Los Angeles Dodgers (4-2) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (3-3)
April 7, 2023 9:40 pm EDT
The Line: Arizona Diamondbacks +170 / Los Angeles Dodgers -185; Over/Under: 7.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks meet Friday in MLB action from Chase Field. This will be the second installment in a four-game weekend series. In the Thursday opener, the Dodgers powered out a three-run victory. Check back all season long for free MLB picks at Sports Chat Place.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers played a pair against the Rockies this week, taking both games 13-4 and 5-2. In Thursday’s opener versus Arizona, Los Angeles posted three runs in the first three innings and held on for the 5-2 win. Starting pitcher Dustin May put up 6.0 innings with one earned on two hits and two walks.
As starter for Friday’s game two, the Dodgers will go with Clayton Kershaw. In his first start of the year, Kershaw posted a win with 6.0 innings, one earned, four hits, no walks and nine Ks. He’s 198-87 with a 2.48 ERA over 402 games (399 starts) in his career.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Over on the Arizona side, they lost Monday’s game versus the Padres 5-4 but bounced back for a win 8-6 on Tuesday. In the Thursday matchup, the Diamondbacks were out-hit 7-5 in the defeat. Merrill Kelly lasted 5.2 innings in the start with four earned, six hits and four walks.
In the starter role for the Friday game, the Diamondbacks are going with Madison Bumgarner. In his first start this year Bumgarner went 4.0 innings with five earned on four hits and four walks with two Ks in a loss. He’s 134-122 in his career with a 3.44 ERA overall.
The Dodgers are 71-28 in their last 99 overall and 28-12 in their last 40 road games. LA is 43-21 in their last 64 Friday games.
Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks are 17-37 in their last 54 Friday games and 5-1 in their last six in game two of a series. The over is 4-1 in Arizona’s last five Friday games.
ANDREW’S FREE PICK
I’ll probably stay with the Dodgers here. These teams have already met this year in their season-opening series. That one ended up as a 2-2 split, with Arizona taking a pair of 2-1 outcomes. The Dodgers’ victories came 8-2 and 10-1, so it’ll be important for Los Angeles to generate some offense again in this one. Kershaw should be able to handle things on the mound; he held the Diamondbacks to just four hits and one run in 6.0 innings during his April 1 victory. Another quality start from Kershaw and a few insurance runs will go a long way here. Thursday’s opener went fairly smoothly for the Dodgers despite fruitless outings from a handful of hitters. That said, LA should be in full control for game two.
