Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, 8/3/2018 Prediction & Odds
Will the Dodgers knock off the visiting Astros on Friday night when baseball fans are treated to a rematch of the 2017 World Series?
Game Snapshot & Odds
929 Houston Astros at 930 Los Angeles Dodgers
Friday, August 3, 2018
8:10 p.m. ET, Target Field
TV: HOU (ATTH); LAD (SNLA)
Public Betting Trends
Oddsmakers from online sportsbooks currently list the Dodgers as a -105 favorite. As of this writing, 69% of the betting tickets wagered at online sportsbooks are on the Astros to beat the Dodgers on the moneyline.
Astros’ Verlander lasts only five innings vs. Rangers
Justin Verlander surrendered two runs on nine hits over five innings in Saturday’s 7-3 loss to the Rangers. Just not the sharpest of outings for Verlander, who tied his season high in hits allowed on Saturday. Included among those nine knocks, a pair of solo home runs, only one of which actually left the park. Isiah Kiner-Falefa burned him in the second inning in traditional fashion, while Rougned Odor got it done in inside-the-park style in the fifth. Verlander struck out seven and walked one in the outing and finished up having thrown 99 pitches (69 strikes). If there’s one saving grace, here, it’s that he was able to limit the damage to his ERA. The ace right-hander will look to sharpen up by degrees when he heads out on the dusty trail for what should be a fun road showdown with the Dodgers next time out. Verlander will carry a 2.24 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 190/27 K/BB ratio (148 2/3 innings) into that affair.
Dodgers’ Wood shuts down Braves into sixth inning
Alex Wood fired off 5 2/3 innings of one-hit shutout ball in Saturday’s win over the Braves. Wood might have been allowed to pitch deeper into the contest had he not been consistently off in his control. He issued four walks on the evening, throwing just 47 of his 87 pitches for strikes. Prior to Saturday’s just-not-long-enough outing, he had turned in six consecutive quality starts. Wood will bring a 3.68 ERA and 1.17 WHIP (117 1/3 innings) into a home showdown with the Astros when he next takes to the mound.
MLB Betting Trends
Houston
The Astros have won 36 of their last 51 games versus National League West opponents.
Los Angeles
The Dodgers have won eight of their last 10 games played on Friday.
Prediction:
The Astros have played the Dodgers well overall, beating L.A. in seven of the last 10 meetings. That said, Houston is just 3-8 in its last 11 games played at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are also 6-2 in Wood’s last eight starts and 15-7 in his last 22 home outings.
The Pick: Los Angeles Dodgers -105
