Can the Rockies Overcome the Dodgers in the MLB Betting Lines?

Posted by Michael Hunt on Thursday,May 11, 2017 10:23, EDT in

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Colorado Rockies might be tired of each other already as the teams play their third series of the early season this weekend. The Dodgers took the Pittsburgh Pirates through hell before heading into this series. They took all 3 games. The Rockies are coming off a 3 game series against the defending champs, the Chicago Cubs, with a 2-1 win. The Dodgers will be sizable road favorites Friday behind the best pitcher in baseball, Clayton Kershaw.

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LA Dodgers at Colorado MLB Betting Prediction & Game Info

When: Friday, May 12, 8:40 PM ET
Where: Coors Field, Denver
Probable pitchers (away/home): Clayton Kershaw/Tyler Chatwood
TV: MLB Network
Stream: MLB.tv
Radio: Los Angeles / Colorado
Opening MLB Lines: Dodgers favored by TBA

Why Bet On LA Dodgers?

The Dodgers already have first baseman Adrian Gonzalez on the DL and they are going to be without left fielder Andrew Toles for a while. The Dodgers are worried Toles may have suffered some form of ligament damage as he crashed into the left field wall Tuesday while trying to haul in an Andrew McCutchen line drive in the top of the seventh inning. Toles limped off the field after the ball dropped in and hopped over the fence for a ground-rule double. The Dodgers are waiting on MRI results for Toles.

Meanwhile, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said earlier this week that Gonzalez (elbow, back) is on a “slow program.” In other words, this will be longer than a 10-day stay on the disabled list. Gonzalez is dealing with multiple injuries and there’s not a hint of a rehab timetable at the moment. Budding star Cody Bellinger will continue to fill in as the Dodgers’ everyday first baseman.

Finally, second baseman Logan Forsythe won’t join the Dodgers on this trip. Forsythe was pulled off his minor league rehab assignment last week after experiencing hamstring tightness and the second baseman is apparently still in shutdown mode. He originally hit the disabled list with a right big toe fracture on April 19.

As for Kershaw (5-2), he held the Padres to just one run on five hits over 7.1 innings Saturday. He did walk four batters but also struck out nine in a 10-2 win. The four walks -were the only blemish on an otherwise dominant day. Kershaw was visibly upset after being unable to place some of his pitches where he wanted Saturday, despite posting a pitching line others could only hope for, but that is the byproduct of being a perfectionist on the mound. With a 2.40 ERA and a 7.6 K/BB ratio, the 29-year- old has been as advertised this season.

Last time Kershaw pitched in Colorado, on April 8, he allowed a season-high four earned runs in a loss. The Dodgers ace surrendered back-to- back homers for the first time in his career, with Mark Reynolds and Gerardo Parra going deep in the sixth inning.

Why Bet On Colorado?

The Rockies are playing well despite getting little from shortstop Trevor Story, who was so good last year as a rookie. Story is slashing just .180/.289/.396 in 111 at-bats this season, though he has tallied six home runs.

The Rockies chose to sign Ian Desmond to a five-year, $70-million deal this offseason to play first base, but veteran journeyman Mark Reynolds, 33, decided to come back on a minor-league deal. He is now well on his way to maxing out performance bonuses that could push the deal from $1.5 million guaranteed to $3.5 million. Reynolds is leading the first-place Rockies in virtually every major offensive category with these gaudy numbers through Tuesday: .333/.402/.684, 12 HR, 30 RBIs, 23 R. Desmond has returned from injury, but Reynolds isn’t going anywhere — other than to the bench on an occasional off-day. Desmond now will have to play outfield.

Rockies catcher Tony Wolters went on the concussion seven-day disabled list last Wednesday after taking a bat to the head against the San Diego Padres. Now that the seven-day window is over, Colorado manager Bud Black says there is discussion happening on what to do with the 24-year- old Wolters.

Whatever the Rockies decide to do will ultimately affect their entire catching corps. The Rockies are currently carrying two catchers on the active roster in veteran Ryan Hanigan and 29-year- old Dustin Garneau. One of the two will likely be sent to Triple-A Albuquerque when Wolters is activated.

It’s Tyler Chatwood (3-4, 4.74) on the mound here. Chatwood was masterful in Sunday’s win over the Diamondbacks, tossing seven-plus innings of one-run ball. Chatwood struck out five and walked three on the afternoon. He finished out his fine performance having thrown 95 pitches (53 for strikes). This start was a breath of fresh air as compared to what had come before, as Chatwood had been tattooed for 14 runs on 19 hits combined in his last three outings.

LA Dodgers at Colorado MLB Betting Pick: Los Angeles Dodgers

Kershaw will remember that earlier loss in Denver and use it as motivation.