Dodgers vs Nationals 2019 NLDS Game 3 Odds, Preview & Pick

 

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The Miami Marlins will be the home team for the first time in their neutral-site NLDS against the Atlanta Braves as the teams play Game 3 of the series Thursday afternoon from Houston. Will Miami be playing to save its season?

How to Bet Braves at Marlins MLB Odds & TV Info

Why Bet on Atlanta? | 2020 MLB Expert Analysis

How important are Game 1s for the Braves? They won Game 1 of this series on Tuesday 9-5 and are 12-4 when winning the series opener and 3-17 when losing it. League-wide, the team that wins Game 1 of a best-of-five advances 70 percent of the time. This is the third time the Braves have faced a National League East opponent in the postseason. The Marlins defeated them 4-2 in the 1997 NLCS. The Braves beat the Mets 4-2 in the 1999 NLCS to advance to their most recent World Series.

After Max Fried, who pitched Game 1 on Tuesday, and Ian Anderson, who pitched Game 2 on Wednesday, the Braves have major rotation questions. That makes Atlanta’s bullpen hugely important. In the regular season, the Braves bullpen compiled a 3.40 ERA (103 ER/272.2 IP), while throwing the most innings in the National League. The relievers’ 3.40 ERA was the fourth best in baseball. The Braves went 27-0 in the regular season when leading after six innings.

They will turn to Kyle Wright for Game 3. He was 2-4 with a 5.21 ERA this season and last pitched Sept. 25 vs. Boston. Wright yielded two runs in 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision against the Red Sox. He gave up just two hits — including a solo homer to Jackie Bradley Jr. — while walking three and striking out four. Wright had a 2.37 ERA and 14/6 K/BB ratio in 19 innings over his final three starts.

Wright faced Miami last on Sept. 8. He was removed after giving up five runs and three homers in four innings. That dropped Wright to 0-4 with an 8.05 ERA on the year but he got much better down the stretch.

None of Atlanta’s projected starting rotation at the beginning of the year — Mike Soroka, Fried, Kyle Wright, Sean Newcomb, Mike Foltynewicz — spent the entire season in the Braves rotation, and just Fried and Wright ended the season starting for Atlanta. Wright and Newcomb were both optioned to the Alternate Training Site during the year.

Wright was a candidate to go first overall in the 2017 MLB Draft as he was a highly-touted prospect out of Vanderbilt but ended up going No. 5 overall to Atlanta.

Why Bet on Miami? | 2020 MLB Expert Analysis

The Marlins opted not to put outfielder and trade acquisition Sterling Marte on their NLDS roster after he fractured a finger in the Wild-Card Round vs. Chicago. Manager Don Mattingly waited until the last minute to make that decision. It’s unclear if Marte could be ready if the Marlins were able to advance. Magneuris Sierra start in Marte’s place in center field in Game 1 on Tuesday. The 24-year-old offers good defense and speed, but he’s not close to the hitter Marte is.

It’s one of the top young pitching prospects in baseball scheduled on the mound here in 22-year-old right-hander Sixto Sanchez. During his first-ever MLB regular season, he made seven starts and not until Aug. 22. Sanchez averaged 97.6 MPH on his fastball overall, third fastest among MLB starters behind the Mets’ Jacob deGrom (98.6) and the Dodgers’ Dustin May (98.0). Sanchez finished 3-2 with a 3.46 ERA.

Sanchez has the number 45 tattooed on his neck as an homage to Hall of Famer Pedro Martínez. Sanchez has long been likened to Pedro for everything from his stocky build to his uncannily similar delivery. Last month, Martinez went so far as to dub Sanchez “Mini-Me with better stuff.”

In the Wild-Card round vs. Tampa, Sanchez became youngest pitcher in franchise history to make his postseason debut as a starter. Sanchez held the Cubs off the scoreboard for five innings last Friday as the Marlins won 2-0 in Game 2 of their Wild Card Series to advance.

Sanchez and Yu Darvish matched zeros for most of the day. Sanchez limited the Cubs to just four singles and two walks while fanning six over his five frames, getting pulled only because his pitch count had risen to 89. Sanchez did need a little help, as Matt Joyce threw a runner out at home in the fourth inning. He finished his day by whiffing Kyle Schwarber with the bases loaded in the fifth.

“If he stays healthy, [Sanchez] will give people fits for a long time,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said of Sanchez last month. “He’s the total package. He throws a lot of strikes, and he can go get more [velocity] when he wants. There’s a lot to like.”

Sanchez last faced the Braves on Sept. 23 and went just three innings while allowing four runs in a loss. He threw just 44-of-75 pitches for strikes.

Expert Prediction

Braves 4, Marlins 3

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The National League Division Series between the bitter rival San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers it knotted 1-1 as it shifts to Dodger Stadium for Game 3 on Monday night. The Dodgers are heavy favorites on the MLB Odds.

How to Bet Giants at Dodgers MLB Odds & TV Info

Why Bet on San Francisco?

The Giants are 99-91-2 all-time in postseason play and 60-50 in the SF-era (since 1958). They are 19-19-2 (win-lost-split) in 40 postseason series, having gone 15-18 (4-4-0 win-lost-split) in eight trips to the NLDS, 24-15 (5-2-0) in seven trips to the NLCS and 57-57-2 in the World Series (8-12-2).

