The Diamondbacks (84-78, 41-40 away) travel to take on the Dodgers (100-62, 53-28 home) in game one of this NL West matchup. Merrill Kelly is getting the start for the Diamondbacks while Clayton Kershaw is starting for the Dodgers. See who I like to pick up the win in today’s Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Dodgers showdown at Dodger Stadium.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS VS LOS ANGELES DODGERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Arizona Diamondbacks +1.5 Runs

This game will be played at Dodger Stadium at 9:20 ET on Saturday, October 7th.

WHY BET THE ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS:

  • In their last ten games as the underdog, the Diamondbacks have put together a runline record of 8-2.
  • On the road, the Diamondbacks have covered the runline in two straight games.
  • For the season, the Diamondbacks have gone 16-14 with Merrill Kelly on the mound as the starter.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS TRYING TO CLOSE GAP IN NL WEST

For the season, the Diamondbacks have an overall record of 84-78, placing them 2nd in the NL West. Against other NL West opponents, they are 29-23 along with going 43-38 and 41-40 at home and on the road, respectively. So far, they have played a total of 51 series, going 29-20-2.

Merrill Kelly has made 30 appearances this season, with a .358 slugging percentage allowed and a 1.19 WHIP. His overall record stands at 12-8 with an ERA of 3.29 and 187 strikeouts, averaging 9.47 K/9 innings. On the road, his record is 7-3 with an ERA of 4.26, while at home it’s 5-5 with an ERA of 2.77.

Merrill Kelly’s latest start ended in a 1-0 defeat for the Diamondbacks, but he still put up a quality performance. The right-hander allowed only one run over seven innings of work.

Over their last five games, the Diamondbacks are ranked 21st in the league in scoring at 1.2 runs per game. Their season-long scoring average of 4.6 per contest puts them 14th in baseball. In terms of on-base percentage, Arizona is 10th, with an OBP currently sitting at .322. The team’s collective batting average is .250 (10th).

Christian Walker has been a major force in the Diamondbacks’ offensive attack this season, leading the team with 33 home runs and 103 RBIs. His slugging percentage of .497 is indicative of his power-hitting prowess.

WILL THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

The Dodgers take on the Diamondbacks sitting in first place in NL West on an overall record of 100-62. Overall, they have played in 49 series, going 32-16-1. This season, they have put together a 47-34 record on the road and 53-28 at home.

Clayton Kershaw has been a dominant force for the Dodgers this season, boasting an impressive 13-5 record. He will take the mound for Los Angeles in tonight’s game. In 24 appearances, Kershaw has posted a 2.46 ERA and 9.36 K/9 rate, along with a 4.03 FIP and .266 OBP.

Clayton Kershaw was saddled with the loss in his last start against the Giants, as he allowed two runs on five hits over six innings. Ultimately, Los Angeles was defeated 2-1.

Having gone deep 11 times in their last ten games, the Dodgers are 8th in that span. At 5.6 runs per game, Los Angeles is 2nd in the league. This figure has come on a team batting average of .257 while hitting a total of 249 home runs (2nd).

Mookie Betts is the leader of the Dodgers’ home run brigade in 2023, with 39 round-trippers and 107 RBIs to his name. His slugging percentage is a robust .579 for the season.