The three-game series between the Los Angeles Dodgers (54-29, 28-13 home) and Chicago Cubs (34-50, 17-23 away) continues Saturday night in the City of Angels. Los Angeles defeated Chicago in the first two matchups, both by one run.
The first pitch of the contest is set for 10:10 p.m. EST inside Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles is a heavy favorite at -278, and the over-under total is eight runs.
What to Know – Chicago Cubs
Chicago looks to take their first game from the Dodgers in this series. The Cubs have lost three of their last five contests and sit in fourth place in the National League Central, 13.4 games back of the first place.
On the mound for the Cubs is right-hander Marcus Stroman (2-5, 5.32 ERA, 1.23 WHIP). The 31-year-old returns from the injured list after spending just over a month on it with a shoulder injury. Before landing on the IL, Stroman had pitched 47.1 innings, surrendering 28 earned runs on 46 hits and 12 walks with 45 strikeouts.
Patrick Wisdom is the engine of the Cubs’ offense, leading Chicago in home runs (17) and runs batted in (45). Ian Happ is putting together his best season at the plate with 40 RBI, and Wilson Contreras adds 13 home runs and 35 RBI.
The Cubs are 12th in the majors, hitting .247 as a team and plating 4.3 runs per contest. Chicago’s pitching staff sits 25th in the MLB with a 4.64 team earned run average.
What to Know – Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles has won five in a row and have yet to lose to the Cubs in five tries this year. The Dodgers own the top spot in the NL West, six games clear of the nearest competitor.
Three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw (5-2, 2.57 ERA, 1.05 WHIP) gets the nod on the hill for L.A. The 34-year-old shut down the Padres in his last outing, yielding no earned runs over seven innings of action.
Kershaw has logged 56.0 innings, allowing 16 earned runs, 47 hits, and 12 walks while striking out 59.
Trea Turner has driven in 59 runs, and Freddie Freeman has chipped in 50 to power the Dodgers’ powerful offense. Mookie Betts is back in the lineup, and the star has collected 20 home runs and scored 58 runs so far this season. Five Dodgers have hit ten home runs or more as we wrap up the end of the first half.
Los Angeles scores 4.9 runs per game thanks to a .251 team batting average that ranks seventh in the league. The pitching staff for the Dodgers is the best in the MLB, sporting a 2.91 team ERA.
The Pick is In
The Dodgers have their ace on the hill against one of the worst teams in the division going through a franchise rebuild. Stroman is in for a long night against the Los Angeles offense. This one won’t be close in a Dodger romp.
The Pick: Los Angeles Dodgers ML
