Monday’s MLB scoreboard features 10 matchups on the board, including a National League West matchup between the Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Even though the Rockies have been much improved this season, they are still 46-72, sitting last in the division. The Diamondbacks are 63-56, which is good enough to tie them with the Phillies for the second and third Wild Card spots in the National League. The divisional foes meet for the eighth time this season in Monday’s series opener.
Looking at the odds for tonight, the home team Diamondbacks enter as -194 favorites to win outright and hold -101 odds on the -1.5 run line on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Rockies are +180 odds of pulling off the upset and getting the win, and the run total is set at 8.5.
Rockies at Diamondbacks prediction, preview
The Diamondbacks have gotten off to a strong start to their homestand, splitting a four-game set with the Padres and then taking two of three from the Dodgers over the weekend. They almost swept the division leaders, coming up just short on Saturday and losing in extra innings.
Arizona won 4-2 on Sunday, behind a great start from Eduardo Rodriguez, who allowed two runs and five hits over seven innings. Rodriguez puts the bullpen in a good spot coming into the series, and Kevin Ginkel earned his first save of the season to close out the victory.
Ketel Marte homered in that win, and the offense for the Dbacks can be a good option in today’s MLB DFS stacks as they take on Gabriel Hughes. The Rockies’ rookie righty has a 4.24 ERA in his six games this season, and on the road, he has given up six runs on 10 hits in 11 road innings. He allowed eight combined runs in his last two outings against the Padres and Rays and should be a solid spot for the Snakes. Lefties have hit .269 against Hughes with a solid .304 wOBA, but he has been more effective against righties.
The Diamondbacks will match up against Hughes with veteran righty Michael Soroka (glute), who is expected to come off the injured list and make his first start since June 19. Soroka was a solid 8-3 with a 3.07 ERA and 1.09 WHIP before landing on the IL, and he was 4-2 with a 2.05 ERA in his nine outings at Chase Field. Soroka faced the Rockies in back-to-back starts in May, allowing two runs in 5 2/3 innings on May 17 at Coors Field and looking even sharper with one run on four hits against him in six innings on May 22.
Soroka only threw 57 pitches in his latest minor-league rehab start, so he may be limited on Monday as he tries to slow down the Rockies once again. Colorado’s lineup has improved dramatically as the season has gone on and some young prospects give the team a good outlook for the future. However, they did lose five of their last six games, and four of those losses were by multiple runs. They lost 7-4 on Sunday in St. Louis, after their bullpen gave up three runs in the eighth inning.
The Rockies only got 4 1/3 innings from Michael Lorenzen in Sunday’s start, and the bullpen has been a source of trouble for them all season. The Diamondbacks won five of the first seven meetings between these two teams, with three of those wins by multiple runs.
Rockies at Diamondbacks pick, best bet
It’s good to see the Rockies headed in the right direction as a franchise, but their pitching is still incredibly thin at the MLB level at this point. The Diamondbacks have been trending up and playing well at home, so getting them at almost even-money on the run line seems like a great value on Monday night.
Soroka’s success will be key for Arizona down the stretch, but his unknown form and potential rust do make him a higher-risk play in his first game back. However, I still give him the advantage over Hughes, who has struggled with lefties, and the Dbacks have plenty of them in their regular lineup.
From a player prop perspective, Willi Castro and Geraldo Perdomo are a few of the hitters I like to produce solid nights. I’d prefer to stick mostly with the bats on the board, since it’s tough to trust either starting pitcher coming into this outing.
Soroka’s return should give the surging Snakes enough of an advantage to get the win by multiple runs on Monday.
Best bet: Arizona Diamondbacks -1.5 (-101)
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