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Dodgers vs Brewers Picks and Odds – Urias vs Bettinger (May 2)

Paul Attfield

by Paul Attfield in MLB Baseball

Updated May 2, 2021 · 7:13 AM PDT

Travis Shaw, Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers' Travis Shaw hits the game-winning RBI single during the 11th inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Saturday, May 1, 2021, in Milwaukee. The Brewers won 6-5. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
  • The Los Angeles Dodgers take on the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday afternoon hoping to avoid a four-game sweep (May 2, 2:10 pm EST)
  • Julio Urias (3-0, 3.23 ERA) will start for the Dodgers, while the Brewers will counter with debutant Alec Bettinger (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
  • Read below for a preview and betting prediction for the game

After an 11-inning loss Saturday, the Los Angeles Dodgers will be looking to avoid a four-game series sweep on Sunday when they play the Brewers in Milwaukee once again. The reigning World Series winners have now lost three straight games and six of their last seven, while the decimated Brewers – with 16 players currently on the injured list – have the National League’s best record at 17-10.

Dodgers vs Brewers Odds

Team Moneyline Runline at FanDuel Total
Los Angeles Dodgers -186 -1.5 (-104) Over 8.5 (-106)
Milwaukee Brewers +156 +1.5 (-110) Under 8.5 (-114)

Odds taken May 2nd

Given the pitching matchup, the Dodgers are an understandable -186 favorite in the Dodgers vs Brewers odds. But a combination of efficient pitching by the Brewers and a mostly inept offense from the Dodgers has resulted in Milwaukee taking the first three games. Can the Dodgers bats break out here?

Untouchable Urias

The Dodgers left-hander has been almost unstoppable for the Dodgers this season, going 3-0 with a 3.23 ERA in five starts so far in 2021. Los Angeles has gone 4-1 in games in which the Mexican pitcher has started.

But then fans and bettors should have gotten used to Urias’s dominance by now. He was 3-0 with a 3.27 ERA in 10 starts last season, and hasn’t suffered a loss since Aug. 9, 2019, against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Including the 2020 postseason, Urias is unbeaten his last 22 games (17 starts), going 10-0 with a 2.82 ERA since July 26, 2020.

If there’s a sliver of hope for the Brewers, it’s that Urias arguably had his worst outing in his most recent start, April 26 against the Cincinnati Reds. In his shortest start of the year, he was pulled after just five innings, having been on the hook for three earned runs in what eventually turned out to be a 5-3 home loss.

Urias has been productive against Milwaukee throughout his career though, owning a 2-1 record with a 2.86 ERA in four starts against the NL Central franchise.

Brewers Career Stats vs Urias

Player AB H HR RBI K AVG.
Jackie Bradley Jr. 1 0 0 0 0 0
Mario Feliciano 0 0 0 0 0 0
Avisail Garcia 0 0 0 0 0 0
Keston Hiura 0 0 0 0 0 0
Luke Maile 0 0 0 0 0 0
Billy McKinney 0 0 0 0 0 0
Pablo Reyes 1 0 0 0 1 0
Travis Shaw 2 0 0 0 1 0
Tyrone Taylor 0 0 0 0 0 0
Luis Urias 0 0 0 0 0 0
Daniel Vogelbach 0 0 0 0 0 0
Kolten Wong 1 0 0 0 0 0

Bettinger Makes MLB Debut

It’s never easy making your major-league debut. It doesn’t get any easier when it involves taking the mound against the defending world champions, who will be stung after losing on Saturday night after twice taking the lead in extra innings, before falling 6-5.

Add to that the fact that Los Angeles has now lost three straight, and eight of its last 10, means that the Dodgers will present 25-year-old Alec Bettinger with a desperate opponent. Obviously the right-hander has the benefit of being an unknown quantity on the mound, and is up against a team that is batting just .205 over its last 10 games, and had mustered just two runs in the first two games of this series.

Dodgers Offensively Challenged

Considering how much of a juggernaut Los Angeles was in 2020, the drop-off has been alarming. Last year, the Dodgers led the majors in home runs (118) and slugging (.483). This season, they have dropped into a tie for 13th in homers (32) and a tie for 11th in slugging (.397).

Brewers Far From Special

Despite owning the second-best record in MLB, it is certainly a surprise to see the Brewers riding this high. The team is a patchwork collection of walking wounded, with 16 players currently on the IL, and its offense is anything but spectacular.

The team’s batting average of .214 is good enough for last overall in the NL, while its OBP of .301 is tied for last in the league with Colorado. On top of that, the team is just 8-7 at home, a record that has only just crept above .500 owing to the three consecutive wins in this series.

However, they have played the Dodgers well over the past few season, with the two teams splitting their last 12 games, with six apiece.

Pick: Over 8.5 (-106)

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