The Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland Athletics meet for the finale of their three-game series on Sunday, August 4, at 4:07 PM ET at Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California. The moneyline odds for this matchup favor the Dodgers, currently at -165.
The Dodgers have a solid outlook for the rest of the season, as they are currently on top of the NL West. However, they need to keep adding easier wins to push ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks. They have been slightly under .500 over their last 10 games and need consistency.
They will start River Ryan (1-0) on the mound. He has an ERA of 0.82 and a WHIP of 1.09 through 11.0 innings pitched thus far. They have great support as a unit, with an ERA hovering at 3.80, so he will get an opportunity to shine.
Shohei Ohtani will be a difference-maker here since he leads them in various offensive categories for the Dodgers. By team comparison, the Dodgers have scored nearly 90 more runs collectively than the A's have gathered.
The Dodgers have averaged roughly .250 at the plate and have allowed their opponents to linger near .230. This solid separation between the two sides will play a significant role here.
Despite their rough season, the Athletics still have an opportunity to climb the AL West and play spoiler for the playoffs. Obtaining wins against a top team like the Dodgers would be a good sign if they can pull off another.
Their starting pitcher for Game 3 will be Osvaldo Bido (2-2), who has a 5.50 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP through 27.0 innings pitched. Their team ERA has averaged near 4.30, which would be good if Bido could get closer to that average.
Brent Rooker has an appealing shot to keep their offense competitive since he leads the A's in a handful of offensive categories that rival what Ohtani puts up. They are also on par with the Dodgers for the number of home runs they have accumulated, which shows they can also be deadly at the plate.
The A's are a bit opposite at the plate of the Dodgers, such as a batting average of around .230 and allowing nearly .250 from opponents. This will likely show through in pivotal situations.
You can find the best MLB betting odds through MyBookie, which currently has the Los Angeles Dodgers favored for success. According to market research, the Dodgers have a 57.4 percent chance of success to close out the series on a positive note.
The pitching here will be interesting as both starters have had limited opportunities this season. However, the Dodgers collectively have been the better team and are good on both sides of the plate.
