Cleveland Guardians vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Prediction: Can the Dodgers Get Back on Track?
Cleveland Guardians vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Prediction: Can the Dodgers Get Back on Track?
It has been a while since the Los Angeles Dodgers looked like their dominant selves, as they have won just two of their last six series (2-2-2). However, they have a chance to win their second consecutive series after yesterday's 7-1 victory over the Cleveland Guardians, which forced a rubber match of the three-game series on Sunday afternoon.
Will Los Angeles win today and maintain its slim first-place lead in the NL West? Or will Cleveland win for the 16th time in the last 21 games and earn its sixth consecutive series win in the process?
Read on for our best play for Sunday's interleague series finale between the Guardians and Dodgers.
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Cleveland Guardians vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Start Time, Where to Watch, and Odds
Date: June 19, 2022
Time: 4:10 pm ET
Where to Watch: Bally Sports, Spectrum SportsNet, MLB.TV
Click here for Guardians vs Dodgers odds
Cleveland Guardians vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Line Movement
Cleveland Guardians vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Prediction
Cleveland has been held to just three total runs in two games thus far but was able to eke out a 2-1 win in extra innings on Friday, as both teams (primarily the Dodgers) did not produce in clutch moments. The Guardians and Dodgers left 18 men on base and hit a combined 2-for-19 with runners in scoring position.
However, Los Angeles' offense took advantage of many more opportunities yesterday, and all starters reached base, while five of their 11 hits were extra-base hits. Meanwhile, Cleveland's offense was held to a season-low two hits and only had two baserunners over the final eight innings.
On paper, the Guardians own a massive starting pitching edge, as former Cy Young winner Shane Bieber (3-3, 3.01) faces Dodgers lefty Andrew Heaney (1-0, 0.00). Heaney has not appeared in a game since April 17, as he missed more than two months with left shoulder discomfort. However, even if Heaney is limited in his first game back, we have faith in a Dodgers bullpen that has not allowed an earned run in the last 12.2 innings.
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While yesterday's starter Julio Urias inspires more confidence than Heaney, the common ground is that both are lefties, against whom Cleveland has struggled all year. Cleveland's lineup ranks 28th in wRC+ (83) and 29th in wOBA (.280) vs. left-handed pitching. In addition, they may again be without their best hitter, Jose Ramirez, who sat out yesterday's game with right thumb discomfort.
Considering Ramirez leads the team in many statistical categories like average (.305), OPS (1.039), and WAR (3.4), his absence will be difficult to overcome. And though Mookie Betts is also headed to the IL for Los Angeles, the Dodgers lineup is much deeper than Cleveland's and can absorb his absence more easily.
The Dodgers are 8-6 in games where they are -155 moneyline favorites or lower, but we are still excited to back them at these odds since they are consistently found laying much steeper odds. Cleveland's seven wins against teams over .500 are the fewest in the majors, and four of the five opponents they played in their excellent stretch of baseball before this series are teams in last place. Los Angeles has an MLB-best +116 run differential and is the more trusted team, especially at home.
Cleveland Guardians vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Pick
- PICK: Los Angeles Dodgers ML (-155) (Bet $155 to win $100)