The Los Angeles Dodgers came out blazing in their home opener on Thursday, rocking Miles Mikolas and riding a gem from Tyler Glasnow to a big win. Now, the ball goes to young Bobby Miller as the home team looks to improve to 3-1 after its solid start to the season in South Korea.
Can St. Louis find a way to get to baseball’s new super team, or will this torrid pace continue in the MLB odds? Let's dive right into it with our in-depth MLB picks for Cardinals vs. Dodgers on Friday, March 29.
Cardinals vs Dodgers odds
Cardinals vs Dodgers predictions
One thing you always have to look for in young pitchers, primarily those who flashed insane strikeout stuff in the minors, is how they find ways to get outs at the major league level when it's not by the punchout.
For Bobby Miller, the journey was fun to watch. The Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander entered the league and immediately managed to pitch to roughly a 50% ground ball rate through two months, and after a dip in July, he posted the best ground ball month of his rookie season in August. All the while, his strikeouts rose as the months went on, and Miller managed to remain highly effective as he rolled up ground balls inning after inning.
Miller seems to be the complete package in a starter, and pitching behind one of the best offenses in baseball only raises the Dodgers' odds this evening.
Meanwhile, St. Louis Cardinals starter Zack Thompson finds himself pitching to that deadly Los Angeles lineup following an injury to Sonny Gray during spring training. Despite some encouraging showings early in his career, Thompson may be in over his head in this one.
Thompson’s spring was a solid one, but his strikeouts did dissipate just a touch from last season, which calls his expected stats from a year ago into question. The Dodgers were the seventh-best offense against left-handers a season ago and should ultimately take care of another weak Cardinals starter tonight.
My best bet: Dodgers first five innings -0.5 (-140 at DraftKings)
Cardinals vs Dodgers same-game parlay
Dodgers moneyline
Zack Thompson Under 4.5 strikeouts
Will Smith 2+ total bases
Along with taking the Dodgers to win outright, we'll be fading Thompson's strikeout prop. When you look at the southpaws' K rate, it’s just a touch above average at 23.4% for his career.
The Dodgers did not strike out a ton last season, and lefties, in particular, finished under 22%. Thompson also began 2023 in the bullpen and was not very stretched out by the end of the season, going more than five innings on just one occasion.
I’ll also take Will Smith to record a couple of bases here. The star catcher is off to a blistering start with six hits in 14 at-bats this year and I like him to keep that going.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
Best MLB bonuses for Cardinals vs Dodgers
All Users
Instant payout for MLB moneylines
If your team goes up by 5+! Claim Now
New Users
Get a no-sweat first bet
Up to $1,500! Claim Now
Eligible USA locations only. Also, see our full list of best sportsbook promotions for 2024.
21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Cardinals vs Dodgers moneyline and Over/Under analysis
- The Dodgers opened around -215 and were steadily bet down to -238. The line has since moved back up to -225.
- At DraftKings, 55% of the bets and 66% of the money are on the Over.
- The opening number on the total of 9.0 hasn’t budged at all aside from two very brief moves to 8.5.
Trend to know
The Dodgers have covered the run line in 80 of their last 139 games (+23.35 Units / 14% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cardinals vs. Dodgers
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Covers may receive advertising commissions for visits to a sportsbook or betting site.
Cardinals vs Dodgers game info
| Location: | Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA |
| Date: | Friday, March 29, 2024 |
| First pitch: | 10:10 p.m. ET |
| TV: | Apple TV+ |
Starting pitchers
Zack Thompson (0-0, 0.00 ERA): The lefty is coming off a solid spring, posting a 2.81 ERA in 16 innings, though it did not begin with the expectation of starting. The former first-round pick will audition for a more permanent role as the team waits for Gray to return.
Bobby Miller (0-0, 0.00 ERA): The flamethrower, who is one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball, hasn’t quite flashed the strikeout numbers he posted in the minor leagues over the last two seasons, though that’s to be expected from a pitcher with just 124 1/3 innings under his belt. Despite that, he’s bordered on an elite arm, sporting a stellar .229 xBA and 3.40 xERA a season ago.
Latest injuries
Weather
Stay updated with the latest picks, odds, and news! Tap the 
to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