The Giants won the opener 4-0 but lost Game 2 on Saturday, 9-2, to also lose home-field advantage in this series. Shortstop Brandon Crawford had a nice Game 2 in the loss, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Crawford drove in a run with a single off of Joe Kelly in the sixth inning, trimming the Giants deficit to four runs at 6-2. That would be as close as they would get. Buster Posey went 3-for-4 with a double. He became the Giants’ all-time playoff leader in hits.

Keep in mind that the Giants remain without first baseman Brandon Belt with a fractured thumb. The team is hoping he can make it back by the NLCS should San Francisco get there. The 33-year-old Belt hit .274 with a career-high 29 homers and 59 RBIs in the regular season.

It’s lefty Alex Wood on the mound here. His final regular season start was a very good one as Wood struck out six batters over six scoreless innings with three hits and no walks allowed in a no-decision against Arizona. The 30-year-old went 10-4 with a 3.83 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 152/39 K/BB ratio over 138 2/3 innings over 26 starts during the regular season. He made three starts against the Dodgers, going 0-2 with a 4.76 ERA and 1.35 WHIP across 17 innings.

San Francisco finished the regular season with the best record in the Majors in games following a loss, going 38-17 (.691).

Why Bet on Los Angeles?

Former NL MVP Cody Bellinger had a miserable regular season but hit a two-run double in the sixth inning on Saturday to lead the Dodgers to a 9-2 victory in Game 2.  A.J. Pollock went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Chris Taylor was 2-for-4 with a double and three runs scored. Taylor smacked a one-out double off of Kevin Gausman in the second inning then came around to score the game’s first run on an RBI single by Julio Urias. He then walked and scored on Pollock’s two-run double during a four-run sixth inning. Taylor also reached on an infield single in the seventh and scored on Matt Beaty’s single into left field.

The Dodgers remain without slugger Max Muncy, but skipper Dave Roberts told reporters over the weekend that Muncy is getting more range of motion in his injured left elbow. Muncy still has his elbow immobilized in a brace and will not play in this series.

Muncy led the team with 36 regular-season homers, setting a new career-high and recording his 118th homer in Dodger Blue. The infielder’s 118 homers with the Dodgers ranked 27th all-time. With 35+ homers in three seasons (2018, 2019, 2021), he became only the third Dodger in franchise history with three 35+ homer seasons, joining Duke Snider (5 times) and Mike Piazza (3).

It’s three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer on the mound.  Scherzer posted a 7-0 record with a 1.98 ERA (15 ER/68.1 IP) and 92 strikeouts in 11 starts for the Dodgers. The Dodgers went 11-0 in his starts and on Sept. 12 vs. San Diego, he became the 19th player in Major League Baseball history to record his 3,000-strikeout with a strikeout of Eric Hosmer. He currently ranks 18th all-time with 3,020 strikeouts and is the strikeout leader amongst active players.

Scherzer pitched in the wild-card game vs. the Cardinals. Scherzer did not have his best command, and threw a wild pitch in the first inning that gave the Cardinals a 1-0 lead. He was able to keep St. Louis off the board from that point on, but he put runners on first-and-second in the fifth inning before leaving.

Scherzer has a 7-5 career record with a 3.33 ERA (42 ER/116.1 IP) in 23 games (19 starts) in postseason play. He previously faced the Giants once in the Postseason, starting Game 4 of the 2012 World Series with the Tigers. He allowed three runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings in a no-decision, an eventual 4-3 series-clinching win for the Giants.

Scherzer has gone 4-5 with a 3.84 ERA (25 ER/58.2 IP) in 11 career starts against the Giants, including a 3-2 mark with a 3.30 ERA (11 ER/30.0 IP) in five starts at Oracle Park. He exited his only 2021 start against San Francisco after 12 pitches (0.1 IP) with right triceps discomfort.

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Dodgers manager Dave Roberts threw a curve ball in Game 1 on Thursday against the Washington Nationals. While Roberts had listed Hyun-Jin Ryu as the starter, Walker Buehler showed up as the starter the morning of Oct. 3. Clayton Kershaw pitched Game 2, which means the L.A. Dodgers will start their ace, Hyun-Jin Ryu in Game 3. Washington counters Ryu with ace Max Scherzer. Check out NLDS Game 3 odds, analysis, and a free pick!

Dodgers vs Nationals 2019 NLDS Game 3 Odds, Preview & Pick

Why L.A. Dodgers are a good bet at +108?

Roberts has a lot of flexibility because he’s got one of the top starting rotations in baseball. Ryu’s ERA is 2.32. His away ERA is 2.72. Because Ryu’s average allowed in away games is .253, he shouldn’t have too much trouble handling the Washington Nationals in Game 3 on Sunday. The Dodgers have a real shot of wrestling back homefield advantage. They won’t let the opportunity slip away.

Why Washington Nationals are a good bet at -124?

The Nationals, like most teams in MLB, play better at home than they do on the road. Washington not only plays better at home, but they played well against the Dodgers during the regular season. Although the Dodgers beat the Nationals 4 games to 2 in the 6 battles, the Nats won one of the games with Max Scherzer. The Dodgers got a feel for Scherzer when he pitched a scoreless inning in Game 1. That took nothing out of Max. He should be ready to roll on Oct. 6

NLDS Game 3 Dodgers vs Nationals MLB Betting Analysis

With both teams throwing out an ace for Game 3, the battle should come down to the bullpens. Washington doesn’t have much of a bullpen while the Dodgers’ ranks fifth with a 3.85 ERA. Just based on that stat, it sure looks as if the L.A. Dodgers are ready to take Game 3 on Sunday.

