The Arizona Diamondbacks led the National League West earlier this season before going into a cold spell, but they’re back in the playoff picture heading into their series with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday.
Arizona has won eight of its last 10 games to leapfrog the San Francisco Giants in the NL West, and it has a 1.5-game lead on the final wild card spot in the National League.
The D-Backs are an exciting young team, and making the playoffs in the 2023 would show that the team’s timeline is ahead of schedule with the likes of Zac Gallen (today’s starter) and NL Rookie of the Year favorite Corbin Carroll leading the way.
The Dodgers are running away with the NL West, but they need to finish the 2023 season strong to take the top seed in the NL from the Atlanta Braves. Los Angeles sends youngster Bobby Miller to the mound in this one.
Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers probable pitchers for Monday, Aug. 28
- Diamondbacks: Zac Gallen (righty) – 14-5, 3.11 ERA
- Dodgers: Bobby Miller (righty) – 7-3, 3.86 ERA)
This should be a fun matchup between two potential playoff teams, but how should we wager on it?
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Let’s break down the odds and my best bet for this game on Monday:
Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers odds, run line and total
Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers prediction and pick
This is the first start that Gallen will make against the Dodgers since his first outing of the season, and he did not fare well in that game, allowing five runs in 4.2 innings of work.
Despite that, I think he makes the D-Backs a worthwhile underdog pick in this game.
Gallen is currently the odds-on favorite to win the National League Cy Young award, and he’s been extremely consistent in 2023. The righty’s best month this season may be August, as he’s posted a 2.01 ERA in five starts.
Arizona’s bats have also come alive, with the team ranking 11th in OPS over the last 15 days after a brutal stretch following the All-Star break.
While the Dodgers still have a superior lineup, I give Gallen a slight edge over Miller.
The rookie held Arizona scoreless in six innings in his last start against the team, walking four batters and allowing four hits. I don’t have anything bad to say about Miller’s 2023 season, but I do think he’s going to need to pitch his best game to beat Gallen.
At +124 underdogs, I’ll take a shot on the D-Backs to steal one on Monday.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
Find Peter Dewey's betting record here.