PITTSBURGH PIRATES VS. LOS ANGELES DODGERS PREDICTION | MLB PICKS AND ODDS | OSB
Pittsburgh Pirates at Los Angeles Dodgers (Tuesday)
The Los Angeles Dodgers play host to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second game of the series on Tuesday night. After a full sweep of the New York Mets, the Dodgers find themselves against another weak opponent. After their series with the Pirates comes to a close, they’ll host the New York Mets again. Although another sweep isn’t out of the question, they’ll have to close their series with the Pirates first.
The Pirates aren’t necessarily a team the Dodgers should worry about but they can’t let their guard down. We have to keep in mind that the Dodgers are attempting to chase down the San Francisco Giants. They’re just a few games back so a series win here will do well for their positioning in the NL West. Per BetOnline, the Dodgers come in as heavy favorites here at -526. The Pirates on the other hand come in as +340 underdogs. The question is, can the Pirates pull off an upset here? Or will the heavily favored Dodgers win this one easily?
Pirates To Start Crowe On The Mound
The Pittsburgh Pirates, already heavy underdogs, decreased their chances of a win by starting Will Crowe on the mound. Crowe is 3-7 as a starter with an ERA of 5.27. Remember, he’s going against some of the best team batting in MLB. Unfortunately, the Pirates don’t have very many pitchers to choose from so Crowe will take the mound. He’s gone 1-2 in his last three games with his single win being against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The sad part is that the batters in Pittsburgh won’t be able to give Crowe much help. They’re ranked as one of the worst batting teams in the league. Not only that, they’ll also be facing David Price, the 4-1 pitcher for the Dodgers. This game hasn’t even begun and it’s already looking bad for the Pirates.
Dodgers Will Look For Another Series Win Here
The Dodgers are in a position that a series win brings them closer to taking over the NL West. If they pull it off, they’ll essentially control the entire National League. Only one team stands in their way, the San Francisco Giants. If Los Angeles can catch up to them, the National League is theirs for the taking. The important part for Los Angeles to remember though is that they can’t afford to slip up.
Following eerily close behind them are the unassuming Milwaukee Brewers, who are a half-game behind. If the Dodgers somehow lose this game to the Pirates, the Brewers could slide in and take the number two spot. The good news is with David Price on the mound, the Pirates don’t stand much of a chance.
Our Pick For Pirates Versus Dodgers
In this one, we’ve got to go with the favorite, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Unfortunately, the margin of winnings isn’t great considering BetOnline has the Dodgers at -526. You’ll have to put some serious money down to make anything off of this game. The thing is, putting any wagers on the Pirates to win this one just doesn’t make any sense.
The Pirates are a team desperately searching for answers. Against David Price and the Dodgers, they likely won’t find any. The pitching and batting combination of this team is terrible, so the only logical choice is taking the Dodgers. It’s just unfortunate the spread wasn’t kinder to the Dodgers here. Consider taking an alternate run line as Dodgers pound Pirates.
OSB Official Pick: Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (at BetOnline)
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Current odds brought to you by BetOnline