However, a deeper look is required. Washington manager Dave Martinez used Strasburg in Tuesday’s victory over the Brewers. He started Strasburg in the Game 2 win and pitched Scherzer for an inning. Martinez could use one of his listed starters, Patrick Corbin most likely, who threw in Game 1, for an inning or two in relief of Scherzer. If Scherzer and Corbin are on their games, the gambit might work. Take the Nationals to go up 2-1 over the Dodgers.

MLB Free Pick: Washington Nationals -124

 

 

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The Atlanta Braves evened their best-of-5 series with the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday. Now, the Braves head to Busch Stadium in St. Louis a road favorite to take a 2-1 lead over the Cards. Will the Braves get it done? Or, will the home team Cardinals get the series lead over Atlanta? Check out MLB Playoff odds, analysis, and a free pick for Braves-Cardinals Game 3!

Cardinals vs Braves 2019 NLDS Game 3 Odds, Preview & Pick

Why Atlanta Braves are a good bet at -120?

The reason Atlanta is favored is because they send their ace, Mike Soroka, to the mound. Soroka has a 2.68 ERA, a 13-4 record, and a 1.11 WHIP. The Braves bounced back with a 3-0 victory in Game 2. They feel they can take a commanding lead in Game 3 with a win on the road. Soroka should help them complete the task.

Why St. Louis Cardinals are a good bet at +100?

The St. Louis Cardinals accomplished what they had to in the 2 games in Atlanta. The Cards left the ATL with a 1-1 split. Now back home, they can take this key Game 3. How do the Cardinals intend to do that? Behind the pitching of former Cy Young winner Adam Wainwright.

Wainwright had a great September. The Cardinals went 5-1 in Wainwright’s 6 starts. With Wainwright pitching well, St. Louis can step it up enough to pull off the home upset.

Atlanta Braves vs St. Louis Cardinals NLDS Game 3 MLB Betting Analysis

This could be a pitching duel. Most likely it won’t. Although Adam Wainwright had a great September, he enters the playoffs off a bad final game. Wainwright allowed 6 earned runs off 12 hits in a 6-8 loss to the rival Chicago Cubs.

Almost as important is the fact the Cards couldn’t get to the Braves’ relievers on Friday. Atlanta manager Brian Snitker used 3 pitchers, starter Mike Foltenywicz, Max Fried, who was a starter during the regular season, and closer Mark Melancon. Expect Snitker to employ similar tactics on Sunday for another Atlanta win.

MLB Free Pick: Atlanta Braves -120

 

 

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Milwaukee heads to Colorado for NLDS Game 3, after beating them in Brewers territory on Friday night . Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez will attempt to outduel Milwaukee pitcher Wade Miley. Can Marquez get it done? Or, will Miley and the Brewers take down the Rockies on their own diamond? Check out our MLB odds analysis and a free pick for Brewers at Rockies!

Brewers vs Rockies NLDS Game 3 Lines & Expert Preview

Why the Milwaukee Brewers are a good bet on the money line?

Milwaukee pitcher Wade Miley is only 5-2 this season. He has started 16 games this, though. Even in games where Miley’s had to leave the mound early, the Brewers have won.

The Brewers are 12-4 straight up in Miley’s 16 starts this season. The Brewers have gone 8-2 in Miley’s last 10 starts. They won Miley’s final 7 starts. Miley could pitch horribly, and Milwaukee still could win.

Team Statistics

Why the Colorado Rockies are a good bet on the money line?

Although Rockies pitcher German Marquez lasted only 4.2 innings and allowed 2 earned runs off 5 hits versus the L.A. Dodgers on Oct. 1, he had ended the MLB Regular Season on a high note.

Marquez went 3-1 and the Rockies went 4-1 in his 5 starts in September. He threw at least 6 innings in all 5 starts. He also struck out 48 batters in a combined 33 innings pitched. If Marquez can return to his form in September, the Rockies have a shot to beat the Brewers.

Final MLB Betting Analysis for Brewers vs Rockies

Miley and Marquez could get into a pitchers’ duel this Sunday. Miley’s ERA is an excellent 2.57 while Marquez’s ERA is at 3.77. In a pitchers’ duel, the Brewers should take it because their bullpen is better than Colorado’s.

The Rockies’ bullpen has a 4.60 ERA while the Brewers’ bullpen has a 3.47 ERA. But, the factor in Game 3 that evens things out for all teams is Coors Field. Great bullpens, just like great starting pitchers, have trouble throwing at Coors Field.

Coors Field favors hitters more than any other ballpark in MLB. On Sunday, it should favor the home team Rockies who have one of their top starters on the mound. Rockies take Game 3.

NLDS Game 3 Pick:  Colorado Rockies

 

 

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The Los Angeles Dodgers were beaten in the season series by their National League West rival Arizona Diamondbacks, but the Dodgers can sweep the Snakes out of the postseason with a victory in NLDS Game 3. According to the latest MLB Odds, Los Angeles comes in as the -1.5 favorite, but Arizona is not ready to say goodbye.

