Mets vs Dodgers Odds, Picks, and Betting Lines (August 19)
By Chris Amberley in MLB Baseball
Published:
- The Los Angeles Dodgers are -240 favorites over the New York Mets on Thursday (August 19th, 10:10 pm ET)
- New York will give the ball to Taijuan Walker (0-1, 3.00 ERA), while it will be a bullpen game for LA
- Read below for odds, analysis and a betting prediction
With their starting rotation decimated, the Los Angeles Dodgers will once again lean on their bullpen on Thursday (August 19th). LA will throw its third bullpen game in four nights when the New York Mets come to town to open up a four-game set.
Mets vs Dodgers Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Mets | +195 | +1.5 (-105) | O 8 (-110) |
| LA Dodgers | -240 | -1.5 (-115) | U 8 (-110) |
Odds as of August 18th at DraftKings.
Oddsmakers don’t seem bothered by the Dodgers reliance on relievers for this contest, as they opened up LA as -240 moneyline favorites.
First pitch is scheduled for 10:10 pm ET at Dodger Stadium, and the forecast in LA calls for clear skies, little wind, and 64 degree night time temperatures.
Probable Pitchers
The Mets snapped a five-game losing streak on Wednesday, and will give the ball to Taijuan Walker looking to make it back-to-back victories. The 2021 All-Star started off the season on fire, but has struggled in the second half. He’s allowed at least four runs in four of his six starts since the break, dropping each of his past four decisions.
A well-deserved standing ovation for Taijuan Walker 👏 pic.twitter.com/BdmOGZMLMQ
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 15, 2021
The good news for New York fans is that his last outing was against the Dodgers, and even though he didn’t factor into the decision he pitched very well. Walker held the NL’s highest scoring team to two hits and one run over 6.2 quality innings. He struck out eight, while walking three, and his lone blemish was a Will Smith solo home run.
Walker vs Dodgers Bullpen
| 7-7 | Record | 28-24 |
| 3.75 | ERA | 3.41 |
| 1.18 | WHIP | 1.25 |
| .220 | OBA | .213 |
| 2.5 | SO/W Ratio | 2.5 |
The Dodgers lineup started slow this week, scoring just six runs combined in their first two games against the Pirates, but exploded on Wednesday for nine runs on nine hits. In addition to leading the NL in runs, they also rank first in OBP and OPS+, and top four in home runs and slugging.
Look at me. I'm the captain now. pic.twitter.com/IF5FUBoeSa
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 19, 2021
Despite the potency of the Dodger bats, Walker has fared very well against most of the heavy hitters. He’s held Max Muncy to just one hit in six at-bats, while Justin and Trea Turner are each 2-for-10 lifetime against the Mets hurler.
Batting Average vs Starting Pitchers
| Mets Batters | Batting Average vs LAD | Dodgers Batters | Batting Average vs Walker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Nimmo | .182 | Cody Bellinger | .250 |
| Jeff McNeil | .091 | Max Muncy | .167 |
| Pete Alonso | .154 | Corey Seager | .313 |
| Michael Conforto | .400 | Chris Taylor | .111 |
| J.D. Davis | .111 | Justin Turner | .200 |
| Dominic Smith | .182 | Trea Turner | .200 |
| Kevin Pillar | .000 | Will Smith | .333 |
On the other side of the diamond, it’s not as if the injuries to its starting rotation is currently hurting LA’s win rate. The Dodgers have won each of their two bullpen games this week, allowing only one run in the process. LA relievers were also dialed in during a bullpen game last week in Philadelphia, holding the Phillies to two runs and four hits.
#Dodgers are doing a bullpen game again tomorrow.
"That's sort of where we're at," Dave Roberts said.
— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) August 19, 2021
None of the Mets hitters outside Michael Conforto have experienced much success against the Dodgers this season, while slugger Pete Alonso could potentially miss the contest after leaving Wednesday’s outing in San Francisco after being hit by a pitch on the elbow.
Mets vs Dodgers Pick
As well as the Dodgers bullpen has thrown lately, their relievers can only keep up this pace for so long. During their three-game sweep of Pittsburgh, LA’s bullpen threw a combined 22.1 innings, and with no off-day prior to a new series versus the Mets, there’s bound to be bunch of tired arms.
New York meanwhile, gave the Dodgers all they could handle in two of their three meetings last weekend, and stands an excellent chance to keep this game close with Walker back on the mound.
Kevin Pillar said Steve Cohen's tweet didn't bother the #Mets players. "He expects more out of us," he said. Pillar sure delivered "more" with a 3-run homer in extra innings today. @News12LI @N12Sports pic.twitter.com/b8IMdRV7oY
— Kevin Maher (@KMaherNews12) August 19, 2021
The Mets responded to criticism from their owner on Wednesday with a 6-2 victory over the NL leading San Francisco Giants, and will look to continue that momentum into Thursday night.
Pick: New York Mets +1.5 (-105)
Sports Writer
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
