Remember when people were worried about the Los Angeles Dodgers due to their rough patch early in the year? Yeah. That was dumb.
L.A. has now won seven in a row and 11 of 12 overall heading into a series with the hated Houston Astros. And Game 1 should be a doozy as Clayton Kershaw toes the rubber against former teammate Zack Greinke.
Check out our best free MLB betting picks and predictions for Dodgers vs. Astros on Tuesday, May 25, with first pitch scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET.
Dodgers vs Astros game info
• Location: Minute Maid Park, Houston, TX
• Date: Tuesday, May 25, 2021
• Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
• TV: ATTSN-SW, SN LA, FS1
Dodgers vs Astros odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
Compare MLB odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
Dodgers vs Astros betting preview
Starting pitchers
Clayton Kershaw (6-3, 3.18 ERA): It has been a mostly solid season for the future Hall of Famer. While there are some blemishes on the record, the lefty has a nice 0.95 WHIP and is limiting opponents to a .211 batting average to go along with the respectable ERA. This is also Kershaw’s first start at Minute Maid Park since the 2017 World Series.
Zack Greinke (4-1, 3.77 ERA): The Astros’ cerebral starter has had a hit-or-miss season. The right-hander has recorded six quality starts, including in each of his last two appearances, but has averaged just over four innings per game in the other four outings. Greinke would like to improve his opponents batting average of .260 as well.
Weather
Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our MLB weather info.
Key injuries
Dodgers: Mookie Betts RF (Questionable), Cody Bellinger CF (Out), Brusdar Graterol RP (Out), A.J. Pollack OF (Out), Jimmy Nelson RP (Out), Scott Alexander RP (Out), Corey Knebel RP (Out).
Astros: Aledmys Diaz LF (Questionable), Blake Taylor RP (Out), Josh James RP (Out), Pedro Baez RP (Out), Austin Pruitt RP (Out).
Find our latest MLB injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Over is 7-1 in the Dodgers' last eight road games with the total set at 7.0-8.5 and 6-0 in Zack Greinke's last six starts. Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Astros.
Moneyline pick
Yes, overreacting to early-season slumps in baseball, particularly with a team as talented as the Dodgers, is not something I would recommend. Their hot streak has seen them win 11 of their last 12 games overall and climb just a half-game back of the San Diego Padres for first place in the National League West.
This run has been fueled thanks in large part to, well, runs. The Dodgers’ offense has had a resurgence of sorts, ranking sixth in batting average and plating 5.75 runs per game over this 12-game stretch. They’ll look to keep rolling against Greinke, who has had his highs and lows this season.
The right-hander is coming off two start quality starts, but most of his resume has come against baseball’s bottom feeders when it comes to offense. The top two lineups Greinke has seen this season have been the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees. In those two games, he gave up seven runs on 12 hits in eight innings of work.
While Kershaw’s season has been somewhat similar to Greinke’s in terms of ups and downs, his overall numbers have been stronger against a tougher schedule.
The Astros have a talented offense — trash can or no trash can — and lead MLB in scoring and batting average, but this price is too good to pass up on with a streaking Dodgers team.
PREDICTION: Dodgers (-110)
Over/Under pick
The early money on this game has come in on the Over and we just so happen to agree with that assessment.
As noted, the Dodgers' offense is rolling right now, scoring at least four runs in eight games during this 12-game stretch. And while Greinke can still miss some bats, when he gets hit, he gets hit hard. Then he hands the ball to a Houston bullpen that has been shaky outside of Ryan Pressly and Kent Emanuel.
The Astros, meanwhile, have the patience to give Kershaw problems. Kershaw’s worst starts this season have come when he hasn’t been able to rack up the strikeouts and no one in baseball strikes out less than the Astros. On top of that, their team batting average of .270 and 5.34 runs per game are both tops in the majors.
When you factor in a Dodgers bullpen that has had its own fair share of issues this season, then it’s easy to like the Over in this one.
PREDICTION: Over 8.5 (-110)
Dodgers vs Astros betting card
- Dodgers (-110)
- Over 8.5 (-110)
Picks made on 5/25/2021 at 12:30 p.m. ET
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