The Miami Marlins host the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night at loanDepot park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 PM ET as the teams open a three-game series. The Dodgers have won nine of their last ten matchups with Miami, including a 12-7 victory in their most recent meeting on April 30.
Los Angeles enters with a 23-11 record and one of the best offenses in baseball. Miami is 13-20 and has struggled on the mound, ranking near the bottom in ERA. The Dodgers are listed as -180 favorites while the Marlins sit at +165 underdogs with a game total of 9.5 runs.
Marlins Preview – Hoping Alcantara Can Deliver
The Marlins are in a rough stretch, losing seven of their last eight games. They are giving up over six runs per game and rank last in team ERA. Sandy Alcantara will take the mound, hoping to turn things around, but he’s posted an 8.31 ERA so far and has been hit hard by the Dodgers in his career.
Miami has had some bright spots on offense. Kyle Stowers leads the team in batting average, RBIs, and OPS. Dane Myers has stepped up in center field with strong defense and a .922 OPS, while rookie catcher Agustin Ramirez has also contributed early in the season.
Xavier Edwards adds speed to the lineup, leading the team with eight stolen bases. But the lineup overall hasn’t kept pace with teams like Los Angeles. The Marlins’ bullpen also hasn’t helped, with a 4.83 ERA and recent struggles giving up 15 runs over their last 17 innings.
Dodgers Preview – Big Bats Keep Producing
The Dodgers are averaging 5.35 runs per game and have hit 54 home runs. Shohei Ohtani leads the charge with eight homers, nine steals, and a .970 OPS. Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Teoscar Hernandez round out a deep lineup that continues to produce runs.
Los Angeles has won seven of its last eight games, and they’ve scored at least six runs in six of those contests. They’ve also hit the over in eight of their last 11 games. While they lost to the Braves on Sunday, the offense remains one of the best in the league.
Ben Casparius will start for the Dodgers in a bullpen game. He’s 3-0 with a 2.91 ERA this season, mostly as a reliever. In his only start this year, Casparius threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings with four strikeouts. The Dodgers’ bullpen has a 3.03 ERA and has allowed just five runs in the last 23.1 innings.
Betting Prediction
The Dodgers are heavy favorites on the road, and their bats give them the edge even in a bullpen game. Alcantara’s past numbers against the Dodgers are not encouraging, with a 9.66 ERA in seven starts. Miami’s bullpen hasn’t shown signs of steady relief either.
Expect Los Angeles to score early and often. Their F5 trends are strong, with six wins in their last eight first-five moneyline bets. Miami has been giving up early runs and struggling with both starters and relievers. The Dodgers should cover the run line and win by multiple runs.
Pick: Dodgers -1.5 (-110)
