Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (8/24/22) Starting Lineup, Betting Odds, Prediction
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The Brewers split a four-game series with the Dodgers last week and took the first game of this series Monday night, shutting down LA’s loaded lineup. After Tuesday’s battle between Cy Young hopefuls, Andrew Heaney will get the ball for the Dodgers on Wednesday facing Adrian Houser in the latter’s first start back from the IL.
Let’s take a look at starting lineups, betting odds, and predictions for Wednesday’s matchup.
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Betting Odds
The Dodgers are poised to enter as clear home favorites in the series finale. There’s some uncertainty with both starters, which should lead to a battle of the bullpens that will give the Dodgers an even greater advantage. The Brewers deserve credit for the way they’ve stayed competitive against LA this month, but considering the state of their offense, there’s a much more narrow path to victory without an ace on the mound.
Milwaukee Brewers Starting Lineup
LF C. Yelich L
SS W. Adames R
DH A. McCutchen R
RF H. Renfroe R
2B L. Urias R
1B R. Tellez L
3B P. Reyes R
C V. Caratini S
CF T. Taylor R
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Andrew Heaney
Andrew Heaney has a 1.77 ERA across eight starts with the Dodgers this season – a season interrupted by a shoulder injury – but he’s coming off a rough start against these same Brewers. The left-hander allowed 5 runs (3 earned) against Milwaukee last week, tying a season-high with 89 pitches but failing to last 5 innings.
Heaney has an impressive 1.04 WHIP through 35.2 innings this season, averaging 13.1 K/9. Half of the runs Heaney has allowed this season are unearned, so he’s made some mistakes that don’t show in his low ERA.
The Brewers have an inconsistent offense but have been good enough lately, averaging 4.6 runs over their last seven games while their pitching handles the rest. With Adrian Houser on the mound instead of one of their top arms, they’ll likely need a few runs to win this one. Milwaukee has a low-contact lineup, which doesn’t bode well against a pitcher who has limited hits this year.
It might take some of the Brewers’ signature power to prevail on Wednesday. Keston Hiura has begun to break through with 3 home runs in a 2-game span, while Rowdy Tellez, Hunter Renfroe, and Andrew McCutchen all have 3 home runs over the Brewers’ last 10 games. Home runs have masked the problem that usually costs this team in the postseason: just one qualified Brewers hitter has an AVG higher than .205 in the team’s last 10 games. Considering Milwaukee has struggled mightily against lefties all year, this isn’t a promising matchup.
Los Angeles Dodgers Starting Lineup
RF M. Betts R
SS T. Turner R
1B F. Freeman L
C W. Smith R
DH J. Turner R
LF C. Taylor R
3B M. Muncy L
2B H. Alberto R
CF T. Thompson R
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Adrian Houser
Aaron Ashby was originally slated to start Wednesday night, but a shoulder injury landed him on the IL. Enter Adrian Houser, who is expected to get the start as he returns from his own IL stint. Houser struggled over 15 starts earlier this season, posting a 4.72 ERA with a 4.20 FIP and an ugly 1.48 WHIP. Though he’s only allowed 8 home runs, Houser’s hit rate is up, and he’s struggled with control issues for the bulk of his career.
Coming off an elbow injury, don’t expect Houser to give the Brewers too much length. Milwaukee’s bullpen sits 6th in the NL in ERA, albeit with some new faces after last month’s Josh Hader trade.
The Brewers have done a nice job of limiting the Dodgers’ offense to this point, but LA still has tremendous numbers in August with a .276 AVG and .828 OPS. With 17 home runs over their last 10 games and non-stars starting to step up, the depth of this lineup will be tough for Houser and the bullpen to manage.
Mookie Betts, Will Smith, and Freddie Freeman all have an OPS north of .800 over the last 10 days, but it’s Max Muncy and Joey Gallo who have consistently gotten on base and helped keep the Dodgers cruising. Houser’s shaky control is a potential issue against a lineup that walks often, though he might be able to limit the damage if he can stay true to his early-season trends and keep the ball in the ballpark.
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Picks & Prediction
My pick: Freddie Freeman to Record 2+ Hits
Few contact hitters have been as consistent as Freddie Freeman this season. With little value in betting on the heavily favored Dodgers, I love going with multiple hits for either Freeman or Trea Turner. Adrian Houser gives LA’s lineup a much-needed break from the Brewers’ more dominant arms, and I expect the Dodgers to capitalize on it.
