Henry Roldán
Get ready for an exciting four-game series between two historic Major League Baseball teams as Dodgers vs Cubs will be facing each other this Thursday at the legendary Wrigley Field.
The Los Angeles team is coming off a 5-3 loss to the Mets on Wednesday, losing the series at home 2-1. On the other hand, Chicago continues their great start to the season, sweeping the Athletics with a dominant 12-2 win on Wednesday.
For the first game of the series, the probable starting pitchers are Michael Grove and Jameson Taillon. Without further ado, JefeBet brings you the best preview for this exciting game between Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs.
Predictions and Betting Preview for the Dodgers vs Cubs MLB Regular Season Game on April 20, 2023
- Where: Wrigley Field – Chicago, Illinois.
- When: Thursday, April 20, 2023, 7:40 PM E.T.
Betting on the Los Angeles Dodgers
- 2023 season record: 9-10.
The Dodgers haven’t had the start to the season that a team built to win a World Series would hope for. They’re now facing a tough seven-game road series against teams in good form, starting with the Cubs on Thursday.
Despite being tied for the lead in home runs in the Major Leagues and ranking fifth in runs scored, the Dodgers have struggled to win close games, scoring three runs or fewer in five of their last eight games.
Just three of those games were against the Cubs, a series they lost last weekend by a score of 2-1, after giving up just six runs and the only victory being a two-run ninth-inning walk-off.
The main culprit for this lack of production is one of the worst collective batting averages in the league, hitting just .235. Only rookie James Outman and Freddie Freeman are hitting above .280 among batters with more than 35 plate appearances.
But offense isn’t the only issue for Dave Roberts. The Dodgers have also struggled on the mound, with a collective ERA of 4.16, including 4.79 from their bullpen, while opponents are hitting .254 against them.
This is a performance that may not improve much with Michael Grove as the starting pitcher on Thursday. After three starts this season, the right-hander has a 9.00 ERA in 13 innings pitched, although he did have his best performance of the season against the Cubs, working 5.2 innings of two-hit, one-run ball.
Probable starter: Michael Grove (0-1, 9.00 EFE).
Betting on the Chicago Cubs
- Regular Season Record: 11-6
After an interesting preseason, the Cubs have been making headlines this season, currently sitting in second place in the National League Central Division after a sweep in Oakland.
Under the guidance of David Ross, the Cubs have been performing exceptionally well both offensively and defensively, winning five out of their last six games, including two against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.
The Cubs’ offense is the third-best batting average in the majors at .285, while they are fourth in OBP at .346. Four of their shortstops average over .300 and they have the co-leader in home runs, Patrick Wisdom, who has eight hits with 13 towers.
This good production in the attack has been supported by an effectiveness of 3.19, the fifth best in all of baseball. They’ve recorded three shutouts, their starting pitchers have eight quality starts, and opponents are hitting just .215 against them. This pitching performance is more than enough to secure a good result alongside their solid offense.
Now, back at home for two very tough series against the Dodgers and Padres, the Cubs will have Jameson Taillon as their starting pitcher on Thursday. The right-hander has pitched at least five innings in his last two starts, including five scoreless innings last weekend against the Dodgers, although he has struggled against them in the past with a career ERA of 5.68 in 19 innings pitched.
Probable starter: Jameson Taillon (0-2, 4.50 EFE).
JefeBet Prediction
It’s true that the past weekend’s matchups between these two teams ended up in a pitching duel, but don’t expect the same outcome this Thursday.
Grove pitched a gem against the Cubs in his first outing, but he’s given up 16 hits in 13 innings this season and will face one of the league’s best offenses on the road.
On the other hand, Taillon also had an excellent start against the Dodgers last weekend, but he’s been punished by a much better offense than what he’s faced so far, and they could wake up against the right-hander.
Sure, the initial run line seems a bit high, but these teams have the firepower to surpass it easily. Plus, five out of the last six games at Wrigley Field ended up in the Over, and the other one was a Push.
Prediction: Over (LAD 7 – CHI 5).
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