I’m taking Cincinnati on the road here, currently at decent $1.77 odds.
They haven’t had a great start to the season, sitting at just 4-5 despite a positive run differential.
Cleveland have been slightly better in the early going, recording a .500 record through their first 10.
The main reason for liking Cincinnati here is their edge in the pitching matchup.
Sonny Gray has been one of the better options in the MLB for the last half-decade and is coming off an excellent season.
Zach Plesac is a decent option for Cleveland, but he hasn’t shown the same top-end ability or durability as Gray.
I can see the strong Cincinnati batting lineup getting after him here, which could bring the bullpen in early.
The Reds appear to have found their offensive groove over the past 3 games, and with this matchup, I’d expect that to continue here.
I like this matchup for the Dodgers and I’m taking them as $1.70 favourites here.
They’re in the midst of a solid run of form, winning 7 from 10 and enjoying a plus 30 run differential.
The offence appeared to really find its feet in a 3-1 series win over Arizona, putting up a solid 23 runs.
Their defence was arguably even better, restricting the D-Backs to 10 runs at an average of 2.5 per game.
They’ve got one of their better pitching options available today, with the reliable Walker Buehler stepping up to the mound.
While San Diego do have a strong batting lineup, the Dodgers have a world-class bullpen should anything go astray.
Chris Paddack is coming off a solid debut season for the Padres, but I haven’t seen enough to be fully convinced of him.
This Dodgers lineup is tough for anyone to face and I’d expect their big hitting to get them over the line here.