A pair of National League World Series hopefuls will look to stay hot when the Chicago Cubs host the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of a three game set at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night. With both teams playing their best baseball of the young season coming into this contest, let’s find out which team is going to extend its winning ways to stay hot and which one will not. Let’s check out the MLB betting odds for the Dodgers vs Cubs Game.
Dodgers vs Cubs MLB Odds, Preview & Expert Pick
#GameofThrones Night is coming …#ForTheThrone https://t.co/3vIMAbaVwM pic.twitter.com/TLVyfoENi4
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 21, 2019
- When: Tuesday April 23, 2019, 8:05 PM ET
- Where: Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
- Starting Pitchers: Maeda vs Quintana
Why Bet On Los Angeles
The Dodgers are playing their best baseball of the season coming into this contest. L.A. has won seven of their last eight games while sweeping Cincinnati and taking three of four from Milwaukee along the way. The Dodgers come into this contest off a hard-fought 6-5 win over the Braves on Sunday that saw Cody Bellinger go 3 for 4 with a home run and three RBI while robbing reigning NL MVP Christian Yelich of a home run in the eighth inning, to lead the way to victory.
“I thought he hit it well and then I got to the wall as quick as I could,” Bellinger said. “It was so high in the air. You just get at the wall and read it and try to time it.”
Joc Pederson went 4-for-5 and added a pair of solo homers while Clayton Kershaw allowed two runs in six innings. Veteran right-hander Kent Maeda has won three of his first four starts and the 31-year-old from Japan limited Cincinnati to one run on four hits in 6.2 innings of a 6-1 win over the Reds on Tuesday.
Team Statistics
Offense:- Runs/G: 5.67
- Hits /G: 8.79
- Walks /G: 4.58
- Strike Outs /G: 7.88
- Runs/G: 4.46
- Hits /G: 7.71
- Walks /G: 2.67
- Strike Outs /G: 8.71
Why Bet On Chicago
The Cubs are also on a nice roll, having won five of six and seven of their last nine games overall. Chicago comes into this affair off a narrow 2-1 win over NL West-leading Arizona on Sunday that saw Javier Baez go 2 for 3 with a triple, a double and an RBI while David Bote added the game-winning RBI in the the ninth inning to add to his already impressive late-game heroics. Bote hit two game-winning long balls during his rookie season, including an unforgettable grand slam against Washington.
“He’s had a lot of situations come up like that and he’s come through and it’s fun to watch,” teammate Anthony Rizzo said.
Jose Quintana has been absolutely astounding in his last two starts since getting pounded in his first start of the year at Milwaukee on April 5.
Over his last two starts, 30-year-old from Colombia has struck out 18 batters while tossing identical seven-inning shutouts against Pittsburgh and Miami. In three starts against the Dodgers, Quintana has allowed just three earned runs over 19.1 innings.
Team Statistics
Offense:- Runs/G: 5.50
- Hits /G: 8.80
- Walks /G: 4.40
- Strike Outs /G: 8.75
- Runs/G: 4.65
- Hits /G: 8.55
- Walks /G: 4.05
- Strike Outs /G: 9.05
Expert Analysis and Prediction
I know Los Angeles is playing well right now and that they’ve got an unabashed star in third-year first baseman Cody Bellinger (.424 BA, 11 HR), but Chicago took four of seven from L.A. a year ago and Jose Quintana is pitching lights out right now while Dodgers counterpart Kent Maeda got smacked around for five runs in 5.1 innings against St. Louis in his last road start.
The Dodgers are 3-7 in their last 10 games vs. a left-handed starter and 2-5 in their last 7 road games vs. a left-handed starter. Conversely, Chicago has gone 4-1 in their last 5 games vs. a right-handed starter, 4-1 in Jose Quintana’s last 5 starts against teams from the NL West and a bankroll-boosting 19-7 in Quintana’s last 26 home starts. I like the value the Cubs are offering in this one as a home underdog no less!
Pick: Chicago 5 LA Dodgers 2
