This series between the Mets and Dodgers will focus on great starting pitching with a killer matchup to kick things off here in Game 1.
ODDS ANALYSIS
The Dodgers will host the opener after finishing with two more wins than the Mets with a 92-70 record compared to 90-72. New York, however, has been more favorable to bettors this year with a $589 cumulative moneyline compared to the Dodgers’ -$1,122 tally.
Los Angeles won five of their last six games to help them clinch home field advantage in this series. They ended the year with a very impressive 55-26 home record.
On the flip side, the Mets were just a game over-.500 on the road—much better than the Dodgers’ road record, but still mediocre overall.
These two teams played their season series tight, with the Mets winning four of seven. The Mets have also been streaking since the start of August, going 37-22. Those numbers would have been even better if not for a 1-5 finish, including being no-hit by Max Scherzer.
The Mets will hope their 1-0 win to close out the regular season helps them avoid carrying their struggles into the postseason.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Jacob deGrom squares off against Clayton Kershaw in Game 1.
deGrom finished the season with a 14-8 record and 2.54 ERA over his 30 starts. He pitched 191 total innings, allowing just 16 home runs and putting up a 0.979 WHIP.
The Mets’ ace was Rookie of the Year last year and pitched even better this year. While he’s obviously been better at home like most Mets pitchers, he’s been solid on the road, too, with a 3.09 ERA. He faced the Dodgers only once this year and lasted seven and two-thirds scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and two walks in that time.
As for Kershaw, he barely made then National League All-Star team after a disappointing first half by his standards, but has had an amazing second half to make up for it.
The 27-year old southpaw and three-time Cy Young Award winner is 10-1 with a 1.31 ERA in 109 2/3 innings since the break. He’s also allowed more than a single run just three times in his last 18 games.
Overall, he’s 16-7 with a 2.13 ERA and 0.881 WHIP. Although for the first time in four years he’s not the ERA champion, he did lead the league in lowest FIP at 1.99. Like deGrom, he’s been better at home, and has a 1.67 home ERA.
While Kershaw is a dominant pitcher, he still hasn’t shown the ability to carry that over to the postseason. His postseason ERA is 5.12.
QUOTE TO NOTE
Mets’ manager Terry Collins spoke about his team’s regular season finale on Sunday, saying:
“I just think it’s a great finish. We had a tough week, but we’ve got to move ahead, take the win today…and I think we’re ready.”
LIVE/SITUATIONAL BETTING
The Mets’ offense has all but disappeared, scoring two runs in five games. The team has the players that went on an offensive run after the trade deadline, but the recent numbers don’t look good, nor does the matchup.
Yoenis Cespedes, Michael Conforto, and David Wright are still all on this team, but someone will need to step up and get the offense going.
For the Dodgers, they have a ton of depth. Adrian Gonzalez is the leader of the offense at first with 28 home runs and 90 RBIs, but players like Yasiel Puig, Justin Turner, Yasmani Grandal and so many others makes the team dangerous one through eight in the order.
PROP TALK
Most Dodgers’ hitters have yet to figure out deGrom, but that’s not true of second baseman Chase Utley nor first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. Utley is 3-for-10 against him while Gonzalez is 3-for-8 with a pair of home runs and five RBIs.
For the Mets, Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe are the only ones with home runs against Kershaw, Ruben Tejada is the only one with a good average against him. The young shortstop is 5-for-14 against him with three walks and a .471 OBP, though he’s dealing with an illness right now.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Mets’ offense that had been so good in the second half has gone silent and even though they won on Sunday, scored just a single run.
New York will need to get their offense going and they’ve got a very tough opponent to do that against in Kershaw.
I think we see Kershaw overcome his postseason demons and pitch well. deGrom should keep the Mets close, but he’s not as good on the road and has seen his ERA rise over the last couple months. Neither team is particularly loaded in the bullpen, though each have a couple answers late.
I think Kershaw gets a slight edge over the Mets and the Dodgers’ offense has plenty of pop and the upper hand over a Met’s team that’s scored just two runs total in their last five games.
Los Angeles 5, New York 2
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 New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers is scheduled for Friday, October 9, 2015, at 9:30 p.m. ET at Dodger Stadium. The contest will be broadcast nationally on TBS.
