The powder keg that’s become the rivalry between the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers will once again be on full display when the clubs partake in the second game of a scheduled three-game set on Saturday night. Last we saw these league heavyweights collide, benches cleared, fisticuffs were thrown and players were suspended. While the Dodgers have far and away been the best team in the National League throughout this abbreviated season, the Astros currently sit 4.5-games out of 1st place in the AL West and on the brink of falling out of wild card contention. Needless to say, Dusty Baker’s troops need a good showing in Tinseltown over the weekend. Houston will look to Framber Valdez in Saturday’s matchup that will likely find him lined a short underdog at online sportsbooks to the Dodgers’ Tony Gonsolin.
First pitch for the game between the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers is scheduled for Saturday, September 12, 2020, at 8:07 p.m. ET from Dodger Stadium. The matchup will be aired live on FOX. You can bet on MLB Odds at BookMaker.eu every day of the season.
Odds Analysis
It’s been a rough go of it for the Astros with the club just a single game over .500 heading into the final two games of their current series with the division rival Oakland A’s. Should they win those final two games, they will have gotten right back to where they started in the standings before the first pitch was thrown in the series opener. Talk about walking in quicksand! Houston has been rock solid at home where it’s played to a 16-8 overall record ($72), but has been an all-out fade for MLB bettors on the road where its logged a poor 6-13 record that’s chiseled off $786 worth of their supporter’s bank rolls.
Los Angeles is the first team in all of baseball to amass 30+ wins entering the seventh week of the season. At 31-12 overall, the Dodgers are currently $414 in the black overall. Because oddsmakers have forced it to eat a ton of chalk every time it takes to its own playing field, LA has cost baseball bettors $48 overall even though its won 15 of 22 games in front of its homebased cardboard cutouts. Along with already having it in for the Astros, they’ll return home extra salty after dropping their first home series of the season to the Colorado Rockies in their most recent home set.
Probable Pitchers
Framber Valdez: The lefty made his season debut back on July 28 at home against the Dodgers. Though he didn’t give up a single long ball in the outing, he still surrendered four hits and 3 ER while only striking out a pair through 4.1 innings. Valdez then took things up a notch 17 Ks and allowing just 1 ER through 13.1 innings against the Angels and A’s. Each of his next six outings were of the quality variety. That was up until his last turn against the Angels who rocked him for 11 hits (1 HR) and 8 ER. Still, the south paw managed to go at least seven innings for the fifth time in his last six starts. LA’s potent offense has teed off on right-handed pitching (No. 1), but has been below average against south paws (No. 21). Still, they stand 9-2 in those games so Valdez must bring his “A” game to the yard if Houston is to score a huge win on Saturday night.
Tony Gonsolin: The righty has been used sparingly as a fill-in when one of the incumbent starters needed to be passed over in the rotation. To his credit, he’s made the most of every one of those starting opportunities. Though yet to record a single decision through five starts, Gonsolin has compiled a 0.76 ERA, 0.72 WHIP and .150 BAA while racking up an eye-opening 25:5 K/BB ratio. He’s made three home starts this season and allowed a grand total of 1 ER through 16.2 innings against the Padres, Mariners and Rockies. Since going 0-3 in his first two starts, Los Angeles has come out on top in his last two trips to the bump. The Astros offense is completely opposite of the Dodgers as they crush lefties (No. 8) and struggle against righties (No. 19). Another solid stat line is likely in store for the 26-year old.
MLB Pick
Both teams are struggling with injuries up and down their respective rosters. Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez won’t see the playing field throughout this series. Neither will Justin Turner or Joc Pederson. Though both squads are also minus some integral arms in the bullpens as well, the weakness splits of both offenses will be the main story in this matchup with both Valdez and Gonsolin figuring to have success carving up each opposing lineup. With that, I’ll be expecting and investing in a low scorer playing out by hitting the first-five and full game under their respective totals once they hit the board. If an under ump settles in behind the dish, I’d be willing to increase unit size. This has a final score of 2-1 or 3-2 written all over it!
MLB Odds: Dodgers 3, Astros 2
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