After a disappointing month, LA Dodgers open September hosting a three-game series with St Louis Cardinals
Los Angeles, who just concluded a very un-Dodgers-like 12-15 August, try to get off on the right foot to start September when it opens a three-game series tonight against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium at 10:10 p.m. ET.
The Dodgers enter September at 82-55 and comfortably atop the NL West. Still, they haven't exactly been playing like the two-time defending World Series champions and current MLB outright favorite.
They dropped two of three to Detroit over the weekend, including a 6-1 loss on Sunday and scored four runs or fewer in 17 of their 27 games during August.
St. Louis enters at 68-70 and faces an uphill climb to get back into the NL Wild Card race. The Cardinals closed August by dropping two of three at home to Pittsburgh, including Sunday's 5-4 setback.
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers betting picks and predictions
Dodgers -1.5 (+120)
The Dodgers are 1.5-run favorites at home for tonight's series opener, with a -180 moneyline. St. Louis sits at +150.
Eric Lauer gets the start for Los Angeles and enters at 8-6 with a 4.78 ERA. Those overall numbers aren't overwhelming, but the Dodgers have consistently won when Lauer has pitched in similarly favorable situations. Los Angeles is 11-2 in his starts when entering as the moneyline favorite.
Lauer has bounced between the rotation and bullpen recently. He allowed one run in two innings of relief at Atlanta last Wednesday after surrendering four runs over five innings at Colorado in his previous start.
His best recent outing came against Kansas City on August 12, when he allowed one earned run and four hits while striking out six over 6 1/3 innings.
The Dodgers also showed signs of breaking out offensively in Sunday's 6-1 win at Detroit. Teoscar Hernández homered and reached base three times, while Freddie Freeman reached base four times and scored three runs. Freeman, however, went the entire month of August without a home run.
St. Louis counters with Michael McGreevy, who is 5-9 with a 3.86 ERA. The right-hander has pitched better than his win-loss record suggests, and the Cardinals are 9-9 in his 18 starts as an underdog.
However, he is looking to rebound from one of his worst outings of the season. The right-hander was tagged for two homers and seven earned runs on 10 hits in five innings against Baltimore last Wednesday. He had been much sharper before that, allowing six earned runs combined over his previous four starts, with St. Louis winning all four games.
Los Angeles has considerably more offensive firepower and a deeper roster, while St. Louis enters September below .500 and is simply fighting to remain relevant in the Wild Card race.
The Dodgers also received a boost with catcher Will Smith, who has been out with a neck injury, expected to return after a rehab assignment.
Los Angeles hasn't been hitting particularly well, but a day off Monday followed by a return home could be exactly what the Dodgers need to reset after a rough August.
Take Los Angeles to win by multiple runs.
Total under 9 runs (-120)
The Dodgers' recent offensive struggles make the under appealing despite the firepower in their lineup.
Los Angeles scored four runs or fewer in nearly two-thirds of its August games, and McGreevy has been one of the more reliable members of the Cardinals' rotation.
His 3.86 ERA gives St. Louis a chance to keep this close through the middle innings, while Lauer has generally pitched well enough when backed by the Dodgers' offense.
The Cardinals also don't possess the type of lineup that should automatically turn Lauer's 4.78 ERA into a high-scoring affair.
Look for Los Angeles to do enough damage to win without this turning into a slugfest.
Jordan Walker: 2+ Hits +245
Jordan Walker has been one of St. Louis' hotter batters recently, collecting six hits over a three-game stretch last week, including a three-hit game against Pittsburgh.
The All-Star is averaging over a hit per game, and his recent numbers make him a candidate to record two or more.
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St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers odds
St. Louis Cardinals | +150 |
Los Angeles Dodgers | -180 |
Run Line | Dodgers -1.5 |
Total | O/U 9 |
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers player props
Player Home Run Odds
Jordan Walker (STL Cardinals) | +350 |
Alec Burleson (STL Cardinals) | +425 |
Ivan Herrera (STL Cardinals) | +425 |
Shohei Ohtani (LA Dodgers) | +255 |
Max Muncy (LA Dodgers) | +375 |
Freddie Freeman (LA Dodgers) | +450 |
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
