The Dodgers’ odds of winning increase dramatically when one of their aces is throwing. Clayton Kershaw gets the nod in Thursday’s series opener with the Mets as Los Angeles makes its final stop on a three-city, 10-game road trip.
ODDS ANALYSIS
Just when we thought the Dodgers figured out how to win on the road they go and lose two straight to Atlanta. Their road woes could cost them the NL West title. LA fell to 20-25 away from Dodger Stadium following Tuesday’s 4-3 loss to the Braves, putting them down 13.74 units on the moneyline. The Dodgers went 2-3, in the red 1.86 units, as they hit the halfway point in their 10-game post All-Star break road trip.
The Mets won two of three games when the teams played in LA earlier this month, including a 2-1 win in a game Kershaw started, though he didn’t get the loss. New York plays its first home game of the second half after opening with six straight on the road. The Mets look to continue their strong play at Citi Field, where they’ve won 11 of their last 15 and are the second most profitable team in the NL in the black 15.63 units thanks to their 32-14 record.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Clayton Kershaw (7-6, 2.68 ERA) fired eight scoreless innings with a season-high 14 strikeouts as the Dodgers defeated Washington 4-2 on Saturday. He hasn’t allowed a run in 20 consecutive innings dating back to the fourth inning of his July 3 start against the Mets. The MVP and Cy Young winner from last season owns a minuscule 0.58 ERA over his last four starts with 43 strikeouts and just two walks.
Kershaw tossed seven innings giving up five hits and a run taking a no-decision in a game the Mets won 2-1 on July 3. He’s been masterful at Citi Field with a 1.53 ERA and 20 strikeouts over 17.2 innings while winning two of his three starts there.
Bartolo Colon (9-8, 4.86 ERA) was hammered for eight hits and seven runs in 4.1 innings Saturday in a loss at St. Louis. Over the last month Colon has allowed crooked numbers with regularity. He’s given up at least seven runs in two of his last five starts and at least eight hits in four of them. He enters with a 6.18 ERA since June 18 and is 0-4 in his last five starts.
Colon has faced the Dodgers just six times in his 460-game career, going 2-4 with a 6.03 ERA in 37.1 innings against them.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“He put on a clinic today. Really went out there and pitched like the MVP he is and it was pretty devastating because we tried to go in there and do what we could, but he’s the best pitcher in baseball, so it’s pretty tough.” – Washington’s Bryce Harper said of Kershaw after Saturday’s game.
LIVE BETTING or SITUATIONAL BETTING
The failures of his mates in the bullpen is apparently rubbing off on closer Kenley Jansen, who has been working diligently with pitching coach Rick Honeycutt to regain some velocity on his pitches. The recent issues have caused Jansen to post a 6.43 ERA over his past seven games allowing at least one run in four of those outings. Despite the trouble, he still posted five saves during that period. In his first appearance after the All-Star Game, Jansen allowed a two-run home run in one inning Saturday at Washington. The strikeouts are still there for the hard-throwing Jansen, who’s fanned 41 in 22.2 innings over 23 games. “When my velocity is down, I’m not driving as much. I’ve been working with Honey to get back to using my lower body and drive,” Jansen said.
PROP TALK
If you’re a baseball fan it’s hard not to like LA’s Adrian Gonzalez. The guy plays the game the right way and he’s really good at it, too. Gonzo is scorching hot after the break hitting .500 (10 for 20) in five games with three home runs, five RBIs and five runs scored. He slugged two homers in the three games with New York earlier this month and hits .429 against Colon during his career with two doubles and two home runs in 21 at-bats. Gonzalez passed Joc Pederson for the team lead in homers with his 21st on Monday.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Bartolo Colon is showing his age and other clubs are catching up, especially to his pitches. Colon has been hammered recently and the Dodgers are ready to pounce before facing the younger arms in the Mets’ rotation. New York had its outburst for the next two weeks scoring seven runs against the Nats on Tuesday so they’re ready to put the bats away. The club with the worst team batting average in the majors against Kershaw, who’s allowed just 102 hits in 131 innings, is a mismatch and the Dodgers take advantage.
Los Angeles 6, New York 1
The MLB odds for this game will be available first at BookMaker Sportsbook. Since this game can be seen by anyone with a TV, BookMaker will have a multitude of wagering options available for it. Outside of the normal lines, you can gamble on real-time moneylines, player props and inning totals. Live betting is open during every commercial break!
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 Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets is scheduled for Thursday, July 23, 2015, at 7:10 p.m. ET at Citi Field. You can watch the contest live on the MLB Network.
