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If your favorite baseball team isn't playing tonight, make the games more interesting by betting on MLB odds at BookMaker Sportsbook! This is the only online wagering outlet that offers early MLB moneylines, runlines and totals. First pitch for the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals is scheduled for Tuesday, May 30, 2017, at 7:05 p.m. ET at Busch Stadium. The matchup will be broadcast live on ESPN.
The Los Angeles Dodgers took two of three from the St. Louis Cardinals last week. Now, the Cards will get a chance for revenge, hosing the Dodgers in a best of four in St. Louis. Tuesday’s game will be the second of the four-game set and broadcast live on national television.
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ODDS ANALYSIS
When you examine teams in head-to-head matchups, we often focus heavily on the pitching—both in the rotation and the bullpen—as well as the power potential of the offense or, perhaps, a team’s ability to get on base or drive in batters in scoring position.
What is often overlooked, however, is defense and defense is equally important.
The Cardinals are just a bit over-.500 heading into the series with the Dodgers, but have already had a couple major swings. They were amongst the worst teams in the start of the season, then go read-hot and won 18 of 24 before going into a 2-7 stretch.
The ups and downs paint a picture of an inconsistent team. While the offense and bullpen play a role in the inconsistencies, the defense does as well. Good defense can bail out a struggling pen or can allow the pitching to help cover for a slumping lineup.
Overall, only the Athletics have been a worse defensive team than the Cardinals in baseball.
On the other side, the Dodgers have made their share of errors, too, but have committed several less errors.
PROBABLE PITCHERS
Tuesday’s matchup will mark a rematch of the pitching matchup in Thursday’s series finale in Los Angeles.
In that game, Kenta Maeda out pitched Michael Wacha.
It was Maeda’s first game since coming off the disabled list and he didn’t miss a beat. The veteran right-hander improved his record to 4-2 with the win, tossing five-innings, giving up three runs on seven hits. That line wasn’t the greatest, but it was better than Wacha’s line. The Cardinals right-hander lasted just four innings, giving up six runs.
While Maeda outpitched Wacha last time out, Wacha has the better season numbers. The youngster is 2-2 with a 3.66 ERA and 1.243 WHIP in 46.2 innings even after his latest clunker against the Dodgers.
Maeda, on the other hand, raised his ERA to 5.08 in the win though his WHIP is just 1.241.
Maeda struggled in his first couple starts of the season, struggling with the long ball. He’s been better in his last few starts which is encouraging. The trends do favor the Japanese League veteran even if the season stats are still in Wacha’s favor.
LIVE BETTING
The Dodgers are in the top third of baseball in runs scored, the Cardinals amongst the bottom third. Neither team has been one of the most powerful clubs in terms of home runs.
Los Angeles has been better able to manufacture runs, but they’re balancing injuries to Justin Turner, Joc Pederson and Andrew Toles to name a few. Logan Forsythe recently came back off the DL and has already had a big hit to win a game. The second baseman is a big on-base guy. His OBP is .368 and he becomes that much more important without Turner.
Most of the offensive difference between these two teams has come in the month of May and Cody Bellinger is a big factor in that. The big man in the heart of the order has helped lengthen the Dodgers’ lineup.
As for the Cardinals, they’re still trying to get Dexter Fowler’s bat going. He was brought in to patrol center and be a catalyst atop the order for St. Louis. He’s hitting .216 and getting on base just a bit over 30-percent of the time. That’s not going to cut it.
Right now, Tommy Pham may be the team’s most prolific hitter other than maybe Jedd Gyorko. Matt Carpenter is hitting just .231 even though he is hitting for more power and both Randal Grichuk and Stephen Piscotty aren’t providing much of anything hitting .227 and .224 respectively with six combined home runs.
QUICK PICK
Injuries and all, the Dodgers have the better offense and the better defense. The Dodgers, on top of that, have the best bullpen ERA in the National League and best overall ERA in baseball in the month of May.
The Dodgers’ pen’s ERA is 2.81 compared to the Cardinal’s 4.57. That’s no small difference.
All the evidence points to the Dodgers in this game—even the stadium as the Cardinals have been a much better road team over the last season and a half.
Maeda and Wacha is a balanced matchup to start the game, but the rest of the factors point to the Dodgers. Take Los Angeles to top the Cardinals in a close one.
MLB Odds: Dodgers 6, Cardinals 5
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