The Cleveland Guardians take on the Los Angeles Dodgers for the first time since 2017. They start a three-game interleague series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, June 17, 2022, so here’s the best Guardians vs. Dodgers betting pick. 

According to BetOnline Sportsbook, the Dodgers are heavy -240 moneyline favorites for Friday’s opener. The Guardians sit at +216 moneyline odds, while the totals are listed at 8.0 runs. 

The Guardians continue their nine-game road trip                               

At the time of writing, the 31-27 Cleveland Guardians were playing the Colorado Rockies in the closing contest of a three-game interleague set at Coors Field in Denver. The Guardians looked to sweep the Rockies after a 4-3 ten-inning victory in the opener and a 7-5 win in the middle game of the series. 

Cleveland has played very well since late May. The Guardians have won 13 of their previous 17 games overall to get back into the race for the AL Central crown. They trailed the Minnesota Twins by 2.5 games on Thursday. 

Zach Plesac will toe the slab Friday in LA. The 27-year-old righty holds a 2-4 record, 4.70 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and 43/13 K/BB ratio in 11 starts (61.1 innings) this season. Plesac has gone 1-0 over his previous three appearances, posting a 3.00 ERA and 3.25 FIP across 18 innings of work. 

The Dodgers shoot for their third consecutive victory                                    

The Los Angeles Dodgers outlasted the Los Angeles Angels 4-1 this past Wednesday to sweep a two-game interleague set in front of the home fans. Tyler Anderson pitched another gem, carrying a no-hitter bid into the ninth inning, while backstop Will Smith launched a three-run homer in the bottom of the first.   

The Dodgers have won just four of their previous ten contests. They were sitting at the second spot in the NL West on Thursday, trailing the 41-24 San Diego Padres by half a game. 

Clayton Kershaw will take the mound Friday, looking to get back on the winning track. Last Saturday, the 34-year-old southpaw was charged for a loss in a 3-2 defeat at the San Francisco Giants, allowing a couple of earned runs on three hits and two walks across four innings of work. Kershaw is now 4-1 with a 2.12 ERA and 0.79 WHIP in six starts (34 innings) in 2022. 

Trends:

Cleveland: 

  • 4-7 in Zach Plesac’s 11 starts in 2022    

LA Dodgers:

  • 10-2 in the last 12 games against the American League 

Cleveland Guardians vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Pick 

The Guardians love to hit the righties, but they own a .239/.305/.348 triple-slash and an 84 OPS+ against the left-handed pitchers in 2022. I’m expecting them to struggle in a tough matchup with Clayton Kershaw, so give me the Dodgers to cover a 1.5-run line. 

The Blue Crew had a day off on Thursday and should be ready to rumble. They sport a .257/.337/.442 slash line and 122 OPS+ against the right-handed starting pitchers, so Zach Plesac will have a mountain to climb. Plesac has allowed four or more runs in five of his previous eight starts. 

Pick: Take Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 at -120                             

The Total:

The Dodgers bullpen holds a disappointing 5.01 ERA and .320 BABIP in 46.2 frames of work in June. It should improve a lot in the coming days, while the Guardians’ relievers have been outstanding so far this month, racking up a 1.71 ERA and .242 BABIP. 

Hereof, I’m backing the under on the totals. Clayton Kershaw should keep the Guardians’ lineup in check, and Cleveland’s bullpen will hopefully avoid a meltdown in this duel. 

Pick: Go under 8.0 runs at -110