Can Dodgers, Wood overcome Padres?
Despite an army of quality arms and no shortage of high-profile bats, the Dodgers have dipped below .500. Might one of their lesser-known hurlers be the man to snap the skid?
Alex Wood aims to play the role of stopper in tonight’s middle contest against the Padres, with a 10:10 p.m. ET first pitch at Petco Park. Oddsmakers at online sports book BetDSI still feel bullish about Los Angeles, listing Dave Roberts’ gang as a 1.5-run favorite. The hosts, conversely, enter as +143 underdogs.
Losers of five of six, the Dodgers (21-22) can blame their rotation for a lot of the malaise. The staff totes a 6.00 ERA during that span, and Friday’s 7-6 defeat failed to help matters. Wood (1-3, 4.17 ERA), of course, shouldn’t be faulted whatsoever. The lefty surrendered a single run and three hits in six innings of last weekend’s 5-2 loss to St. Louis. Even more impressively, he’s 2-1 with a 2.33 ERA in four starts and a relief outing vs. Andy Green’s bunch.
MLB Quick Links: Free Matchup Reports | Injuries | Odds Comparison | Scoreboard | Betting Trends
Wood’s adversary in several hours, though, doesn’t mess around in San Diego. Rookie Cesar Vargas (0-2, 3.55) boasts a microscopic 1.64 ERA at home. He’ll shoot to hold down Los Angeles’ bats while Melvin Upton and company attempt to correct some major offensive problems. Irrespective of the outfielder’s two-run blast in the bottom of the ninth last night, the Padres (18-25) still hold an average of .172 over the past five contests. Where the opener produced a deceptively high-scoring affair, don’t anticipate such an encore here.
SATURDAY MLB FREE PICK: DODGERS -1.5
Want More Picks, Predictions & Odds From The Spread.com? Follow on Twitter and Facebook or Subscribe to Our News Feeds!