The Los Angeles Dodgers (4-1) play the second game of a three-game series with the Oakland Athletics (0-5) Tuesday at Oakland Coliseum. First pitch is scheduled for 9:40 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook‘s lines around the Dodgers vs. Athletics odds with MLB picks and predictions.
Los Angeles got to Oakland RHP Frankie Montas early Monday, scoring 7 runs in Montas’ 2 2/3 innings on the mound in an easy 10-3 win. Dodgers starter RHP Dustin May was outstanding, striking out 8 A’s hitters in 6 scoreless innings.
Season series: Dodgers 1-0.
Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw makes his second start of the year Tuesday. He is 0-1 after pitching 5 2/3 innings in which he surrendered 5 earned runs on 10 hits with only 2 strikeouts and 1 walk in an 8-5 Dodgers loss to the Colorado Rockies on Opening Day.
- Career vs. Athletics: 0-0 with a 1.35 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 7.8 K/9 in 4 starts.
RHP Chris Bassitt gets the start for the Athletics after an Opening Day loss to the Houston Astros. Bassitt gave up 3 earned runs on 4 hits with 3 strikeouts and 2 walks in 5 1/3 innings pitched vs. the Astros last week.
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Dodgers at Athletics odds, lines, picks and prediction
MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 2:35 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Dodgers -160 (bet $160 to win $100) | Athletics +135 (bet $100 to win $135)
- Against the spread/ATS: Dodgers -1.5 (+105) | Athletics +1.5 (-125)
- Over/Under: 8.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)
Prediction
Athletics 3, Dodgers 2
Money line (ML)
PASS with a slight “LEAN” toward Athletics (+135) because I’m on Oakland’s run line. Kershaw is typically a slow starter and Bassitt’s home splits are far better than his road splits.
April is Kershaw’s worst month of the season for winning percentage, ERA and WHIP throughout his career.
Bassitt’s ERA is almost two runs lower in Oakland compared to on the road and Bassitt has a 1.15 home WHIP vs. 1.41 WHIP in away games.
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Run line/Against the spread (ATS)
“LEAN” to the ATHLETICS +1.5 (-125) for a half-unit for the reasons above plus the run-and-a-half worth of insurance.
Furthermore, bookmakers are making Oakland’s run line more expensive despite more than 90% of the money being on L.A.’s run line, according to Pregame.com.
That tells me the House is looking for more pro-Dodgers money and bookmakers making the less popular side more expensive is a red flag.
Over/Under (O/U)
Oakland’s path to victory Tuesday is most definitely a low-scoring game that it steals in the late innings.
Even though Kershaw usually takes time to warm up, A’s hitters struggle against lefties.
Oakland is 23rd in both OPS and wOBA and 19th in wRC+ vs. left-handed pitchers since the beginning of last season.
BET UNDER 8.5 (-115) for a half-unit.
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