Let’s take a look at both teams values through a very interesting analysis, I have no doubts that you will be very pleased.

Dodgers at Diamondbacks (2-0) MLB Odds & NLDS Game 3 Info

The Dodgers won Game 1, 9-5, with ace Clayton Kershaw on the mound and then took Game 2 on Saturday, 8-5. It was a collective effort in that one as Chris Taylor, Yasiel Puig, and Austin Barnes drove in two runs apiece on a night when LA’s stars were quiet. Rich Hill went four innings and five LA relievers bridged the gap to Kenley Jansen, who earned the five-out save. Paul Goldschmidt (two-run shot) and Brandon Drury (three-run) went deep for the D-Backs.

L.A. beat Robbie Ray in Game 2, which was notable because they failed to beat Ray in five tries during the regular season. Two of those were no-decisions, but he was 3-0 with a 2.27 ERA and struck out a ridiculous 53 batters in 31⅔ innings. Ray walked four batters over the first three innings. He threw three wild pitches — the first postseason pitcher to do that since Milwaukee’s Yovani Gallardo in 2001.

It’s Yu Darvish on the bump here. Darvish was obtained to be the No. 2 starter, but the Dodgers preferred to have Hill pitch at home. So Darvish pitches on the road, where he was 6-4 with a 2.44 ERA. This will be his first game in two weeks. Darvish recorded his 1,000th career strikeout on Sept. 8 vs. Colorado and became the fastest to reach the mark in MLB history by games (128) and innings (812.2).

In 31 combined starts with the Rangers and the Dodgers, he went 10-12 with a 3.86 ERA (80 ER/186.2 IP) and struck out 209 batters (12th, ML) against just 58 walks, while posting a 1.16 WHIP. He held opponents to a .228 average, which ranked 13th best in the big leagues. He also limited right-handed hitters to a .194 mark, which was the seventh lowest in the majors. His.221 opponents’ average with runners in scoring position also ranked 13th lowest in the majors.

Darvish finished the season strong, going 2-0 in his last three starts and posting a 0.47 ERA (1 ER/19.1 IP). He struck out 21 batters against just one walk while holding hitters to a .136 average (9-for-66). In his lone start against the D-backs this season on Aug. 10 at Chase Field, he allowed two runs on five hits in 5.0 innings (3.60 ERA), recording the win in the Dodgers 8-6 victory. He struck out 10 against two walks on 106 pitches.

In three career starts against Arizona, he has gone 2-0 with a 2.75 ERA (6 ER/19.2 IP) and has posted a 0.97 WHIP. Darvish has struck out 38 against just two walks while holding Arizona hitters to a .230 average. In two career postseason starts with the Texas Rangers, he went 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA (7 ER/11.2 IP) and has struck out 11 while issuing one walk.

Why Bet on the Arizona Diamondbacks?

It’s ace and former Dodger Zack Greinke on the hill. Greinke lasted 3.2 innings and didn’t factor into the decision in the Diamondbacks’ 11-8 win over the Rockies last Wednesday in the National League wild-card game. He gave up four runs on six hits and a walk while striking out one batter in the 58-pitch outing.

Staked to a 6-0 lead after cruising through the first three frames, Greinke appeared poised to put the game away for the Diamondbacks without much worry, but he completely unraveled in the top of the fourth to let the Rockies back in the contest. He allowed five of the first seven batters of the inning to reach base and allowed all but one to score before Andrew Chafin came out of the bullpen to put out the fire. Fortunately for the Diamondbacks, Greinke’s poor outing didn’t cost them the win. Over his last three appearances, Greinke has covered 11.2 innings and has surrendered 14 runs on 21 hits and five walks.

The D-backs won the last 6 regular-season games vs. Dodgers, outscoring Los Angeles, 40-13. Arizona hit .273 with 12 doubles, 13 home runs during the win streak, with a 2.13 ERA and a .176 opponent average. Arizona set a club record with 32 home runs vs. Los Angeles this season, the most home runs hit vs. Dodgers since the 1958 San Francisco Giants (43). Paul Goldschmidt is a career .310 hitter with 28 home runs and 90 RBI in 111 career regular-season games vs. Dodgers.

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Expert Prediction and Pick for NLDS Game 3

Arizona is a different team at home and Greinke is usually much better there. Snakes defy the MLB Odds to win and force Game 4.

 

 

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The Chicago Cubs will look to take a 2-1 series lead and move one step closer to reaching the NLCS when they host the Washington Nationals is Game 3 of their NLDS on Monday afternoon. However, the Cubs will be facing Washington staff ace Max Scherzer in this contest, so they’ll likely be hard-pressed to get the win although the MLB lines for this game favor the Cubs.

Washington may have saved their season by picking up a 6-3 win in Game 2 on Saturday after dropping the series opener 3-0 on Friday. The Cubs will counter Scherzer with left-hander Jose Quintana. Now, let’s find out what’s going to go down with the NLDS Game 3 odds.

