB parlay picks that will hopefully have us stacking profits from now until October. It’s been a long offseason, but the wait is over.

The Dodgers and Cubs open the year in Tokyo, which means one thing: it’s time to bet. For reference, if you are interested in making an MLB futures bet, note that the Dodgers are heavy favorites on the World Series odds board at +250 to repeat.

With MLB odds favoring the defending champs, we’re rolling with the Dodgers on the run line, hitting the over, taking a Yoshinobu Yamamoto prop, and banking on an NRFI (No Run First Inning).

Let’s dig into this game that only diehard fans will watch because it’s a 6:00 ET first pitch. I mean, really, guys?

Raise your hand if you’re waking up at a stupid hour tomorrow to catch the Dodgers vs Cubs game pic.twitter.com/YOcFvctS5k

— maybe: k 🖤✨ (@kayyy_la_) March 17, 2025

Dodgers vs Cubs Game Information

• Game: Los Angeles Dodgers (0-0) vs Chicago Cubs (0-0)
• Date/Time: Tuesday, March 18, 6:00 p.m. AM
• Location: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan
• Dodgers vs Cubs Live Stream: Fubo.tv

Find updated Dodgers vs Cubs injuries here.

Dodgers SS Mookie Betts will not play in either of the Tokyo games this week vs Cubs due to an illness. He is expected to be ready for the domestic opener, per Jack Harris

— WiseguyLA (@WiseGuyLA) March 17, 2025

Dodgers vs Cubs Betting Trends

• Shota Imanaga had a .484 OPS against in the first inning last season, which is elite.
• The Dodgers mashed in the first inning last year, but their OPS dropped slightly to .846 vs. lefties.
• The Cubs converted the NRFI in 74.07% of games last year, one of the best marks in MLB.
• Tokyo Dome’s limited MLB Park Factor data suggests a below-average run-scoring environment.

Yamamoto has had first-inning struggles (6.00 ERA last year), but with the Cubs adjusting to a new lineup and a different time zone, they may not come out firing. NRFI at -125 is the right play here.

Dodgers vs Cubs Free MLB Parlay Picks

• Leg 1: Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (+110)

Shota Imanaga gets the start for the Cubs, and while the lefty is talented, he’s about to face a murderous Dodgers lineup that finished 2024 ranked third in wRC+ (121) against left-handed pitching. Even without Mookie Betts (flu), this lineup is stacked. Meanwhile, Yamamoto gets the nod for L.A., and while he struggled in his first MLB start last year (in Tokyo, no less), he rebounded to post a 2.92 ERA over the season.

Simply put, the Dodgers have the firepower, the pitching edge, and the experience to cover the -1.5 run line with ease.

Bet on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (+110)

• Leg 2: Dodgers vs Cubs Over 8 Runs (+100)

There’s a lot of MLB news about this being a low-scoring game given the early-season timing, but I’m not buying it. Both pitchers have been shaky in Spring Training—Yamamoto has allowed 15 hits in 13 innings, while Imanaga has given up seven runs in 11 innings. The Dodgers lineup should feast on Imanaga’s fastball-heavy approach, and the Cubs, with their new-look offense, could scratch across a few runs of their own.

Historically, Tokyo Dome games have been hit or miss for scoring, but the park plays relatively neutral with a 96 Park Factor for runs scored in MLB sample sizes. The early start might mess with hitters’ timing, but both teams have spent enough time acclimating. This total should clear eight runs with relative ease.

Bet on Dodgers vs Cubs Over 8 Runs (+100)

• Leg 3: Yoshinobu Yamamoto 3 or 4 Strikeouts (+150)

I like Yamamoto this season, but I don’t love this spot for him to rack up Ks. The Cubs have a much-improved strikeout rate, thanks to Kyle Tucker and Dansby Swanson, two guys who rarely whiff against right-handed pitching. The Cubs’ projected lineup posted a 21.7% K-rate vs. righties last season, which isn’t exactly strikeout-prone.

On top of that, Dave Roberts loves limiting pitch counts early in the season. Last year, in a similar overseas opener, he pulled Tyler Glasnow after 77 pitches. Yamamoto threw 75 pitches in his final Spring Training start, so there’s a solid chance he’s capped around 80 pitches in this game. That’s not ideal for racking up Ks. I considered betting on the Under 4.5 K’s, but I decided the value at +150 here is worth the extra risk. Go with Yamamoto in your MLB parlay picks today.

Bet on Yoshinobu Yamamoto 3 or 4 Strikeouts (+150)

• Leg 4. NRFI (-130)

It’s early in the season, hitters need time to adjust, and we’ve got two quality starters on the mound. That’s the formula for an NRFI.

Bet on Not Score in First Inning (-130)