The MLB weekend comes to an end on Sunday night when the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs took the first game of the series, but the Dodgers have won the last two and are now favored to win on Sunday with a moneyline of -195. Meanwhile, Chicago’s moneyline is set at +165.
With back-to-back losses, the Cubs have fallen two games behind the Brewers, who have won four in a row. Chicago is in danger of losing its third series in the past two weeks. In fact, the Cubs are just 4-8 during the second half of June.
Of course, the Dodgers are still trying to get back on track after losing four straight games earlier this week. The team’s wins on Friday and Saturday have brought Los Angeles 15 games over .500 on the season. However, the Dodgers are still struggling to make up ground on the first-place Giants, as they sit 4.5 games back in the NL West.
King Kershaw
It will be longtime ace Clayton Kershaw who gets the start in front of a national audience on Sunday night. While he’s not been overly dominant, Kershaw is having a respectable year, going 8-7 with a 3.43 ERA in his 16 starts. If nothing else, Kershaw is still able to go deep in games and limit the work of the Los Angeles bullpen, pitching at least six innings in eight straight starts.
On Sunday, Kershaw will face a Chicago lineup that is still mired in an extended slump. The Cubs have been held to two runs or less ten times in their last 13 games. On the other hand, the trio of Javier Baez, Kris Bryant, and Willson Contreras is a combined 11 for 29 (.379) with four home runs and two doubles against Kershaw, so there is hope for the Chicago lineup.
Call Double-A for Help
In need of a win on Sunday, the Cubs will turn to Adbert Alzolay, who’s become one of their most reliable starters this season. Despite being 4-6 in his 12 starts, Alzolay has pitched to a 4.19 ERA. However, he wasn’t quite himself in his last start, giving up three runs over 4.2 innings against Cleveland in his first start back from a stint on the IL for a blister.
Of course, the Los Angeles lineup isn’t exactly at full strength these days, although Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy are now back from the IL. Despite those players coming back, the Dodgers are averaging just 2.7 runs per game in their last six games. Justin Turner and AJ Pollock are hot right now, but nobody else in the Los Angeles lineup is contributing much lately.
The Value is Gone
Typically, the Dodgers are a good bet to win any game they play, but there isn’t a lot of value in picking the Dodgers at -195. Kershaw getting the start doesn’t mean as much as it used to, as he’s taken the loss in seven of his 16 starts. While the Cubs haven’t played well lately, Chicago offers far more value in this game because the Dodgers aren’t as safe of a pick as their moneyline indicates.
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