Washington Nationals at Chicago Cubs MLB Lines & Game Prediction for NLDS Game 3

When: Monday, October 9 at 4:00 PM ET
Where: Wrigley Field
TV: TBS
Radio: 106.7 The Fan (Washington) / 670 The Score (Chicago)
Over/Under: 7.5

Probable Pitchers

Washington – Max Scherzer – R – (16-6, 2.51 ERA, 268 K)

Max Scherzer will take the mound for Game 3 after injuring his hamstring in his final regular season start on Sept. 30 against Pittsburgh. The good news is that Washington’s staff ace has been outstanding in not allowing more than two earned runs in eight of his final 10 regular season starts and each of his final three outings. The hard-throwing right0-hander has compiled an impressive 2.92 ERA in six career starts against the Cubs.

Chicago – Jose Quintana – L – (11-11, 4.15 ERA, 207 K)

Jose Quintana struggled down the stretch and will make his postseason start in game 3 after allowing four earned runs on six hits in just 4.2 innings against Cincinnati in his regular season finale. While Quintana did toss a phenomenal complete-game shutout against Milwaukee in his start just prior to that one, the lefty also gave up three earned runs in 5.2 innings against St. Louis in his start just before his final two regular season appearances.

Astros Are the MLB Betting Pick in ALDS Game 4 Odds vs. Red Sox

Why Bet on the Washington Nationals in the MLB Lines?

Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman smacked a pair of home runs in Game 2 to lift Washington to victory and are hoping that Scherzer will be his normal self after mildly injuring his hamstring in his last regular season start.

“I’ve kind of been dealing with this stuff all year long, so this isn’t anything new, dealing with little ailments,” Scherzer said. “I feel I’ve done everything I can to put the strength in the leg that I need to and I feel like I’m good to go. We’re in the playoffs. Every game is a must-win. This is going to be a crazy atmosphere here at Wrigley. I can’t wait to toe the rubber.”

Why Bet on the Chicago Cubs in the MLB Lines?

Jose Quintana went 7-3 with a 3.74 ERA in 14 starts for the Chicago White Sox before being traded to the Cubs in a rare deal between the in-city rivals.

“I don’t feel pressure,” Quintana said. “It’s really good to face these guys in our house, especially in Wrigley Field, when every game is like a final. It’s like a gift for me to get this opportunity to open the postseason here at home. I’m really excited.”

Manager Joe Maddon will be keeping an eye out to make sure that the fiery southpaw is controlling his emotions.

“He’s wanted to be this guy; when he came over, that’s the first thing he talked to me about was getting to the playoffs,” Maddon said. “My only concern with a guy like him is that he’s going to try to do too much, too soon and you don’t want to leave it out there and all of a sudden have to come back. If he can get out there and get into that original rhythm, spotting it up, that kind of rhythm, he has a really good chance to pitch as well as you saw him.”

Chicago was five outs away from taking a commanding 2-0 lead in this series.

“We’ve got to win two more games,” Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo said. “Doesn’t matter how we do it. Doesn’t matter the scenario. It starts Monday. With this group, with this experience, nothing’s really going to faze us. We’ve given up way bigger home runs than that before.”

Despite their late-game collapse to drop Game 2, Maddon was satisfied with his team’s performances in the nation’s capitol.

“Both teams are good; both teams are here for a reason and sometimes they get you,” Maddon said. “I actually think it’s easier to flush [a loss] this time of the year sometimes as opposed to the regular season because you have to. It’s a short series. Both teams are good. You have to move on to the next moment. You have no choice.”

Expert MLB Lines Pick & Analysis

I’m going to get right to the point by saying that I like Washington to get the win in game 3 despite being on the road. The Nats have their staff ace going for them while Chicago’s Jose Quintana has been a bit wildly inconsistent recently.

The Nationals are 4-1 in their last 5 road games against a left-handed starter, a blistering 36-17 in their last 53 road games versus a team with a winning home record, 5-1 in Max Scherzer’s last 6 starts against teams from the National League Central and 6-2 in Scherzer’s last 8 road starts against a team with a winning record. While Chicago has gone 4-0 in their last four home divisional playoff games, the Cubs are also just 2-5 in their last seven home games against a team with a road winning percentage of greater than .600.

In the end, I like Max Scherzer to handcuff the Cubs while leading Washington to the narrow road win.

MLB Lines Pick: Washington 5 Chicago 2

 

 

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The Chicago Cubs had the best record in baseball during the regular season and were betting favorites to win the franchise’s first World Series since 1908. The Cubbies can get back to their second straight NLCS with a victory in San Francisco in Game 3 of the NLDS on Monday. But to do so, the Cubs will have to beat arguably the greatest postseason pitcher ever in San Francisco lefty Madison Bumgarner. Because of him, the Giants are favored in the MLB lines.

Take a Closer Look at the Chicago at San Francisco NLDS Game 3 Expert Pick & TV Info

When: Monday, Oct. 10, 9 PM ET
Where: AT&T Park, San Francisco

Why Bet on Chicago?

The first two games have pretty much gone the way of the regular season: The Cubs have outpitched their opponent. No surprise. They were the best team on the mound all year, and manager Joe Maddon was able to rest and set up his entire staff exactly the way he wanted.

Then again, not everything has gone according to plan. Anthony Rizzo has swung at some bad pitches and hasn’t reached base yet. Kris Bryant bobbled a ball then threw another one away, earning two errors on one play in Game 2. In Game 2, Chicago’s Travis Wood became the second reliever — the first in 92 years — to homer in a postseason game. The only other was Rosy Ryan, who homered against the Washington Senators in Game 3 of the 1924 World Series. Cubs pitchers led the majors with 54 hits in the regular season. Over the last six seasons, they’ve hit 18 home runs. Only the Giants (21) have more.

