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The late game on the July 4 holiday Thursday around Major League Baseball is from the NL West as the Arizona Diamondbacks and ace Zac Gallen visit the division-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Blue Crew are short favorites on the MLB odds, with young Landon Knack scheduled on the mound.

MLB Picks: Dodgers -130, Diamondbacks +120 (total 8.5)
Score Prediction: Dodgers 4, Diamondbacks 3

Arizona Diamondbacks Moneyline -102

Alek Thomas

The Diamondbacks got outfielder Alek Thomas back off a long injured list stay Tuesday and Thomas started in center field, batted eighth and went 0-for-3 with a walk in the 6-5 loss to the Dodgers.

He missed three months due to a hamstring injury, and the rehab process lingered, including a setback early in May.

Thomas has struggled to hit left-handers, but he should be a lineup staple against right-handers.

Arizona’s Last Game

Closer Sewald (0-1) took the loss and a blown save Tuesday versus the Dodgers, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out two in two-thirds of an inning.

Sewald’s 15.2-inning scoreless streak came to an end, and he also took his first blown save of the year.

Sewald is now 11-for-12 in save chances while sporting a 1.56 ERA, 0.63 WHIP and 17:3 K:BB through 17.1 innings.

Pitcher Changes

Also, Tuesday, the team activated catcher Gabriel Moreno, sent down shortstop Blaze Alexander and called up pitcher Gavin Hollowell.

Moreno sidelined 10 days with left thumb sprain, Alexander hit .259 with 3 homers.

He will get reps at third base, shortstop and second base with Triple-A Reno, with the idea of keeping him ready to come back up to fill in at any of those positions as needed later this season.

Hollowell hasn’t pitched in the Show as of this writing in 2024 but made 26 appearances in the big leagues last year for Colorado and had a 5.88 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 32:18 K:BB over 33.2 innings.

Ketel Marte leads all second basemen with a 4.4 bWAR, .521 SLG, .873 OPS, 17 homers, 38 extra-base hits, 50 RBI and 166 total bases.

It is tied for first with 11 defensive runs saved, second with 19 doubles, third with 92 hits and tied for third with a 1.4 bWAR.

His 4.4 bWAR is second in the NL to the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani and seventh in the majors.

Zac Gallen on the Mound

It’s ace righty and, 2023 NL Cy Young runner-up Zac Gallen on the hill Thursday.

Gallen (6-4) allowed a hit and a walk while striking out seven over six shutout innings to earn the win over the Athletics last Saturday.

He returned from a hamstring injury that cost him nearly a month and took full advantage of a soft matchup.

It was the fourth time this season he’s gone six innings in a start without allowing a run.

Gallen also has posted five quality starts in his last six outings, with the lone exception being the May 30 start that ended with the aforementioned hamstring injury before he could record an out.

He has a 2.83 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 67:16 K:BB through 63.2 innings over 12 starts. Gallen threw 77 pitches (50 strikes) Saturday, so he should be good for a full workload Thursday.

The Diamondbacks want to get Gallen pitching on every fifth day until the All-Star break, which means he will now face the Dodgers Thursday instead of the Padres on Friday, as was originally planned.

Gallen is 1-r with a 3.48 ERA in 11 career appearances vs. LA. He hasn’t faced the Dodgers this season.

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Los Angeles Dodgers Moneyline -130

The Dodgers are determined to defeat Arizona, especially after last year’s shocking three-game playoff sweep by the D-Backs. They are aiming to secure as many wins as possible against them this year.

Arizona was the No. 6 seed after squeezing into the NL playoff bracket with an 84-78 record, while the Dodgers were among the World Series favorites with 100 regular-season wins.

Injuries to Consider

LA is running away with the West yet again despite such stellar players as Mookie Betts, Walker Buehler, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Clayton Kershaw all on the injured list.

When they all get healthy, assuming they do, this is the best team in baseball.

Betts sustained a wrist fracture on a hit-by-pitch when batting against Royals reliever Dan Altavilla on June 16 and won’t be back for at least another 5–6 weeks.

Buehler was hit by a come backer during his start against the Rockies on June 18, which caused some inflammation and soreness.

Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, stopped throwing in late June due to soreness in his surgically-repaired left shoulder. However, he returned to the bullpen on Wednesday for a session.

Not clear when Yamamoto might be back from his right rotator cuff strain that can lead to Tommy John surgery – which Buehler is working his way back from.

Shohei Ohtani

Unfortunately, we will not see Ohtani in this year’s All-Star Game Home Run Derby, even though everyone wants to see it.

Ohtani is the overwhelming NL MVP favorite, and hit his NL-leading 27th homer in Tuesday’s win over Arizona.

Two at-bats before that bomb, Ohtani fouled a ball off his right foot, howled in pain and was down for a few seconds.

As Manager Dave Roberts and a member of the Dodgers’ training staff checked on him, there was an understandable concern felt throughout the ballpark, but Ohtani walked it off.

Evan Phillips

Closer Phillips earned his first victory of the 2024 season on Tuesday despite allowing a solo homer in the ninth inning against the Diamondbacks.

He was then the beneficiary of the victory after the Dodgers rallied for two runs in the home half of the ninth.

On the season, the 29-year-old now boasts a 2.10 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and a 27/8 K/BB ratio over 25 2/3 innings on the year to go along with 13 saves in 13 chances.

Landon Knack on the Mound

Because of all those pitching injuries, 26-year-old Landon Knack (1-1) has been forced into the rotation but has pitched quite well.

Knack allowed a run on five hits and struck out seven without walking a batter over 4.2 innings in a no-decision versus the Giants last Friday.

He was pulled at 76 pitches (49 strikes) after giving up a solo home run to Luis Matos and singles to Brett Wisely and Jorge Soler in the fifth inning.

It was a positive showing despite it being tied for his shortest start of the season in the majors.

The right-hander has maintained a 2.08 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 25:8 K:BB through 30.1 innings over six starts this year. If Knack continues to deliver, he could secure a permanent spot in the rotation.

Landon lone outing vs. Arizona was April 30 in the desert. He surrendered just one run while working five innings in a no-decision.

Knack’s only run allowed came on a Christian Walker solo homer in the fourth inning. He allowed four hits with a walk and picking up a pair of strikeouts.

Betting Diamondbacks at Dodgers MLB Odds

When: Thursday, 9:10 PM ET
Where: Dodger Stadium
Pitchers (away/home): Zac Gallen/Landon Knack
TV: MLB Extra Innings
Stream/game day audio: https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/