Betting Matchup Preview
Game Details
- Who: Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers
- When: Tuesday, Sept. 20
- Time: 3:10 p.m. EDT
- Where: Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles, CA)
Betting Odds Summary
- Moneyline: Diamondbacks +180, Dodgers -215
- Runline: Diamondbacks +1.5 (-111), Dodgers -1.5 (-108)
- Total: Over/Under 9 Runs (-105/-115)
Note: Odds and lines are current at the time of writing and subject to change.
The Diamondbacks are 23-23 since the trade deadline. We don’t dislike what Arizona is doing to retool this team with young talent from its farm system. Yes, the National League West is the Dodgers’ playground, and everyone else is meekly trying to get a turn on the slide, but the Snakes are getting better. More on why we think today’s game is a betting opportunity below.
The Dodgers won their 102nd game on Monday night in a 5-2 victory over Arizona. Clayton Kershaw’s golden shoulder is healthy, and he looks to be prepared for another postseason run. The Dodgers have won eight of nine, and they have been favored in every game this September except one. The win on Monday earned LA a first-round playoff bye.
Starting Pitchers
Zach Davies (2-4, 4.06 ERA, 93 Ks) vs. Michael Grove (0-0, 4.40 ERA, 11 Ks)
The Diamondbacks and Dodgers will play a pair of games on Tuesday in a split doubleheader necessitated by an earlier rainout on the schedule. MLB brought back nine-inning games for doubleheaders in 2022 after the seven-inning rule was in place for 2020 and 2021.
Only six days ago, Davies pitched well against the Dodgers in Arizona, tossing 5 ⅓ innings and allowing two earned runs, both via solo home runs. The thin right-hander is making his fifth start against the vaunted LA lineup in 2022. He has an 0-2 record, but Arizona has split the four games. Most troubling for the D-Backs: Davies has surrendered 20 baserunners and four homers in 18 ⅔ innings against the Dodgers. Last week, Will Smith and Trayce Thompson hit homers off the Arizona starter.
Dave Roberts is forced to call on his emergency starter Michael Grove in Game One. The rookie right-hander from West Virginia has made four spot starts for the Dodgers in 2022: the last time six days ago against Davies in the desert.
Grove relies heavily on his four-seam fastball, which he throws 54.5% of the time, according to Statcast data from MLB. He is still mastering a curveball that may someday complement his fastball, which can touch the high 90s. The Snakes will be able to lie in wait on that heater, though, which is why we ultimately recommend money on the road team in this game.
Hot Hitters
Dave Roberts keeps pushing the proper buttons, even as his team is cruising to another playoff appearance. On Monday, Gavin Lux had three hits in a start at second base and is now batting .294 this season. Joey Gallo went deep and has two homers in his last five games.
Freddie Freeman is worth the price of admission, showing why he’s one of the game’s best pure hitters. In September, he’s hitting .382 with a .636 SLG. He’s batting .348 since the All-Star break.
Rookie Jake McCarthy has been the most effective hitter for Arizona the last six weeks. Since September 1, he’s batting .351 with a pair of homers and 10 RBI. He’s going to be a foundational player for the Diamondbacks for years.
Our Best Bet Today
- Race To 3 Runs, Arizona Diamondbacks (+140 via FanDuel Sportsbook)
We like the Diamondbacks to slow the Dodgers’ roll a bit in Game One against a young pitcher they’re facing for the second time in seven days.
This wager can be found under the game tab and “Race To” section showing the prop bets for Diamondbacks at Dodgers. The fun thing about these types of prop bets is that one swing of the bat in the first few innings can make your betting day.
You aren’t tied to one player (say a pitcher’s strikeouts), and the score doesn’t matter. You just need Arizona to get to three first. Last week, Daulton Varsho and Corbin Carroll both hit homers off Grove. The rest of the team wasn’t able to solve the young Dodger pitcher; familiarity breeds base hits in this league.
Our Same-Game Parlay
Our daily same-game parlay from FanDuel Sportsbook has odds of +361
- Diamondbacks To Win (+180)
- Over 9.5 Runs Scored (-105)
Go against the prevailing wisdom and betting here. The Diamondbacks moneyline odds at +180 are a good play in a game where the Dodgers are relying on a once-every-few-weeks starting pitcher in the opener of a doubleheader.
The Diamondbacks have a good approach throughout most of the lineup, and tagged Grove for two homers just six days ago at home. Sometimes you want to eye nice odds like +180 or more and pounce with an underdog who might be underrated right now. The Diamondbacks are only five games under .500 since a dismal first three weeks of the season.
A $100 winning bet on the same-game parlay for the Dodgers-Diamondbacks game (first of the doubleheader) would earn you $461, including the original stake back.
