Friday night features a National League showdown of East versus West as the Miami Marlins (63-59) take on the Los Angeles Dodgers (74-46).
Both of these teams are very much in the playoff hunt, meaning that every win is crucial as the season starts to wind down. With a big three-game series over the weekend, both teams will look to take Friday’s opener.
As you consider your MLB picks, read ahead to get a breakdown of this matchup and the Marlins vs Dodgers best bets.
Marlins vs Dodgers Odds
Miami Marlins vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Information
Miami Marlins vs Los Angeles Dodgers
Location of the game: Dodger Stadium. Los Angeles, CA.
Date & Time: Friday, August 18. 10:10 pm ET.
How to watch: MLB.TV
Recent Scores
Looking at the Miami Marlins schedule, they have gone 5-5 in their last 10 games. On the road this season, they are a disappointing 26-32.
In their last series, they dropped two of three to the Houston Astros, including a 12-5 loss in the finale on Wednesday.
The MLB standings show they are third in the NL East. At 63-59, they are 16 games back of the Atlanta Braves. In the Wild Card race, though, they are tied for the final Wild Card spot in the National League.
Analyzing the MLB schedule for the Dodgers, they are riding high on an 11-game win streak heading into play Friday. On Thursday, they finished a sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers with a 1-0 victory.
The Los Angeles Dodgers record now sits at 74-46, second-best in the entire National League. They lead the NL West by 10.5 games over the San Francisco Giants.
Miami Marlins vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Analysis
Trying to take the opener, the Marlins will turn to 27-year-old righty Sandy Alcantara Friday. His MLB player stats show that he is 5-10 in 24 games with a 4.09 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and he has 135 strikeouts in 158.1 innings.
In his last three MLB games, Alcantara has given up five earned runs in a combined 23 innings. He has struck out 22 in that span.
Miami currently ranks 26th out of all MLB teams in scoring, averaging just 4.10 runs per game (3.97 on the road). Jorge Soler leads the offense with 30 home runs, 65 runs batted in, and 64 runs scored.
Dodgers Trust Righty Ace
Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts will hand the ball to 29-year-old righty Tony Gonsolin in this one. In 19 MLB games, he is 8-4 with a 4.24 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and he has 80 strikeouts in 99.2 innings.
Gonsolin has picked up three consecutive wins. In his last outing, he allowed just one earned run to the Rockies in six innings of work.
The Los Angeles Dodgers stats show they rank third in scoring, averaging 5.69 runs per game (5.50 at home). Mookie Betts (31 HR, 81 RBI, 98 R), Max Muncy (28 HR, 76 RBI), J.D. Martinez (25 HR< 78 RBI), and Freddie Freeman (23 HR, 83 RBI, 102 R, 16 SB) have all had remarkable seasons.
Key Injuries
The MLB injury report shows the Marlins are without pitchers Matt Barnes (hip) and Steven Okert (side). The Dodgers rested both Amed Rosario and Will Smith Thursday, but both should be back in the lineup Friday.
Odds Breakdown
Before determining the Marlins vs Dodgers best bets, it is important to look at the MLB odds for this game.
Marlins Road Underdogs Against Dodgers
The Marlins will try to pull off the upset Friday as road underdogs. They are +127 to win. Their spread sits at +1.5, with odds of -165.
Dodgers Favorites At Home
With as well as Los Angeles has played as of late, it is no surprise they are home favorites in this one. They are -142 to win. Their spread is -1.5, with odds of +145.
The over/under for total runs sits at 8.5. The over has odds of -105, while the under 8.5 runs is set at -115.
Miami Marlins vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Betting Pick and Prediction
- For our Marlins vs Dodgers best bets, we will be taking the Marlins at +1.5 on the spread (-165).
Sandy Alcantara has certainly not pitched to the caliber he did last season, but he has shown more signs of dominance as of late. In fact, in six games since the All-Star break, his record is 2-3, but he sports a 2.45 ERA.
For Gonsolin, since the All-Star break, he is 3-1, but he has a 5.06 ERA in those six starts.
While it is always a tall task to beat the Dodgers, especially at Dodger Stadium, Sandy Alcantara is fully capable of keeping this close. For that reason, take the Marlins on the spread.
- When it comes to the total, take the under 8.5 runs in this one (-115).
With Miami’s struggling offense, this game could be pretty low scoring, especially if Alcantara pitches to his potential.
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