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The Dodgers and Diamondbacks square off on Friday with first pitch set for 9:40 p.m. ET. The game takes place at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona and will only be available on local TV or through an MLB.tv subscription. Ryan Pepiot gets the start on the mound for the Dodgers, while Madison Bumgarner will start for the Diamondbacks.
The Dodgers have been one of the best teams in baseball. The big addition this offseason was adding Freddie Freeman, who was one of the best hitters in the MLB for the past few seasons. He currently leads the Dodgers in batting average at .312, but Mookie Betts isn’t far behind him hitting .299. Betts also leads the team in home runs with 12. On the mound, Ryan Pepiot will be making his third career start. In two starts this season, Pepiot has a 3.86 ERA.
Unexpectedly, the Diamondbacks had actually been one of the surprising teams in the MLB to start the season. After losing six straight, they are 5-2 in their last seven games and are back up to .500 with a 23-23 record. It was expected to be another struggling season, but they have shown some positives. Daulton Varsho has been the Diamondbacks' best hitter as he’s hitting .268 with eight home runs and 21 runs batted in on the season. Madison Bumgarner has been decent this season as he’s 2-2 with a 2.76 ERA on the season.
Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks
Pitchers: Ryan Pepiot vs. Madison Bumgardner
First pitch: 9:40 p.m. ET
Dodgers local broadcast: SportsNet LA
Diamondbacks local broadcast: Bally Sports Arizona
Live stream: MLB.tv (subscription)
Odds, picks & predictions
Point spread: Dodgers -1.5
Run total: 10
Moneyline odds: Dodgers -145, Diamondbacks +125
Moneyline pick: Dodgers -145
These odds are low because Bumgarner is facing a rookie, but this Dodgers lineup is superior to the Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks have been able to score some runs this season, but they won't be able to outscore the Dodgers. As long as Pepiot can limit mistakes, this should be an easy win for the Dodgers.
Player prop pick: Ryan Pepiot over 4.5 strikeouts (-120)
While Pepiot didn’t throw many innings in either of his first two starts, he was still able to strike out five in one of them. The Diamondbacks have struck out the second-most in all of the MLB, totaling 425 strikeouts on the season. If the Dodgers allow Pepiot to throw four or more innings, he will have at least five strikeouts.
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