Los Angeles Dodgers Vs. Colorado Rockies (4/8/22) Starting Lineup, Betting Odds, Prediction
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In 2021, the Colorado Rockies were 74-87 in the National League West finishing fifth in the division. Going into his sixth season as the Colorado manager, Bud Black is 349-359 in his time on the bench with the Rockies. Colorado hasn’t appeared in the playoffs since 2018 when they lost in the Division Round. The Los Angeles Dodgers were 106-56 last season, finishing second in the National League West. The Dodgers beat the Cardinals in the wild card round, then went on to beat their long-time rival San Francisco Giants in the Division Series, 3-2, but falling to the Atlanta Braves 4-2 in the National League Championship Series.
Los Angeles Dodgers Vs. Colorado Rockies Betting Odds
The Dodgers are 0-5 in Buehler’s last five starts as a road favorite. Los Angeles is 90-41 in their last 131 games vs. National League West opponents. The Dodgers are 0-5 in Buehler’s last five road starts. Los Angeles is 7-2 in their last nine meetings in Colorado vs. the Rockies. The Dodgers are the favorite to win the 2022 World Series title at +500. The Rockies are 13-40 in their last 53 meetings with the Dodgers. Over is 3-0-1 in Colorado’s last four games vs. a right-handed starter. The Rockies are 6-1 in their last seven Friday games. Colorado is +25000 to win their first World Series title in franchise history.
Los Angeles Dodgers Starting Lineup
RF Mookie Betts R
SS Trea Turner R
1B F. Freeman L
C Will Smith R
DH Max Muncy L
3B J. Turner R
LF Chris Taylor R
CF C. Bellinger L
2B H. Alberto R
Los Angeles Dodgers Vs. Kyle Freeland (L)
The Dodgers have arguably the best offensive club in baseball, it seems as though they have an All-Star at every position on the diamond. In the off-season they signed first baseman, Freddie Freeman fresh off leading the Atlanta Braves to the 2021 World Series championship. In his final season in Atlanta, Freeman hit .300 with 31 home runs and 83 runs driven in while accumulating 302 total bases. The lefty led the National League in runs scored with 120 while slugging .503 with an OPS of .896. The 2020 National League MVP, hit .257 with seven home runs and a .427 slugging percentage vs. left-handed pitching in 2021. In 13 at-bats last season vs. the Rockies Kyle Freeland, Freeman had three hits (two doubles) and struck out four times.
With Freeman now at first base, Max Muncy will move to either DH or second base in 2022; he’s still recovering from a torn UCL suffered at the end of last season. In 2021, Muncy crushed 36 home runs, drove in 94 runs, scored 95 runs, and had a slugging percentage of .527. Last season, Justin Turner hit .278 with 27 big flies and 87 runs knocked in. The third baseman hit 10 home runs with a .491 slugging percentage in 177 plate appearances vs. lefties last year. In 41 at-bats against Freeland, Turner hit .313 with two runs batted in.
Kyle Freeland will be toeing the rubber for the Colorado Rockies in the season opener vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2021, he started 23 games going 7-8 with a 4.33 ERA. The lefty threw 120 2/3 innings, striking out 105 batters with a WHIP of 1.42 last season.
Colorado Rockies Starting Lineup
DH C. Blackmon L
LF Kris Bryant R
3B Ryan McMahon L
1B C.J. Cron R
2B B. Rodgers R
RF R. Grichuk R
C Elias Diaz R
SS J. Iglesias R
CF Sam Hilliard L
Colorado Rockies Vs. Walker Buehler (R)
Kris Bryant was the prized free agent signing by the Rockies in the offseason. He’ll be playing the outfield for Colorado in 2022. Last season with the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants, the 2016 National League MVP hit .265 with 25 home runs and 73 runs batted in. Bryant had 247 total bases and an OPS of .835. In 13 at-bats against the Dodgers Buehler in 2021, Bryant had three hits and struck out three times against Los Angeles’s ace.
In 142 games last season, C.J. Cron hit .281 with 28 home runs and 92 runs batted in. He slugged .530 and had an OPS of .905 in his first season in Colorado. Against righties in 2021, the Rockies first baseman mashed 20 home runs. Cron faced the Dodgers, Buehler seven times last season and three hits with an OPS of 1.000. Last season, Ryan McMahon hit .254 with 23 home runs and 86 runs batted in. The left-handed hitter, hit .264 with 19 homers and 65 runs batted in last year. In 26 at-bats against Los Angeles’s Walker Buehler in 2021, McMahon had five hits, a home run and five runs batted while striking out 11 times. Charlie Blackmon is expected to DH most of the season as he transitions from the outfield. Last year the 2017 batting champion, hit .270 with 13 home runs and 78 runs batted in. In 44 at-bats against Walker Buehler in 2021, Blackmon hit .386 with two home runs, eight runs batted in and an OPS of 1.076.
Last season, Buehler finished fourth in the National League Cy Young voting; he was 16-4 with an ERA of 2.47, 212 strikeouts, WHIP of .968 and 6.7 wins above replacement. Entering his sixth season in the big leagues, he has a career 40-13 record with an ERA of 2.90 and a WHIP of 1.006. In a 162-game regular season, the right-hander from Vanderbilt is averaging a record of 14-4 with an ERA of 2.90 and 218 strikeouts. Last season, Buehler was 1-0 against the Rockies in three starts. In 16 2/3 innings in those games, he allowed 15 hits, nine earned runs and struck out 14 batters.
Los Angeles Dodgers Vs. Colorado Rockies Picks & Prediction
Los Angeles is 47-17 in their last 64 overall. The Dodgers are 1-4 in their last five games as a road favorite. Los Angeles is 46-17 in their last 63 games as a favorite. The Rockies are 3-7 in their last 10 games overall. Colorado is 3-10 in their last 13 home games. The Rockies are 1-6 in their last seven games vs. National League West foes. I like the Dodgers to win the opener on the road by over 1.5 runs, but the teams will combine for less than 11.5 total runs.
