MLB Series Betting Prediction: Arizona Diamondbacks vs LA Dodgers

As the calendar turns to July, we kick it off with some top MLB series to bet for this week. Some of the teams in MLB that started out red-hot (Baltimore and the New York Yankees come to mind) have come back to earth, while some others who did not start out so well (such as Kansas City and Cleveland) have shown some signs of life. In the National League West, there were three teams vying for the top spot in the standings — Colorado, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona. Colorado has fallen off the pace the last week or so, but the Diamondbacks and Dodgers are still neck and neck, with Los Angeles sitting just 2 ½ games up on Arizona. The teams open up a three-game set in Chavez Ravine this week, and as you plan out your MLB betting for the week, don’t miss taking a look at this series.

MLB Series Betting Prediction: Arizona Diamondbacks vs LA Dodgers

Wishing you were on the field celebrating yesterday’s #walkoff?

This is for you. #OurSeason pic.twitter.com/OPApJA4QQb — Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) July 3, 2017

Tuesday, July 4th, 2017

When: 9:10pm ET Where: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles TV: FS-A (Arizona) / (LA) Radio: KHOV 105.1 (Arizona) / (LA) Live Stream: MLB.tv MLB Series Odds: TBA Pitching Matchup: Patrick Corbin (6-7, 4.76 ERA) (ARI) vs Clayton Kershaw (12-2, 2.32 ERA) (LA) It’s hard to argue against Clayton Kershaw right now. He has an 11-start unbeaten streak, and in his last outing he fanned a dozen Angels in interleague play. He last faced Arizona on April 14, permitting just one run on four hits in a 7-1 Dodger win. For his career, he has a 13-8 record and a 2.66 ERA against the Diamondbacks. Diamondback slugger Paul Goldschmidt has taken Kershaw deep twice and driven in eight runs in his career, posting a .256 average in 39 at-bats. The Diamondbacks start Patrick Corbin, who took a loss against the Dodgers on April 15, permitting five runs (three earned). Corbin had a decent June, going 2-2 with a 3.99 ERA for the month. However, I see the Dodgers winning this one.

Wednesday, July 5th, 2017

When: 10:10pm ET Where: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles TV:  MLBN (out-of-market only) / FS-A (Arizona) / (LA) Radio: KHOV 105.1 (Arizona) / (LA) Live Stream: MLB.tv MLB Series Odds: TBA Pitching Matchup: Zack Godley (3-2, 2.67 ERA) (ARI) vs Alex Wood (9-0, 1.83 ERA) (LA) It’s hard to believe that Alex Wood did not make the National League All-Star team based on the first half he has posted. It’s been 31 years since a Dodgers pitcher opened a season with a 9-0 record — Rick Rhoden matched the feat back in 1976. The only reason that he doesn’t have the league lead in ERA is that his stint on the DL leaves him 8 ⅓ innings short of qualifying at this point in the season. Zack Godley starts for the Diamondbacks, and he comes off his first loss in more than month, when he permitted three runs over seven innings against St. Louis. He has not permitted more than three runs in any start this season. The Diamondbacks have hit Wood fairly well, as Goldschmidt (.286 career average, 2 HR, 4 RBI), Gregor Blanco (.500), Jeff Mathis (.333, 1 HR, 3 RBI) and Chris Owings (.286) have all had success. The Dodgers have not hit Godley well at all — only two of their regulars have ever had a base hit off him. I see the Diamondbacks putting that first loss up on Alex Wood’s stat sheet.

Thursday, July 6th, 2017

When: 10:10pm ET, Where: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles TV: FS-A (Arizona) / (LA) Radio: KHOV 105.1 (Arizona) / (LA) Live Stream: MLB.tv MLB Series Odds: TBA Pitching Matchup: Robbie Ray (8-4, 3.06 ERA) (ARI) vs Rich Hill (5-4, 4.00 ERA) (LA) The MLB players voted Ray to the All-Star game this year, and it’s easy to see why — over his last eight starts, he has gone 6-1 with a 1.81 combined ERA. His last start was a little shaky, as he permitted four runs on five hits in six innings against Colorado. The Dodgers’ Enrique Hernandez (.389 lifetime average, 3 HR, 5 RBI), Yasiel Puig (.316, 1 HR, 2 RBI), and Chris Taylor (.429) have all hit Ray well in the past. For the Dodgers, we’ll see Rich Hill on the mound. His pitching hand blisters have healed, and he has tinkered with his windup to make things more consistent — and he has pitched lights out in the two starts since then. He fanned 12 Padres his last time out, and he even picked up a pair of base hits. Paul Goldschmidt (.400), Chris Iannetta (.286, 2 HR, 2 RBI) and Chris Owings (.400) all enjoy seeing Hill on the mound. I see Ray outpitching Hill in this series finale, pulling the Diamondbacks within 1 ½ games in the West.

Final MLB Series Prediction

These two teams are battling the first spot of the AL West and by the way things are looking, the Dodgers might just continue on that top spot. With that said, you can’t set the Diamondbacks on the side. We still have half of the season to know what’s going to happen and after the All-Star Break, things could shift a bit. For now, place your bets, sit back and relax this week. There’s plenty more MLB previews to come, so keep an eye out!