Jun 11, 7:48am | 4 min read

Rangers vs. Dodgers Prediction: MLB Picks, Odds & Betting

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MLB handicapper Jason Radowitz is back with his MLB pick of the day for Friday

ANALYSIS

Rangers vs. Dodgers Prediction - June 11

Texas Rangers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Friday, June 11, 2021 – 10:10pm EST

Dodger Stadium

Rangers vs. Dodgers Probable Pitchers

Rangers: Mike Foltynewicz (1-6, 4.75 ERA)
Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw (7-5, 3.66 ERA)

Rangers vs. Dodgers Prediction

The Dodgers will welcome the 24-39 Texas Rangers to Dodger Stadium. This could get ugly.

Los Angeles is coming into this series with a 37-25 record and with three wins against the Rangers, would have 40. Many teams are approaching that 40 number right now but the Dodgers could be the first there.

Mike Foltynewicz will take the mound for the Rangers. He’s 1-6 with a 4.75 ERA on the year. In his last start, he allowed eight hits, five runs and one home run with just two strikeouts in 3.2 innings of work against the Rockies.

For a guy who once had lots of strikeout stuff, it’s been odd watching his last four starts. He’s struck out 2 or less batters in each of his last four starts and struck out only three batters in the game before.

Currently, in the last 30 days, Foltynewicz has an XFIP of 6.13 and is striking out just 8.6 percent of batters. On top of that, he’s giving up hard contact of 44.9 percent and the Dodgers lineup is all about the launch angle.

Against lefties, Foltynewicz is inducing just 35.9 percent of ground balls and that could lead to hard contact, in the air, which would likely mean home runs for the Dodgers.

The lineup consists of three lefties that can mash any sub-par right-hander. Max Muncy, Cody Bellinger and Gavin Lux have all shown extreme power throughout their careers.

Muncy has a home run in eight plate appearances against Foltynewicz while other batters like AJ Pollock and Austin Barnes have hit home runs against him from the right side. They’re likely going to be hitting at the bottom of the order to prove just how stacked this lineup is against righties.

If the Dodgers struggle to score early, don’t be alarmed. Foltynewicz struggles more the second time around orders. He allows a .237 average the first time around an order but then gives up an average of .353 his second time around an order.

Furthermore, that second time around an order, he has an OPS of 1.105 which is absolutely absurd. Foltynewicz has allowed just two home runs the first time through an order but nine the second time around the order.

If the Dodgers don’t score early, you can even look at the Dodgers team total live and get a cheap price against Foltynewicz and the Rangers bullpen that isn’t any better.

On the other hand, Clayton Kershaw will take the mound for the Dodgers. He’s been pretty bad in his last two starts but should turn things around against a Texas Rangers offense that has struggled to find success against lefties this year.

When the Rangers get hits, they’re mainly singles against lefties and they’ve hit just .235 on the year against them with 194 strikeouts and just 54 walks.

But the price is so high on the Dodgers, there’s really no value betting on the Dodgers full game or even in the first five innings. So instead, we won’t worry about Kershaw and we’ll ride the Dodgers team total of 4.5. The Dodgers can score five runs in eight innings going up against the Rangers.