You don't need to be a baseball stud to know that Clayton Kershaw has struggled virtually every time he has hit the mound here in the postseason. That said, we know that he is still one of the top pitchers in the game, and when he is at his best, he can shut down any lineup in the league.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are gambling in Game 4 of the NLDS, but they really don't have much of a choice with their season on the line. Kershaw will pitch on three days of rest against the New York Mets.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Kershaw has had ERAs of 2.79, 2.91, 2.28, 2.53, 1.83, 1.77 and 2.13 since 2009 in the regular season. Since 2008, he has had ERAs of 4.50, 6.08, 3.13, 7.82 and 4.05 in the postseason.
In fairness to Kershaw, it wasn't all his fault that he was saddled with three runs in Game 1, knowing that Pedro Baez allowed both of his inherited runners to score.
In fact, the argument could be made that Kershaw was pretty darn good in that game in spite of his three runs allowed. Over the course of 6.2 innings, the southpaw struck out 11 and allowed just four hits. Should live bettors be worried? Of course they should. History can easily repeat itself, especially knowing that Kershaw is pitching on short rest. But we wouldn't immediately dismiss the idea of backing Kershaw, knowing that the price is going to be as good on him as you'll probably ever see.
The Mets had to make an interesting decision for Game 4. Jacob deGrom could have come back on short rest, but instead, it'll be Steven Matz who gets the call for his first career playoff start.
Matz is pitching in spite of the fact that he had to have an injection into his back just to get ready for this one. He hasn't pitched in a game since September 24, and he only has one start in his career in which he has made it more than six frames.
If Matz can go five innings in this one effectively, it'll be a huge win for the Mets and for their live bettors.
ADVANCED STATS
Here comes Yoenis Cespedes. The Mets won the NL East thanks to Cespedes, who went bonkers to the tune of 17 home runs and 44 RBIs in just 57 games. The Cuban man now has homers in each of his last two games, and he is starting to really heat up again.
This is a really dangerous proposition for live bettors of the Dodgers. Cespedes has all the potential in the world to turn a game around with one swing of the bat, even if there isn't anyone on base. Kershaw could learn that the hard way even though he did a nice job quieting Cespedes in Game 1.
TALKING BULLPENS
The Mets figure to play this one close to the vest. We can't imagine that deGrom will pitch in this game under any circumstance, and that basically just leaves Noah Syndergaard as a wild card to bring out of the pen.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers have their gun loaded with all of their weapons, as the only man who surely won't be available is Brett Anderson. If Kershaw is fading, there's a legitimate possibility to try to let Zack Greinke finish this game out.
The MLB lines for this Tuesday contest will be first released by 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!
Need to fund your account before the big game but don't have your computer? No problem! BookMaker Sportsbook now offers a mobile betting cashier so you can deposit money directly from your smartphone. Don't miss out on getting paid because you couldn't bet. Click here, and deposit at BookMaker now! Game 4 of the NLDS pitting the Los Angeles Dodgers versus the New York Mets will commence Tuesday, October 13, 2015 at 8:05 p.m. ET at Citi Field. You can watch the contest live on TBS.
