The Chicago Cubs looked pretty darn bad, particularly on the offensive side of the ball to start off this six-game West Coast trip.
If the Giants were able to tame the North Siders' bats, the Los Angeles Dodgers could do the same thing, too on Sunday Night Baseball.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Alex Wood was visibly furious when he was pulled off of his last start in the sixth inning of a game in which he was pitching a shutout at the time. The Dodgers bullpen conceded a run for him in the inning against the Reds, but he did walk away with the victory in a 5-1 game for his second win since joining LA.
Live bettors are going to want to keep a really close eye on Wood and his demeanor in this game. If he isn't able to stay focused, this could be yet another short outing. If that turns out to be the case, you take fate into your own hands. The struggles of the LA bullpen have been obvious in recent weeks ever since acquiring Jim Johnson from the Braves, so you know if you intend on betting this game during live betting, Wood lasting at least six or seven innings is vital.
Jake Arrieta has taken an astronomical leap forward in this, his sixth year in the majors. He has won 16 games and has a virtually spotless 2.22 ERA. Barring injury, Arrieta will strike out 200 men for the first time in his career, and he's going to do so while walking fewer than 60 men, if not fewer than 50.
The Cubs are 6-0 in Arrieta's last six starts, and he has won five in a row personally, allowing any earned runs in just one of those five wins.
ADVANCED STATS
Los Angeles is one of the few teams in the league which just doesn't hit the ball as well against righties as it does against lefties.
Thus far in 2015, the boys in blue are averaging just 4.19 runs per nine innings against righties. That's not a terrible number in a bubble, but for a team which averages 4.38 runs per nine innings against lefties, it's a bit stunning.
Keep in mind that on Thursday, the Dodgers lost two of their best hitters, Yasiel Puig and Adrian Gonzalez to injuries. We're still a few days away from finding out whether these men will or will not be in the lineup, but if not, this could be a really long game for live bettors who are hoping to scratch out a run or two against Arrieta.
TALKING BULLPENS
The bullpen for the Cubs might not even be necessary in this one, knowing that Arrieta is very likely going to end up being efficient with his pitches from start to finish and will likely be incredibly effective in doing so.
With Wood not likely to last all that long in this game, we'll be talking more about the Dodgers' pen for sure. The starters' ERA for LA is a solid run better than the ERA of the bullpen, and if you just look at the month of August in a bubble, you'll see a Dodgers bullpen with an ERA of over 6.00.
It just doesn't exude any confidence whatsoever, especially in Don Mattingly. Mattingly has been playing matchups as best as he can, including letting Johnson close out a game on Thursday against Cincinnati, but at times, it has wrecked his pen. If he thinks he can go lefty/righty matchups throughout the end of this game against the Cubs, he's sorely mistaken, especially without a day off coming on Monday.
The baseball betting odds for this game will first be available at BookMaker Sportsbook. BookMaker is going to have multiple betting options available for this baseball matchup. Live wagering during commercials offers and adjusted moneyline, individual inning run totals and next hitter results. Log in, and start gambling during the game now!
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs will start at 7:05 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 30, 2015 at Dodger Stadium. The matchup will be televised nationally on ESPN.
