Another installment of the Freeway Series is set to go down at online sportsbooks with the opener scheduled for Friday night between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels. The Halos will enter the series in good spirits after taking the first two games of their extended series from an Oakland A’s team that invaded the Big A winners of nine straight; a series win would be the cherry on top! As for the Dodgers, Dave Roberts’ squad is struggling having lost three of four after dropping the first two games of their extended series with the San Diego Padres; at home no less! If not for a late-inning eruption versus the Giants, they would be in the midst of a four-game losing streak heading into Wednesday. Making matters worse for the Dodgers is the fact that the Halos swept all four games of the rivalry a year ago; or maybe it just adds fuel to their fire?
First pitch for the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels is scheduled for Friday, August 14, 2020, at 9:40 p.m. ET from Angel Stadium. The matchup will be shown live on FS1. You can bet on MLB Odds at BookMaker.eu every day of the season.
Odds Analysis
After laying yet another egg versus the Padres on Tuesday night, the Dodgers find themselves in the red for MLB bettors. Though they’ve won 11 of 18 played games, the Dodgers overall return on investment checks in at -$479 after dropping a second straight to the Friars as -155 home chalk. The 6-2 final played to yet another low scorer ultimately moving the under to 10-5-3 for the season. Another masterful outing from Dylan Bundy moved Joe Maddon’s Angels to 7-11 overall which allowed them to leapfrog the Seattle Mariners in the AL West standings. Even so, it’s been ugly from a baseball betting perspective for those that’ve backed them to this point with the team down over $700. Though the team played to the under on Tuesday, the over has still cashed in at a 10-8 clip for the season.
Probable Pitchers
Walker Buehler: Those that burned a high pick on the righty in fantasy baseball drafts don’t love the early returns from the Dodgers supposed next starting pitching phenom. Buehler is yet to log a decision through his first three turns. In the process, he’s also failed to reach the sixth inning in any start. Inflated pitch counts and upper management making it a point to work him in slowly has seen him pitch to a 4.40 ERA while allowing seven hits (4 HR) and 7 ER with a poor K/BB ratio of 12:8. All four of the home runs allowed came away from Chavez Ravine, and the Halos have just so happened to launch the fourth most long balls in the game. This will be his first appearance versus the Angels since 2018 when he allowed 2 HR through five innings.
Patrick Sandoval: The lefty got the call to the big league club last Saturday in Texas where he threw a quality start against the Rangers, but still got saddled with the loss due to his offense failing to show up against a pitching staff that combined for a four-hit shutout. Sandoval was very efficient throwing 58 of his 94 pitches for strikes while fanning four and only issuing one free pass. His lone mistake ended up getting clobbered by Joey Gallo whose 2-run shot proved to be the only runs needed to log the victory. With the Dodgers only batting .199 and owning a .663 OPS versus south paws, he could possibly be in line for another solid showing in this one. For that to occur, he must continue limiting the walks which is something he couldn’t do last year.
Player to Watch
Mike Trout: The new dad has been on some kind of roll since returning from the Paternity list. Since returning on August 4, the reigning AL MVP has gone 12-for-35 with 6 HR and 10 RBI while striking out nine times and taking a pair of walks. He most recently had a two homer game against the A’s solid pitching staff, and has been ripping the cover off the ball against right-handed pitching evidenced by his .357 batting average and 1.214 OPS through 42 at-bats. He’s 1-for-3 lifetime against Buehler, but is currently locked in at the moment so you might want to take a gander at player props made available for him in this matchup.
MLB Pick
Sandoval will represent the first lefty starter the Dodgers will have stared back at since opposing Robbie Ray all the way back on July 30. They touched him up for 5 ER and 2 HR while taking six walks through 4.2 innings. Unfortunately for him, the Dodgers possess a number of right-handed bats that love teeing off on south paws like Mookie Betts, Justin Turner, A.J. Pollock and even Chris Taylor and Kike Hernandez. It’s only going to be a matter of time until LA gets back on track and the offense starts murdering opposing pitching once again. Sandoval’s career 3.8 BB/9 ratio is bothersome, and it will ultimately send him to the showers early. Buehler is way overdue to toss a gem, and it might just go down tonight in front of a nationally televised audience.
MLB Odds: Dodgers 8, Angels 2
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