The Dodgers continue a soft stretch in their 2024 schedule with a three-game set at the Chicago White Sox. James Paxton is set to take the mound for Los Angeles against 25-year-old White Sox rookie Garrett Crochet.
While LA is one of the best teams in baseball and the White Sox are objectively the worst team in the sport, the odds don't lean super heavily toward the Dodgers thanks to Crochet's outstanding 2024 campaign and Paxton's struggles on the road.
Paxton is rocking a 4.50 ERA in eight road starts this year, while Crochet has posted a 3.25 overall ERA with an American League leading 124 strikeouts in his 16 starts.
The pitching matchup leans heavily toward Chicago which is why the betting odds at BetMGM don't favor LA as heavily as one might expect. Here's what the odds look like:
Run line
Dodgers -1.5: +135
White Sox +1.5: -160
Moneyline
Dodgers: -135
White Sox: +110
Total
Over 8 runs: -115
Under 8 runs: -105
Prediction
While Crochet could carve up the Dodgers lineup, any pitcher could carve up a White Sox lineup that is averaging a paltry 3.08 runs per game this season. That's why Paxton's inability to prevent runs on the road isn't as big of a problem as it might be against a more dangerous team at the plate.
There's a slight lean to the over from the sportsbook, but we're going to go the other way and hit the under here. We'll also be banking on the Dodgers offense figuring out how to push a couple across in a game that could turn into a pitchers' duel.
Dodgers 3, White Sox 2
