Dodgers vs. A’s | 2021 MLB Expert Analysis

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The Los Angeles Dodgers will add the designated hitter for their interleague matchup on Tuesday night in Oakland in a matchup of West Division champions from the 2020 MLB season. The Dodgers are favored on the MLB odds.

How to Bet Dodgers at A’s MLB Odds & TV Info

When: Tuesday, 9:40 PM ET
Where: Oakland Coliseum
Probable pitchers (away/home): Clayton Kershaw/Chris Bassitt
TV: MLB Extra Innings
Stream/gameday audio: https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/
Opening MLB Lines: Dodgers -175, A’s +160 (total 8)

Why Bet on LA Dodgers? | 2021 MLB Expert Analysis

The Dodgers have lost reliever Tony Gonsolin to the 10-day injured list with shoulder inflammation. Gonsolin, 26, made the Opening Day roster for the first time in his career on Thursday after going 2-2 with a 2.31 ERA (12 ER/46.2 IP) and 46 strikeouts in nine games (eight starts) for the Dodgers in 2020.

To take his roster spot, Dennis Santana was recalled from their alternate site. Santana, 24, is entering his fourth season with the Dodgers after going 1-2 with a 5.29 ERA (10 ER/17.0 IP) in 12 games last season. In parts of four seasons with the Dodgers, he is a combined 2-2 with a 6.66 ERA (19 ER/25.2 IP) and 28 strikeouts.

Los Angeles took three of four to open the season in Colorado. It’s lefty and three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw on the mound here. Kershaw’s spring struggles carried over into the regular season, as the left-hander looks to get on track against the A’s. After posting a 10.22 ERA in four spring starts, Kershaw allowed six runs (five earned) on 10 hits on Opening Day against the Rockies.

Of 77 pitches he threw, batters swung and missed at only five of them. Shortly before he was lifted in the sixth, Kershaw gave up three consecutive singles on three first pitches, hitters impatiently pouncing. It was only the eighth time in 395 career appearances he has yielded double-digit hits in a game.

“I don’t think his slider was really sharp, but he still gave us a chance to win a baseball game,” Manager Dave Roberts Consoling said. “I thought there were some pitches that he would like to have back, there were some balls that found some holes.”

The Rockies didn’t exactly hit Kershaw hard. In fact, they used a lot of small ball and also benefitted with some good luck. Still, Kershaw allowed struck out just two. Kershaw had been great on Opening Day; he allowed seven runs (six earned) over his previous eight assignments. On the bright side, Kershaw went 2-for-3 at the plate and now has a .391 batting average on Opening Day.

Why Bet on Oakland? | 2021 MLB Expert Analysis

The A’s were swept four games at home vs. Houston to start the season – losing all of them by at least four runs. To make matters worse, Athletics manager Bob Melvin announced after Sunday’s game that Chad Pinder was diagnosed with a left knee sprain. Pinder suffered the injury when he crashed into the outfield wall during Sunday afternoon’s contest against the Astros. He’s been one of the few bright spots in their sluggish 0-4 start to the season.

The A’s already entered Sunday’s contest without center fielder Ramón Laureano, who is dealing with a jammed left wrist that was the result of a diving attempt to reach first base on a groundout in Friday’s loss to Houston. Melvin was optimistic about Laureano’s chances to return at some point during the Dodgers series.

It’s right-hander Chris Bassitt on the mound here. Bassitt drew the first Opening Day assignment of his career last week against Houston. Though he took the loss, the righty kept the A’s in the game, allowing three runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Bassitt faced the minimum his first time through the Astros lineup, but ran into trouble in the fourth inning, when he allowed three baserunners and an RBI ground out to Alex Bregman. He was lifted from the contest with one out in the sixth inning after giving up a double to Bregman and handing a free pass to Kyle Tucker, both of whom eventually crossed the plate on a two-run double by Yordan Alvarez later in the inning.

“I felt really good, I felt my stuff was really good, it was just more so — I mean, two walks, a hit batter and I think two of the three scored,” the A’s right-hander said. “You can’t give free passes to that team, or any of the other good lineups, and I did that, unfortunately.”

Bassitt excelled to the tune of a 2.29 ERA, 1.159 WHIP, and 55/17 K/BB ratio over 63 innings (12 starts) for the A’s in 2020.