The Cubs go with 2015 Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta on Monday. He won’t win the Cy this year but was still very good. Arrieta had an 18-8 record, a major-league- leading .194 opponents’ batting average, a workload of 197 1/3 innings, a selection to his first All-Star team and his status as leader of a rotation that fueled a 103-win season. But since the start of June, Arrieta has gone 9-8 with a 4.05 ERA, looking human more often than not. Even as he was the most difficult pitcher to get a hit off in 2016, his walks per nine innings rose from 1.9 to 3.5. His fastball velocity is down a tick. He averaged 93 mph in September, down from 94.2 earlier in the season, and whereas he topped out at 97.1 mph in June, his max velocity was 95.8 late in the season.

“This season, everybody’s been over-scrutinizing him based on what he had done last year,” Maddon said. “He’s had a great season. It’s not maybe as great as last year was, but it’s hard to replicate that.

Why Bet on San Francisco?

Because of Bumgarner. He’s 6-1 with a 0.79 ERA over his past eight playoff starts, beginning with Game 2 of the 2012 World Series. That doesn’t include his five-inning save on two days’ rest to lock down the 2014 World Series.

Last week in the wild-card game at the Mets, he threw a complete-game shutout. His four-hitter improved him to 8-3 with a 1.94 ERA in 15 career postseason appearances. He has now spent 23 innings on the mound in winner-take- all baseball games. And he has hung a zero on the scoreboard in all 23 of them.

The Giants have outscored opponents 50-11 in their last nine postseason elimination games. They havewon all 11 postseason rounds under Manager Bruce Bochy, matching manager Joe Torre and the 1998- 2001 New York Yankees for the longest streak in major league history.

Bumgarner has been a thorn in the Cubs’ side regardless of what the calendar says. The left-hander is 8-2 with a 2.25 ERA in 12 starts against Chicago, including a pair of wins and a 1.32 ERA in two starts this season. He’s 5-0 with a 1.74 ERA in six starts against the Cubs since the start of 2013.

The Giants faced a similar 0-2 NLDS deficit against the Reds in 2012, though those first two losses came at AT&T Park. San Francisco answered with three straight wins.

My Expert Prediction

Under is 4-0- 1 in the last 5 meetings. Giants are 4-0 in Bumgarner’s last 4 starts vs. Cubs. Under is 6-1- 2 in Bumgarner’s last 9 starts vs. Cubs.

Can’t go against Bumgarner. Take the Giants and the under in MLB betting.

 

 

Previous Betting News

When a five-game series is tied at 1-1, the winner of Game 3 usually takes the series. That’s what is at stake on Monday afternoon in Los Angeles as the Dodgers host the Washington Nationals in Game 3 of the NL Division Series, with L.A. a home favorite in MLB betting.

How to Bet on the Washington vs Los Angeles NLDS Game 3 Expert Pick & TV Info

When: Monday, Oct. 10, 4 PM ET
Where: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
Probable pitchers (away/home): Gio Gonzalez/Kenta Maeda
Opening MLB Lines: Dodgers -145, Nationals +125 (7.5)

Why Bet on Washington?

The Nationals faced a must win at home on Sunday and won 5-2 to even the series. Catcher Jose Lobaton, who is only playing because All-Star catcher Wilson Ramos tore his ACL late in the regular season, hit a three-run homer. Daniel Murphy knocked in the other two runs and Washington’s bullpen threw 4 2/3 scoreless innings. Blake Treinen went 1 1/3 innings and got the win, while lefties Marc Rzepczynski, Sammy Solis and Oliver Perez combined for seven outs as manager Dusty Baker mixed and matched his bullpen. Mark Melancon slammed the door on the Dodgers in the ninth inning, working a scoreless frame.

That Lobaton homered was a minor miracle. It was just his second hit against a lefty all year (the other one was also a homer against the Dodgers back in July). On top of that, it was just the fifth homer that Dodgers pitcher Rich Hill had allowed all year and only the second time he’d been taken deep on a curve. It was the first time he’d served up a gopher ball with runners on base.

The Nats go with lefty Gio Gonzalez in this one. Gonzalez went 11-11 with a 4.57 ERA, although his peripheral numbers — 3.76 fielding independent pitching — suggest he pitched better than that. Gonzalez is known for his big-breaking curveball, a reason that lefties hit just one home run off him this year and just three over the past three seasons. Gonzalez works off a fastball that averaged 90.8 mph during the regular season, down from the 92-93 he’s been in recent years.

Gonzalez is one of six Nationals players who have been on all three of the club’s postseason teams of 2012, 2014 and 2016. Game 3 will mark his fourth career postseason start — all with the Nationals, all in the NLDS and all in different spots in the rotation. His start is pivotal, especially given the Dodgers’ season-long struggles against left-handed pitching. Gonzalez stifled the Dodgers once this season: On July 20, he held them to one run on three hits over six innings at Nationals Park.

Why Bet on Los Angeles?

The Dodgers are kicking themselves after stranding 12 runners in Game 2 and going 0-for- 5 with the bases loaded. Corey Seager went deep again in Game 2 of the NLDS, but it wasn’t enough. Seager became the youngest player in Dodgers’ postseason history to homer with his first-inning blast in Game 1, and he did his damage again in his first at-bat on Sunday.

