MLB season is underway after a thrilling Opening Day that saw every team play its first game of the 2023 season. There are only five games on the schedule Friday night, including an NL West matchup, as the Arizona Diamondbacks take on the Los Angeles Dodgers. This should be an exciting game, and if you are looking to place a wager, we have you covered, as we break down Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers predictions, odds, and props.
Although the Dodgers are the better team, the Diamondbacks have some intriguing young players, and with one of the top farm systems in baseball, it might not be long before this turns into a marquee matchup. In the first game of the season, the Diamondbacks struck early with a run in each of the first two innings off Julio Urias, but that was all the offense could produce, as they went on to fall, 8-2.
Tonight, the Diamondbacks are once again playing as the underdog against their NL West rival, and we are here to give you the best Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers betting picks, including our favorite prop bet of the night.
Bet on Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers at DraftKings. Click to claim up to $1,200 in Bonuses
Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers Odds: Run Line, Total, & Moneyline
When you go to make your Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers betting picks, make sure you check out several of the top sports betting apps available to you. This will ensure you get the best number for your wager and open you up to each sportsbook bonus offer, which can help build your bankroll for the MLB season.
Arizona is playing as the underdog tonight, but could there be some value with the D’backs in this matchup? Look at the board and see if you like the Diamondbacks on the run line (baseball term for “the spread”), moneyline, or if you have a good feel on the pitching matchup going either way, the total is also an option.
Below, we have included the Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers odds and lines from some of our favorite mobile sportsbooks.
Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers Betting Overview
Placing a baseball bet during the first week of the season is always tricky because we simply do not know what teams are thinking strategy-wise with pitching, and it could take a while for the star players to get rolling. Luckily, we are here to help as we will give you the betting trends, starting pitching matchups, and a breakdown of what each offense brings to the table.
Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers Betting Trends
Diamondbacks
- The total has gone OVER in six of Arizona’s last nine games
- Arizona is 3-14 SU in its last 17 games against Los Angeles
- Arizona is 2-13 SU in its last 15 games playing on the road in Los Angeles
- The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Arizona’s last 19 games against the NL West
Dodgers
- The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Los Angeles’ last 12 games against Arizona
- Los Angeles is 3-6 SU in its last nine games
- The total has gone OVER in four of Los Angeles’ last five games
- Los Angeles is 5-1 SU in its last six games played in March
Divisional Previews: NL Central odds | NL East odds | AL Central odds | AL East odds | AL West odds
Bet On MLB With FanDuel Sportsbook
Get a $1,000 No Sweat First BetNew FanDuel Sportsbook users can sign up for a new account and place a No Sweat First Bet up to $1,000. If your first bet up to $1,000 loses, you will get your money back in Bonus Bets. Just click here to get started.
Starting Pitchers
The Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers starting pitchers for tonight feature two guys with high ceilings but who have not delivered as of late, and there is cause for concern with both of them. For bettors, that might be an advantage.
Arizona Diamondbacks: Merrill Kelly
2022 Stats: 13-8, 200.1 IP, 3.37 ERA, 177 K, 75 ER, 3.3 fWAR
For the first time in his MLB career, Kelly eclipsed the 200 IP mark, and while he improved significantly over his 2021 campaign, there are still signs of regression coming, and we could start to see it in the WBC. He finished with an 8.31 ERA during the 2023 WBC, and with his xERA and xFIP being higher than his actual ERA and FIP numbers from last season, we could be looking at a down year for Kelly.
His K/9 went up slightly last season, and he cut down on giving up the long ball, but his BB/9 is up .40 points, and his Barrel% went up 2%. There are still signs of encouragement for Kelly, but against this lineup, he will need his best stuff.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Dustin May
2022 Stats: 2-3, 30.0 IP, 4.50 ERA, 29K, 15 ER, 0.3 fWAR
The Dodgers will hope to get an entire season out of May after he made his debut in late August last season coming off Tommy John surgery. May is a great talent, but he has yet to go over 60 IP in four seasons with the club and has not had double-digit appearances since 2020.
They have experimented with him coming out of the pen, but with Los Angeles’ “Deathstar” roster slowly starting to fall apart (emphasis on slowly), they will need a big season from May.
Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers Lineups
The odds reflect that the Dodgers are the better team, but the most exciting part of this game may be the Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers lineup battle. On one side, we have proven talent with Los Angeles; on the other, we have the stars of tomorrow looking to break through and pump some life into this Arizona Franchise.
Last season, the Dodgers lineup led baseball in runs (847), RBI (812), OBP (.333), wOBA (.337), wRC+ (119), and fWAR (38.9). While they lost a few key players from last year’s lineup, including Trea Turner and Justin Turner, but they added a few sluggers to give this lineup a bit more pop, and with players such as Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, and a few others that the team is hoping will blossom this year, this is still one of the best lineups in MLB.
On the other side, the Diamondbacks were better than the numbers indicated offensively last season, but with a sub-100 wRC+, and putrid .304 OBP, they are prone to having a few clunkers, and with the way baseball works, that very well can happen during the first few weeks of the season, especially with the new rules.
Still, this team has a lot of excitement, especially with NL Rookie of the year favorite Corbin Carroll cracking the Opening Day lineup. Combine him with players such as Kyle Lewis, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Christian Walker, and Gabriel Moreno, and you have a young and potentially exciting lineup.
Read More: AL Rookie of Year Odds | NL Rookie of Year Odds
Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers Prediction
It is only the second day of the season, and there is already a pitching matchup between two players that are probably praying at this very moment that this season is not a disaster. Kelly registered an 8.25 ERA in 24.0 IP against Los Angeles last season. For Kelly, he had a tough WBC, and he is going up against a Dodgers lineup that demolished him last season.
For May, he must prove that he can stay healthy and be a consistent part of this rotation. If he can, the Dodgers will again lead the charge for World Series contenders. With that offense behind him, he does not need to be dominant tonight, but this is an Arizona lineup that is ready to explode, and we might see glimpses of that tonight.
If you are a person who loves to find the value, the Diamondbacks moneyline might be the way to go for tonight, but with two pitchers that have not been great as of late, and with both of these offenses, we are going to rock with the over. Zac Gallen and Urias got the starts last night, both of which are two of the better pitchers in the game, and the total still went over last night.
Pick: Over 7.5 via FanDuel
Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers Prop Bet Prediction
Christian Walker Anytime Home run (+600, FanDuel)
Walker came out of nowhere last season and put up a monster year for Arizona. He enjoyed his first full season with a wRC+ over 100, and while he still struck out 131 times last season, his BB% went up to 10.3% last season, and he hit the ball hard, registering 202 HardHits last season, and had an EV of 90.
May does not typically give up many home runs, but we saw him struggle with his command a bit last season in his limited action, and if he makes a mistake against Walker, he can absolutely make him pay. At +600, this is the best value for Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers anytime homerun props, and we will take a chance tonight.
How To Watch Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers
Date: Friday, March 31, 2023
First Pitch: 10:10 p.m. ET
Location: Dodgers Stadium — Los Angeles, CA
Where to Watch: ESPN+
Also Read: MLB MVP Odds | Odds To Win World Series
About the Author
