Arizona Diamondbacks vs La Dodgers Dodgers Picks and Predictions August 30th 2024

Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers are facing off against the Diamondbacks and Zac Gallen. The Dodgers are 80-54 this season and they are currently on a two-game winning streak. The Diamondbacks are 76-58 and are 2nd in the NL West.

Los Angeles is currently favored on the money line, and the over/under line is at 8.5 runs. This NL West matchup can be seen on SNLA.

Los Angeles vs. Arizona Key Information

Clayton Kershaw is looking to bounce back from a rough outing vs. the Rays, where he finished with a no-decision. In that start, he gave up five earned runs in five innings of work. Looking back further, Kershaw had picked up the win in two straight outings and had allowed just one earned run in each of those starts. His ERA for the season is 3.72, along with a record of 2-2. Opponents are batting .277 off the left-hander this season. Kershaw’s WHIP is currently 1.41. So far, he has made one quality start this season.

Shohei Ohtani has been on a tear for the Dodgers of late, going 9/29 in his last seven games with three homers and seven RBIs. For the season, Ohtani is batting .292 with 42 homers and 95 RBIs. His 95 RBIs are 5th in the league, and his 42 homers are the 2nd most in the MLB. Teoscar Hernández is also having a strong season for the Dodgers, as he is batting .264 with 28 homers and 87 RBIs.

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As a team, the Dodgers are 4th in the league in scoring at 4.9 runs per game. They have been even better at home, averaging 5 runs per contest. Overall, they are the 3rd ranked home run-hitting team in the league and have the 3rd best team slugging percentage in the league.

Zac Gallen will be looking to build off his last outing, where he didn’t give up an earned run and picked up the win. In that start vs. the Red Sox, he went six innings and gave up just two hits. Looking back further, Gallen has made 22 starts and has a record of 10-6. His ERA for the season is 3.65, along with a WHIP of 1.30. Opponents have a batting average of .240 vs. Gallen this season. Out of his 22 starts, he has turned in 10 quality starts. Per nine innings, Gallen is averaging 8.61 strikeouts and 3.18 walks.

Arizona comes into the game as the top-scoring team in the league, averaging 5.3 runs per game. They have been even better at home, averaging 5.4 runs per contest. The Diamondbacks are also one of the top home run-hitting teams in the league, and they have the 2nd best team batting average in the league at .261.

Ketel Marte has been leading the way for the Diamondbacks offense, as he is 7th in the league with 30 homers and is 13th in the league with 81 RBIs. He is also batting .298 for the season. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. has also been a big run producer for the team, as he is 4th on the team with 67 RBIs and has 16 homers.

Our lean for a money-line pick would be to take the Diamondbacks to come out on top at home. We are also leaning towards the over, as this is projected to be the 4th highest-scoring game of the day. For a play on the over/under line, we would go with the over. Looking at today’s starters, Zac Gallen has the 5th best innings pitched projection compared to Clayton Kershaw (19th).

Zac Gallen and D-backs Test Mettle Against NL West-Leading Dodgers

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers, fierce National League West rivals, are set to face off in a highly anticipated four-game series starting Friday night in Phoenix. This matchup brings together two teams that have been at the heart of the NL West race and have a storied history, particularly from their clash in the 2023 National League Division Series (NLDS), which defined much of that season.

Gallen vs. Kershaw: A Battle of Aces

Friday’s opener features a marquee pitching duel with right-hander Zac Gallen taking the mound for the Diamondbacks against the Dodgers’ veteran left-hander Clayton Kershaw. Gallen enters the game with a solid 10-6 record and a 3.65 ERA, while Kershaw comes in with a 2-2 record and a 3.72 ERA. Both pitchers have had their share of battles against these respective opponents, adding an extra layer of intrigue to this contest.

The Diamondbacks, currently in the hunt for the National League’s top wild-card spot, are looking to bounce back after a narrow 3-2 loss to the New York Mets on Thursday. Despite the loss, Arizona remains a game ahead of the San Diego Padres in the wild-card race, thanks in part to the Padres’ 4-1 defeat to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Diamondbacks’ Fight for Postseason Positioning

Arizona’s journey to this point has been nothing short of remarkable. Their unexpected march to the World Series last fall, highlighted by a stunning three-game sweep of the Dodgers in the NLDS, remains fresh in the minds of both teams. The Dodgers, despite finishing the 2023 regular season with a dominant 100-62 record and winning the NL West by a substantial 16 games over the Diamondbacks, couldn’t translate that success into the postseason.

Manager Torey Lovullo of the Diamondbacks emphasized his team’s hunger and determination as they prepare for this critical series. “This group is hungry, and they want to go out and play a complete baseball game,” Lovullo said following Arizona’s first home series loss since late June. “So we respect every opponent, we know (it’s) the L.A. Dodgers that are coming in here, and we want to do our job the best way we can.”

Dodgers Riding Momentum into Arizona

The Dodgers, meanwhile, are coming off a strong homestand, capped by a 6-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night. Despite missing star first baseman Freddie Freeman, who is sidelined with a hairline fracture in his right middle finger, Los Angeles has won eight of their last ten games. Freeman, who struggled in the previous week’s series against the Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays, has been a significant loss, yet the Dodgers continue to find ways to win.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised his team’s resilience, especially against top-tier opponents like the Orioles, Mariners, and Rays, all of whom are vying for American League playoff spots. “Great homestand — really good baseball playing against teams that are in pennant races,” Roberts said. “I don’t think it was a litmus test or anything, but it’s still good to go out there and find ways to win baseball games.”

Gallen and Kershaw: Regular Season vs. Postseason

Zac Gallen, who was prevailing in his last excursion, permitting only two hits north of six scoreless innings in a 4-1 win against the Boston Red Sox, will hope to proceed with major areas of strength for him. Nonetheless, his normal season record against the Dodgers has been not exactly heavenly, as he holds a 1-4 record with a 3.67 ERA in 12 beginnings against them. All things considered, Gallen was instrumental in the Diamondbacks’ postseason achievement last year, procuring a dominate in Match 2 of the NLDS by permitting just two runs north of 5 1/3 innings.

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On the opposite side, Clayton Kershaw, in spite of his unbelievable vocation, has had blended results against the Diamondbacks, especially in the postseason. While Kershaw flaunts a 22-12 record with a 2.73 ERA in 44 standard season begins against Arizona, his postseason excursions against them have been undeniably less compelling. Strikingly, Kershaw assumed the misfortune in Game 1 of last year’s NLDS, giving up six sudden spikes in demand for six hits and recording only one out in the Dodgers’ 11-2 loss.

High Stakes for The two Groups

As the Diamondbacks and Dodgers get ready to recharge their competition, a lot is on the line for the two groups. Arizona is battling to harden their postseason position, while the Dodgers mean to keep up with their lead on the NL West. With a rich history of serious matchups and the memory of last year’s postseason still new, this series vows to be a crucial part in the two groups’ 2024 missions. Yet again the result could establish the vibe until the end of the time, especially as the two groups eye profound playoff runs.