Jul 9, 11:06am | 4 min read

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Predictions: MLB Picks

MLB

Matt Zylbert

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Matt Zylbert closes out the work week with a pick for Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers

ANALYSIS

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Predictions: MLB Picks

Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers

Over/Under F5: 5

First pitch: 10:10 p.m. ET

Probable pitchers: Taylor Widener (1-0, 2.63 ERA) vs. David Price (4-0, 3.58 ERA)

Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers

Playing this one different from usual, pursuing the first five instead of the full game due to the state of the D-backs pen.

Plus, with this being the return of Widener after a lengthy stay on the injured list, that assures there will be a sizable reliance on said bullpen, being that the right-handed starter will likely be on a strict pitch count.

As a result, we’ll see if we can strike a victory out of the first half of this series opener. Price, for one, is excellent to trust in such a spot, as this will be just his fourth start of the season (he’s made 20 appearances as a reliever).

Relying on Price for at least three or four quality innings — if not more — against a weak opponent seems academic, specifically one that is dreadful on the road and scoring 3.74 runs per game away from the Desert. These starts have been few and far between for the former Cy Young Award winner and it’s clear he prefers to start. Now at the twilight of his great career, Price treasures these dates.

I love where Price will be at mentally and there’s no way he’ll let his tasty matchup go to waste, in effort of proving that he can still be a successful starter at age 35.

That leaves the challenge of getting something decent out of Widener opposite a very tough foe. Given what he was doing prior to going down, I think we can garner just that before he cedes way to relievers.

Although his two rehab starts didn’t go as planned, I think this was a case of a guy just being hungry to pitching back in the Majors again (and returning to churning out solid work at this level), and therefore maybe not using all of his effective bullets.

Widener not getting bombed in his return figures to do the trick here. Let’s go back in time and entrust Price to carry the load.