Dominating at home, the Los Angeles Dodgers ( 24-15, $186 ) will host the Atlanta Braves ( 19-20, $136 ) in the first of a three game set on Monday.
Los Angeles, while struggling over the last few days, is still one of the league’s best and most balanced teams.
ODDS ANALYSIS
Four wins in five games have the Braves back on an upswing heading into Thursday. They will need to ride that success as they get set to take on the Dodgers Monday night.
Los Angeles boasts a dominant offense and top line bullpen this year though they have been beatable, dropping five of their last seven games.
Head-to-head, the Dodgers got the best of the Braves last year, winning six of their seven games though they dropped five of seven against them in 2013.
This year, the Dodgers have a bullpen that is allowing nearly a run and a half less per nine innings than the Braves and an offense with 22 more runs scored. They also boast a more stable—despite the injuries—rotation.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Neither team has officially announced their starters past this weekend series, but Brett Anderson is expected to get the ball for the Dodgers with Williams Perez perhaps getting his second start for Atlanta.
With few good answers at the back of the rotation, the Braves turned to Perez on Wednesday and the now 24-year old rookie delivered going five innings, allowing just one run on six hits against the Rays. While he got a no decision, the team came away with a win.
Perez was handed four runs in only a third of an inning in relief on May 8 against the Nationals, but otherwise has been good both in the majors and the minors this year.
In five starts with Triple-A Gwinnett, the right-hander was 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA though he did allow a few base runners with a 1.370 WHIP. He will need to get that under control to sustain success.
Anderson, meanwhile, has ascended to the third spot in the Dodgers’ rotation after injuries have plagued the team.
Anderson has traditionally been the one to suffer the injuries on the teams he pitches for as the 27-year old lefty figures to eclipse the number of innings he has pitched in any of his last three seasons in his next start.
On the year, Anderson is 2-2 with a 3.61 ERA and 1.346 WHIP in 42 1/3 innings of work. He has yet to allow more than four runs in any start and his only drawback this year is limited number of innings worked. With a bullpen pitching to a 2.63 ERA, that isn’t that big of a deal.
QUOTE TO NOTE
Perez caught the eye of his manager with his performance in his first big league start as Fredi Gonzalez had this to say:
“He pitches with his eyes a little bit. He knows what kind of swings they are taking at his pitches and he makes adjustments and he competes.”
LIVE/SITUATIONAL BETTING
Jimmy Rollins and Juan Uribe are not producing for the Dodgers, but the rest of their roster is doing just fine as Los Angeles has eight active players with at least 76 plate appearances and an OPS+ at or above 125. It is hard to beat a team without a hole in its starting lineup.
By comparison, Atlanta’s offense has overachieved most experts expectations, but they have just one player with an OPS over 135: Freddie Freeman.
Freeman is a dominant player with a .861 OPS, but his five home runs—although team leading—aren’t nearly as high as other big boppers on other teams.
All in all, Atlanta lacks the pop that the Dodgers have and they also lack the depth in the lineup. It will be up to the pitching to hold Los Angles close and Jace Peterson ( .344 OBP ) to get on base and guys like Freeman and Andrelton Simmons ( .739 OPS ) to get him in as they lack the home run as their magic pill to fix inefficiencies.
PROP TALK
Interestingly, Anderson has never faced the Braves in his career, though he has faced Alberto Callaspo who is 4 for 11 against him with a double. On the year, however, Callaspo is hitting just .211 and has just one hit in his last 16 at bats.
On the other hand, a player that is hitting well is Freddie Freeman. He has a .303 average on the year and even though Anderson creates a lefty versus lefty matchup, Freeman has done well against southpaws with a .293 average and .813 OPS this year.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Dodgers’ lineup is just too good for the Braves to compete. The pitching matchup also favors Los Angeles as Anderson has much more experience and an easier lineup to navigate through. Factor in the bullpen and the Dodgers should get an easy win.
Los Angeles 6, Atlanta 3
The MLB odds for this game will be available first at BookMaker Sportsbook. Gamble on the game between every half inning with BookMaker’s live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen in the next at-bat or how many runs will be scored in the next inning. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! First pitch for the game between the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers is scheduled for Monday, May 25, 2015, at 8:10 p.m. ET at Dodger Stadium. You can watch the contest live on the MLB Network.