The Dodgers go with Japanese rookie right-hander Kenta Maeda. He was 16-11 with a 3.48 ERA this year. He has pitched in playoff games in Japan and in the World Baseball Classic. he slider is his best wipeout pitch, as batters hit just .176 against it this season — a key reason he had a large platoon split, as left-handed batters had a .730 OPS versus .580 for righties. He also was the only Dodgers starting pitcher to remain in the injury-ravaged rotation for the entire 162-game schedule.

Monday’s start will be the first time Maeda faces the Nationals. He acknowledged that typically would work in his favor, but threw that benefit out the window given it’s the playoffs. “With the postseason, everything changes, and I understand that the atmosphere and environment is different,” Maeda said.

Maeda last pitched on Oct. 2, the final day of the regular season, lasting just 2.2 innings against the Giants. He was chased after allowing a season-high nine hits and season high-tying five runs.

Take the Nationals and the under on MLB odds.

 

 

Previous Betting News

It’s all about claiming the second win in the series and going 2-1, when the Los Angeles Dodgers travel to New York to take on the Mets this Monday. Below is a brief MLB betting and lines preview of this alluring clash, complete with free baseball picks for your consideration.

In Depth Analysis on the MLB Betting Pick on LA Dodgers at NY Mets NLDS Game 3 & TV Info

Venue: Citi Field, Flushing, New York
Date: Monday, October 12, 2015
Time: 8:37 PM ET
TV: TBS
MLB Lines: Los Angeles (+155), New York (-170), OVER/UNDER 6.5

The Mets and Dodgers are tied at 1-1 in their series, following the 5-2 win by Los Angeles over New York on Saturday. A motivated performance is therefore expected from the Dodgers, who will be carrying a lot of momentum from that win into the Big Apple this Monday.

But even with the psyche-up of recording that win in Game 2, there are concerns about LA’s pitching, as the wobbly Brett Anderson (10-9, 3.69 ERA) will start on the hill. The southpaw struggled in his final stretch of the regular, yielding a 4.74 ERA over his final 11 outings. Not to mention, the Dodgers are 1-3 in Anderson’s last four starts, vindicating the lack of confidence in his abilities.

That said, the Mets were just 18-16 on the year against left-handed starting pitchers, which gives Anderson a chance to impress and even surprise the MLB odds with a good game. Plus, the Los Angeles offense showed on Saturday that it is capable of making big hits when it counts most, so there is some reason for the road fans to be hopeful ahead of this Monday showdown.

Conversely, the presence of New York’s star pitcher Matt Harvey (13-8, 2.71 ERA) orients a lot of hope for many Mets fans. Harvey ended the regular season in dominant fashion, posting a 1.04 ERA with 24 strikeouts against just one walk in his final 17.2 innings, making him a player to watch in front of his home supporters tonight.

In addition, the Mets finished the season as one of the best teams in the MLB in extra base hits with 492. The availability of deadline-day acquisition Yoenis Cespedes particularly helped the New York offense to improve greatly over the second half of the season, something that means terror to Anderson and his would-be relievers tonight.

Just about the only concern for the New Yorkers is that LA’s starting lineup has a combined .296 average lifetime against Harvey. Even so, if his recent form is anything to go by, then the New York starting pitcher shouldn’t have much to worry about.

Game Prediction: A back-and-forth affair ensues between the two teams, but Harvey and the Mets come out on top with a narrow victory, most probably with the total going OVER.

 

 

Previous Betting News

Our Monday Night MLB odds and lines will be serving up a pivotal NLDS Game 3 matchup, as the Chicago Cubs host the St. Louis Cardinals in a marquee showdown. Both teams are tied 1-1 in the series and are looking to claim the second victory in the series. Can the Cardinals upset the Cubs, or will Chicago stand its ground? Here is a succinct baseball betting guide on how to place your wagers in this game.

Taking a Sneak Peek at the MLB Odds on St. Louis Cardinals at Chicago Cubs NLDS Game 3

Venue: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois
Date: Monday, October 12, 2015
MLB Lines: St. Louis (+190), Chicago (-210), OVER/UNDER 7.5

Playing at the Wrigley Field for the first time since 2008, the Cubs will be hoping to make good home memories when they host the Cardinals this Monday. The Cubs are coming off a thrilling 6-3 win over the Cardinals in Game 2 on Saturday, evening the series at 1-1, and are looking to ride on that momentum in Game 3.

And to get full value of playing at home, the Cubs will give the ball to their best pitcher, Jake Arrieta (23-6, 1.70 ERA), a player who’s been in his own class this season. Dating back to the four-hit shutout against Minnesota on June 21, Arrieta is incredibly 17-1 with a ludicrous 0.81 ERA in his last 21 starts. After throwing a five-hit shutout against the Pirates in the NL Wild Card win last week, there is a lot of confidence that Arrieta will help his team to lock up the win, especially considering that he hasn’t lost at home since July 25.

For the Cards, Michael Wacha (17-7, 3.38 ERA) is the player who will get the starting role on the mound. Though Wacha is a talented thrower, he has struggled in his recent games, posting a worrying 7.88 ERA in his five September starts. This run includes his last outing on September 30, when he gave up six earned runs over four innings against the Pirates.

