The New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers open a four-game series in LA on Thursday, August 19, 2021, so we’re taking a closer look at this marquee matchup to get you the best Mets vs. Dodgers betting pick and odds.

The Dodgers swept the Mets in a three-game set in New York to finish the last week. The reigning champs are firm favorites for Thursday’s clash, according to the best online sportsbooks, including BetDSI Sportsbook.

The Mets seek revenge and desperately need a win

The New York Mets have gone full bottle job in August. Excluding their Wednesday’s closer of a three-game series in San Francisco, the Mets dropped 12 of their last 16 games and were riding a five-game losing streak ahead of that tough date with the Giants.  

Following a 3-2 loss at San Francisco this past Tuesday, the Mets fell to 59-60 on the season. They were four and a half games behind the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves, so things are getting complicated for the slumping New York team.

The Mets have registered a disappointing 5.10 ERA so far this month. At the dish, they’ve recorded the fourth-worst OPS in the majors (.639) while batting just .221. Francisco Lindor has been sidelined since July 16 due to an oblique injury, and he should rejoin the Mets’ lineup by the end of the week to help the struggling offense.

Taijuan Walker will take the mound Thursday, and the 29-year-old righty broke out of his funk last Saturday, tossing 6.2 frames of a one-run ball in a 2-1 defeat to the Dodgers. He took a no-decision to snap his four-game losing streak, as Walker has posted an awful 7.81 ERA over his previous six starts (27.2 frames).

The Dodgers are shutting down their rivals 

The Los Angeles Dodgers improved to 74-46 on the season following a 4-3 win to the Pittsburgh Pirates last Tuesday. It was their fifth victory on the spin and ninth over the last ten outings, excluding LA’s closing clash of a three-game set against the Bucs on Wednesday night.

The Dodgers boast a 2.18 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and a .188 batting average against in August. Their bullpen has registered a ridiculous 1.92 ERA and 2.34 FIP over the last couple of weeks while striking out 12.5 per nine innings.

Walker Buehler will take the hill Thursday, and the 27-year-old righty is 12-2 with a shiny 2.09 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in 24 starts this season. Over his previous five outings (33.1 innings), Buehler has yielded only four earned runs on 21 hits and 13 walks.

Last Saturday, Buehler threw seven innings of a one-run ball in a 2-1 win at the Mets but had to settle down with a no-decision. The right-hander fanned ten and yielded four hits and three free passes.

Trends:

NY Mets:

  • 5-14 in the last 19 games overall
  • 4-21 in the last 25 games against the Dodgers  
  • 0-5 in Taijuan Walker’s last five starts

LA Dodgers:

  • 9-1 in the last ten games overall 
  • 9-3 in the last 12 home games against the Mets
  • 5-2 in Walker Buehler’s last seven starts

New York Mets vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Pick

The current Mets are slashing only .201/.260/.345 in 53 at-bats against Walker Buehler, who’s one of the top aces in baseball this season, no doubt. Hereof, the Dodgers should outlast the Mets. The reigning champs can also lean on their bullpen that has been superb as of late, while the Mets’ offense is having some big issues at the moment.

The Dodgers have owned the Mets over the last five years, winning 21 of their previous 25 encounters. They are 7-1 in the last eight games against New York, but only three of those four wins came by two or more runs.

Mets vs. Dodgers Pick : Dodgers -175

The Total:

The Mets bullpen has struggled a lot in the last two weeks, posting a 4.96 ERA and 4.79 FIP while surrendering 1.65 home runs per nine frames. New York desperately needs more from its pitching staff, and Taijuan Walker will be under pressure to deliver another strong performance against the Dodgers.

As I’ve mentioned above, Walker and Buehler faced off against each other in LA’s 2-1 victory at Citi Field last Saturday. We should see another low-scoring affair, but the Dodgers to win seems like the best wager.

Mets vs. Dodgers Total : Under 9