Los Angeles Dodgers
Oakland Athletics
(-120/+100)+145
As the Oakland Athletics and the Los Angeles Dodgers gear up for their matchup on August 3, 2024, it’s clear that both teams are coming off an eventful game just yesterday, where the Athletics managed a thrilling 6-5 victory over the Dodgers. With this win, the Athletics are looking to capitalize on this momentum, while the Dodgers aim to rebound after a narrow loss.
Currently, the Athletics hold a disappointing record of 46-65, ranking them among the lower tiers in MLB, while the Dodgers are in a much better position at 63-47. The Dodgers boast the 4th best offense in the league, ranking 6th in batting average and 3rd in home runs, showcasing their ability to put runs on the board. In contrast, the Athletics’ offense ranks 17th overall, but their power has surprisingly led them to a 4th place ranking in home runs.
On the mound, Mitch Spence is projected to start for the Athletics. His recent outings have shown some promise, including a solid performance on July 27, where he pitched 6 innings, allowing just 1 earned run. However, with a Power Rankings position of 201st out of 350 pitchers and a tendency to give up hits, he could face some challenges against the potent Dodgers lineup. Meanwhile, Jack Flaherty, who has been stellar with a 2.95 ERA and a Power Ranking of 32nd, will take the mound for Los Angeles. Flaherty’s ability to strike out batters (32.1 K%) could be critical against an Athletics offense that struggles with strikeouts.
According to the leading MLB projection system, the Athletics are seen as underdogs, with a low implied team total of 3.53 runs compared to the Dodgers’ higher projection of 4.87 runs. As the Athletics look to build on their recent success, they must find a way to exploit any pitching vulnerabilities and keep the momentum rolling against a strong Dodgers team eager to even the series.
Los Angeles Dodgers Insights
- Los Angeles Dodgers – 1st Five Innings (F5) Moneyline (-185)In his previous start, Jack Flaherty was rolling and conceded 0 ER.Explain: A pitcher who was strong in his last outing may be sharp once again in his next outing.
- Andy Pages – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+140/-180)When it comes to his wOBA and overall offense, Andy Pages has had bad variance on his side this year. His .290 rate falls considerably below the leading projection system (THE BAT X)’s version of Statcast-based Expected wOBA (xwOBA) at .327.Explain: xwOBA uses highly advanced Statcast data to measure a player’s overall hitting ability more accurately than actual wOBA can.
- Los Angeles Dodgers – 2H MoneylineAccording to the leading projection system (THE BAT), the Los Angeles Dodgers’ bullpen grades out as the 8th-best out of all teams in the majors.Explain: Most bettors only consider the starting pitcher, but a strong bullpen sneakily creates a tougher matchup for the opposing offense and suppresses a game’s runs.
Oakland Athletics Insights
- Mitch Spence – Over/Under 17.5 Pitching Outs (+100/-130)Recording 92.1 adjusted pitches per outing this year on average, Mitch Spence places him the 78th percentile.Explain: Pitchers who average more pitches per game are more likely to go deeper into games and record more outs.
- Abraham Toro – Over/Under 0.5 Hits (-120/-110)Abraham Toro has primarily hit in the top-half of the lineup this year (84% of the time), but he is projected to hit 7th on the lineup card in this game.Explain: The lower in the order a player bats, the fewer plate appearances he will get and the fewer opportunities he will get to hit the Over for every market. A player who hits lower in the order than he normally does may provide extra value opportunity since the market may be based on him hitting higher.
- The Oakland Athletics offense projects to score the least runs of all teams on the slate, according to the leading projection system (THE BAT X).Explain: THE BAT X is a highly sophisticated projection system that accounts for a multitude of factors like player quality, ballpark, weather, umpire, defense, and more.
Betting Trends
- Oakland Athletics – Over/Under 1.5 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total (-115/-115)The Oakland Athletics have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total Over in 18 of their last 26 games (+9.65 Units / 31% ROI)
- Over/Under 7.5 Game Total (-120/+100)The Los Angeles Dodgers have hit the Game Total Over in 28 of their last 49 games (+4.85 Units / 9% ROI)
- Shohei Ohtani – Over/Under 0.5 RBIs (+130/-170)Shohei Ohtani has hit the RBIs Over in 21 of his last 38 games (+9.90 Units / 25% ROI)