Los Angeles Dodgers VS Chicago Cubs Betting Pick & Preview – 04/06/2024

Los Angeles Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs Overview

• Date: April 6, 2024
• Venue: Wrigley Field
• Starting Pitchers:
  • Yoshinobu Yamamoto - Dodgers
  • Jordan Wicks - Cubs
• Run Line: Dodgers -1.5 -110, Cubs 1.5 -110
• Money Line: Dodgers -185, Cubs 160
• Total (Over/Under):8 -110

Los Angeles Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs Win Probabilities

Implied Win %:

• Los Angeles Dodgers - 63%
• Chicago Cubs - 37%

Projected Win %:

• Los Angeles Dodgers - 59.83%
• Chicago Cubs - 40.17%

Los Angeles Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs Game Preview & Prediction

The Chicago Cubs are set to host the Los Angeles Dodgers in an exciting National League matchup on April 6, 2024, at Wrigley Field. The Cubs, with a record of 5-2 this season, have been off to a great start. Meanwhile, the Dodgers have been equally impressive with a record of 7-3.

The Cubs are projected to start left-handed pitcher Jordan Wicks, who has shown promise despite being ranked as the #151 best starting pitcher in MLB according to our advanced-stat Power Rankings. On the other hand, the Dodgers are expected to start elite right-handed pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is ranked as the #8 best starting pitcher in MLB.

In their last game, the Cubs faced the Dodgers and emerged victorious with a score of 9-7. Despite being underdogs with a closing Moneyline price of +160, the Cubs defied the odds and secured the win. The Dodgers, who were heavily favored with a closing Moneyline price of -180, fell short in that game.

Looking at the offensive rankings, the Cubs rank 17th in MLB this season, while the Dodgers boast the 5th best offense in the league. However, the Cubs have been performing well in specific categories, ranking 9th in team batting average and 6th in stolen bases. The Dodgers, on the other hand, excel in team home runs, ranking 2nd in MLB.

In terms of pitching, THE BAT X projects Jordan Wicks to pitch an average of 4.7 innings, allowing 2.3 earned runs, striking out 4.1 batters, and giving up 4.4 hits and 2.2 walks. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, on the other hand, is projected to pitch an average of 5.2 innings, allowing 1.9 earned runs, striking out 5.1 batters, and giving up 4.4 hits and 1.6 walks.

The game total for this matchup is currently set at 8.0 runs, indicating an average expectation for scoring. The Cubs enter the game as significant underdogs with a current moneyline of +160, implying a win probability of 37%. The Dodgers, as the favorites, have a moneyline of -185, suggesting a win probability of 63%.

Based on THE BAT X projections, the Cubs are expected to score an average of 3.53 runs, while the Dodgers are projected to score 4.62 runs. The Cubs' low implied team total of 3.43 runs reflects the challenge they face against Yoshinobu Yamamoto's strong pitching.

Quick Takes Los Angeles Dodgers:

Yoshinobu Yamamoto has a reverse platoon split and is stuck facing 6 same-handed hitters in today's outing.

• A pitcher with a reverse platoon split will perform worse against same-handed hitters (i.e. a right-handed pitcher will be worse against a right-handed hitter). Losing this advantage against several hitters can have a huge impact on whether a pitcher will perform well or struggle on any given day.

The Los Angeles Dodgers projected offense ranks as the strongest of the day in terms of overall hitting ability.

• A pitcher who faces a strong opposing offense will be more likely to underperform his usual performance, particularly in terms of hits and runs, in that game.

Quick Takes Chicago Cubs:

The Chicago Cubs outfield defense grades out as the 5th-weakest among every team playing today.

• Defense is an integral part of preventing (or, in this case, allowing) hits and runs.

Los Angeles's #3-ranked outfield defense of all teams on the slate today poses a formidable challenge for Nick Madrigal, who tends to hit a lot of flyballs.

• This player's skill set matches up poorly with the opposing team's defensive strength, which may lead to worse-than-usual performance.

Final Score Prediction: Los Angeles Dodgers 4.62 vs Chicago Cubs 3.53

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