The Los Angeles Dodgers have the 2^nd best record in the National League with a record of 76-48 and have the 4^th best run differential in the MLB at 138 which trails the Atlanta Braves (207), Texas Rangers (181), and Tampa Bay Rays (169). The Dodgers also have an 11.5-game lead in the NL West as they are almost a lock to win the NL West Division title again this season. 

The Dodgers have been red hot in August compiling a record of 17-3 but are coming off a 3-8 loss on the road in game one of the series against the Cleveland Guardians. Will Smith hit a two-run home run in the 1^st inning that also scored Mookie Betts while Mookie Betts scored again in the 3^rd inning off a base hit from Freddie Freeman as the Dodgers took a 3-0 lead in the game before the Cleveland Guardians scored eight unanswered runs.

Cleveland has been a below-average team this season as they are 11 games back of the Seattle Mariners for the final Wild Card spot in the AL with a record of 60-66, however, the Guardians are only five games back of the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central, so their playoff hopes are not completely dashed yet as we are close to entering the final month of the season. The Guardians also have a run differential of 0 which means they should improve their record over the last few weeks of the regular season.

Los Angeles has the edge at pitcher in game two of the series as they will be sending Clayton Kershaw to the mound while Cleveland will be sending Xzavion Curry to the mound for game two of the series on Wednesday.

Clayton Kershaw has compiled a record of 11-4 this season with a 2.48 ERA while recording 111 strikeouts and is 1-0 with two no-decisions over his last three starts against the Guardians with the most recent outing occurring last season in which he allowed 1 run and striking out four, however, the Dodgers lost the game by a score of 1-2. Kershaw has allowed a total of 7 runs and has recorded 13 runs in those contests.

Xzavion Curry will face the Los Angeles Dodgers for the first time in his career on Wednesday for game two of the series.

BookMaker has the Los Angeles Dodgers listed as -210 money line favorites on the road against the Cleveland Guardians in game two of the series on Wednesday. However, Cleveland has been the better team in the series, winning six of the last ten by an average score of 5.2 to 4 and two of the last three games by a score of 4.67 to 4.33. 

I look for the Los Angeles Dodgers to get the win in this matchup but with how well the Cleveland Guardians have played against the Dodgers I am taking the better odds with the run line for the Cleveland Guardians at +1.5 on BookMaker for this matchup on Wednesday.