The Chicago Cubs (6-5) and Los Angeles Dodgers (7-6) tangle Friday night in Chavez Ravine. The opener of a 3-game series at Dodger Stadium is slated to get underway at 10:10 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Cubs vs. Dodgers odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: First meeting of 2023. The Dodgers swept 7 games from the Cubs in 2022.
Chicago took 4 of 6 in a Friday-Wednesday homestand against the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners. The feast-or-famine Cubs have scored 10 or more, or 3 or fewer runs, in each of their last 7 games.
The Dodgers won 2 of 3 from the San Francisco Giants Monday-Wednesday. Los Angeles scored a combined 19 runs over its 2 wins.
A year ago, L.A. outscored Chicago 44-20. But all 4 games at Dodger Stadium were decided by 2 runs or less.
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Cubs at Dodgers projected starters
LHP Justin Steele vs. RHP Noah Syndergaard
Steele (1-0, 0.75 ERA) is making his 3rd start of the season. He owns a 1.00 WHIP, 3.8 BB/9 and 8.3 K/9 across 12 IP.
- Owns a 3.35 ERA across parts of 3 MLB seasons (2021-23)
- Fast starter over his short career: .635 OPS allowed in March-April games
Syndergaard (0-1, 6.30 ERA) is tabbed for his 3rd start. He has a 1.20 WHIP, 0.0 BB/9 and 7.2 K/9 through 10 IP.
- Coming off a Saturday clunker that saw him allow 6 runs against an Arizona Diamondbacks he had dominated 6 days earlier
- Has held current Cubs batters to a small-sample .459 OPS
Cubs at Dodgers odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 1:15 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Cubs +135 (bet $100 to win $135) | Dodgers -160 (bet $160 to win $100)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Cubs +1.5 (-145) | Dodgers -1.5 (+120)
- Over/Under (O/U): 8.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)
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Cubs at Dodgers picks and predictions
Prediction
Dodgers 5, Cubs 4
Moneyline
Los Angeles is 10-1 across the last 11 series meetings.
Steele has been aided by a .226 batting average on balls in play, and he’s catching an L.A. nine that has been reeling in a ton of home runs and walks as of late (17 HR, 49 BB last 9 games).
Both teams has similar bullpen ERA’s, but the Dodgers’ 4.79 mark has been ballooned by a .355 BABIP. Los Angeles has the more talented relief corps, and both teams had an off day Thursday. So both are well-rested.
The Cubs’ 5.55 runs per game has been buoyed by a .429 BABIP when runners are in scoring position, .317 BABIP when leading off an inning and .362 BABIP in high-leverage situations.
BACK THE DODGERS (-160).
Run line/Against the spread
A Los Angeles lean here. But PASS: the rested bullpens could keep this one tight late.
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Over/Under
General fade leans on the starters and play leans on the bullpens. Add in some fade lean on the Chicago offense, and the projected scoring has plusses and minuses. STEER CLEAR.
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