Both offenses bring talented players into this clash, but this game figures to be determined by the pitchers, so Arrieta and Wacha are the players bettors should be most concerned with.

Game Betting Prediction

Arrieta outpitches Wacha and gives a sterling performance to grant the Cubs a comfortable win, with the total going OVER due to an emphatic display from the home hitters.

 

 

Previous Betting News

The Chicago Cubs will look to take a 2-1 series lead and move one step closer to reaching the NLCS when they host the Washington Nationals is Game 3 of their NLDS on Monday afternoon. However, the Cubs will be facing Washington staff ace Max Scherzer in this contest, so they’ll likely be hard-pressed to get the win although the MLB lines for this game favor the Cubs.

Washington may have saved their season by picking up a 6-3 win in Game 2 on Saturday after dropping the series opener 3-0 on Friday. The Cubs will counter Scherzer with left-hander Jose Quintana. Now, let’s find out what’s going to go down with the NLDS Game 3 odds.

Washington Nationals at Chicago Cubs MLB Lines & Game Prediction for NLDS Game 3

When: Monday, October 9 at 4:00 PM ET
Where: Wrigley Field
TV: TBS
Radio: 106.7 The Fan (Washington) / 670 The Score (Chicago)
MLB Lines: Chicago -105
Over/Under: 7.5

Probable Pitchers

Washington – Max Scherzer – R – (16-6, 2.51 ERA, 268 K)

Max Scherzer will take the mound for Game 3 after injuring his hamstring in his final regular season start on Sept. 30 against Pittsburgh. The good news is that Washington’s staff ace has been outstanding in not allowing more than two earned runs in eight of his final 10 regular season starts and each of his final three outings. The hard-throwing right0-hander has compiled an impressive 2.92 ERA in six career starts against the Cubs.

Chicago – Jose Quintana – L – (11-11, 4.15 ERA, 207 K)

Jose Quintana struggled down the stretch and will make his postseason start in game 3 after allowing four earned runs on six hits in just 4.2 innings against Cincinnati in his regular season finale. While Quintana did toss a phenomenal complete-game shutout against Milwaukee in his start just prior to that one, the lefty also gave up three earned runs in 5.2 innings against St. Louis in his start just before his final two regular season appearances.

Why Bet on the Washington Nationals in the MLB Lines?

Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman smacked a pair of home runs in Game 2 to lift Washington to victory and are hoping that Scherzer will be his normal self after mildly injuring his hamstring in his last regular season start.

“I’ve kind of been dealing with this stuff all year long, so this isn’t anything new, dealing with little ailments,” Scherzer said. “I feel I’ve done everything I can to put the strength in the leg that I need to and I feel like I’m good to go. We’re in the playoffs. Every game is a must-win. This is going to be a crazy atmosphere here at Wrigley. I can’t wait to toe the rubber.”

Why Bet on the Chicago Cubs in the MLB Lines?

Jose Quintana went 7-3 with a 3.74 ERA in 14 starts for the Chicago White Sox before being traded to the Cubs in a rare deal between the in-city rivals.

“I don’t feel pressure,” Quintana said. “It’s really good to face these guys in our house, especially in Wrigley Field, when every game is like a final. It’s like a gift for me to get this opportunity to open the postseason here at home. I’m really excited.”

Manager Joe Maddon will be keeping an eye out to make sure that the fiery southpaw is controlling his emotions.

“He’s wanted to be this guy; when he came over, that’s the first thing he talked to me about was getting to the playoffs,” Maddon said. “My only concern with a guy like him is that he’s going to try to do too much, too soon and you don’t want to leave it out there and all of a sudden have to come back. If he can get out there and get into that original rhythm, spotting it up, that kind of rhythm, he has a really good chance to pitch as well as you saw him.”

Chicago was five outs away from taking a commanding 2-0 lead in this series.

“We’ve got to win two more games,” Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo said. “Doesn’t matter how we do it. Doesn’t matter the scenario. It starts Monday. With this group, with this experience, nothing’s really going to faze us. We’ve given up way bigger home runs than that before.”

Despite their late-game collapse to drop Game 2, Maddon was satisfied with his team’s performances in the nation’s capitol.

“Both teams are good; both teams are here for a reason and sometimes they get you,” Maddon said. “I actually think it’s easier to flush [a loss] this time of the year sometimes as opposed to the regular season because you have to. It’s a short series. Both teams are good. You have to move on to the next moment. You have no choice.”

Expert MLB Lines Pick & Analysis

I’m going to get right to the point by saying that I like Washington to get the win in game 3 despite being on the road. The Nats have their staff ace going for them while Chicago’s Jose Quintana has been a bit wildly inconsistent recently.

The Nationals are 4-1 in their last 5 road games against a left-handed starter, a blistering 36-17 in their last 53 road games versus a team with a winning home record, 5-1 in Max Scherzer’s last 6 starts against teams from the National League Central and 6-2 in Scherzer’s last 8 road starts against a team with a winning record. While Chicago has gone 4-0 in their last four home divisional playoff games, the Cubs are also just 2-5 in their last seven home games against a team with a road winning percentage of greater than .600.

In the end, I like Max Scherzer to handcuff the Cubs while leading Washington to the narrow road win.

MLB Lines Pick: Washington 5 Chicago 2