The Los Angeles Dodgers and Cleveland Guardians are set to face off in an intriguing three-game series at Dodger Stadium, starting on Friday, September 6, 2024. The Dodgers, a perennial National League powerhouse, will look to continue their strong performance this season. Both teams already have eyes on the playoffs, with the Dodgers tied with the Philadelphia Phillies for the best record in baseball and the Guardians leading the American League Central division.
At the same time, the Guardians aim to pull off an upset as they fight for playoff contention in the American League. Cleveland’s 3.5 lead over the Kansas City Royals in the American League Central division with 22 games to play isn’t insurmountable, and the Guardians also have four games remaining against the Minnesota Twins, who are still in the race despite falling five and a half games off the pace.
The interleague series opener will feature a matchup between Dodgers rookie pitcher Landon Knack and Cleveland’s veteran left-hander Matthew Boyd. This is the only time this season the two teams will meet.
Taking the mound for Cleveland, Matthew Boyd will be tasked with navigating the Dodgers’ dangerous lineup, headlined by stars like Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani. Betts, currently riding a five-game hitting streak, has been in fine form, batting .389 over his last five games with two home runs and eight RBIs. Ohtani’s stellar production this season matches his consistency at the plate. Ohtani leads the team with 44 home runs and 99 RBIs, boasting a .290 batting average. With Freddie Freeman also contributing 21 home runs and Teoscar Hernandez adding 28, the Dodgers’ offensive depth presents a significant challenge for Boyd.
The odds favor the Dodgers in Friday’s game, with Los Angeles holding a -150 moneyline, according to the casino website Casino-Utan-Spelpaus.net, translating to a 60% implied probability of winning. In contrast, Cleveland enters the contest as the underdog at +126, with a 44.2% implied chance of victory. Los Angeles is favored by 1.5 on the run line, and the total run line is 8.5. These odds reflect the Dodgers’ dominance throughout the season, as they have won 77 of the 122 games they’ve played as favorites, a winning percentage of 63.1%. Moreover, when favored by at least -150, they have secured 51 victories out of 82 games.
The Dodgers’ recent form is encouraging for their backers. Over the past ten games, they have won six of eight contests when favored on the moneyline and have also hit the over on the run total in seven of those games. On the spread, Los Angeles has a solid 6-4 record during that stretch. The Guardians, meanwhile, have struggled in similar circumstances. In their last ten games, they have played as underdogs three times, winning only one of those matchups. Additionally, Cleveland has fallen short of hitting the over in seven of their last ten games, indicating a pattern of low-scoring affairs.
The Guardians’ offense is led by Jose Ramirez, who has posted another strong season with 34 home runs and 106 RBIs, ranking him among the top hitters in MLB. Josh Naylor and Steven Kwan have also been key contributors, with Naylor adding 29 home runs and Kwan batting a team-best .292. However, Cleveland’s lineup lacks the overall firepower of the Dodgers, and Boyd will need significant support from his teammates if the Guardians hope to keep pace in the opener.
Regarding betting for the entire series, the Dodgers are again favored with -130 odds to win the three-game set, while the Guardians are +150 underdogs. The path to success for Cleveland will likely depend on Boyd’s ability to stifle the Dodgers’ bats and whether their lineup can muster enough offense against Los Angeles’ pitching staff.
As the series unfolds, both teams have much at stake. For the Dodgers, securing victories will solidify their position in the playoff race, while the Guardians hope to surprise their favored opponents and keep their postseason aspirations alive. This opening game on Friday night promises to be an intriguing start, with plenty of attention on how Boyd handles Betts, Ohtani, and the rest of the Dodgers’ potent offense.
