Chicago Cubs vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Pick

Chicago Cubs (38-30) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (46-23), 6/14/19
Time: 10:10 pm ET Friday, June 14
Where: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Listed Pitchers: Kyle Hendricks (7-4, 3.00 ERA, 1.11 WHIP) vs. Rich Hill (3-1, 2.40, 1.16)
TV: WGN, SportsNet LA

Moneyline: Dodgers -140/Cubs +130
Over/Under: 8

After taking the opener of this four-game series Thursday night the Dodgers look to take Game 2 against the Cubs Friday night at Chavez Ravine. Which way are we going here with our free MLB pick?

MLB Betting Odds

Friday’s MLB betting odds opened LA and Hill at around -145 over Chicago and Hendricks, with an over/under of eight runs. Early betting action then dipped that line about a nickel, to around -140.

Cubs vs. Dodgers Set-Up

Los Angeles grabbed the opener of this series Thursday night 7-3, winning with Clay Kershaw as a -175 favorite on the MLB betting odds. The Dodgers spotted Chicago the first three runs of the game, then scored four runs in the fourth inning and two more in the fifth to take control, on their way to victory.

More Friday MLB Picks

Also, Thursday’s game played over a total of eight runs.

With Thursday’s loss Chicago is 1-3 over its last four games. At 38-30 overall the Cubbies now sit in second place in the NL Central, one game behind division-leading Milwaukee. But Chicago is also tied with Philadelphia for the top spot in the National League wild-card standings.

With Thursday’s win Los Angeles is 3-2 over its last five games. At 46-23 overall the Dodgers lead the NL West by 9.5 games over both the Rockies and Diamondbacks. Los Angeles is also six games ahead of Atlanta in the battle for the best record in the National League.

This series is the second meeting between these teams this season; back in April the Cubs took two of three games from the Dodgers back at the Friendly Confines.

Friday’s Starting Arms

Lefty Hill, by our strict standards, is 5/8 on quality starts this season, and four for his last five. Last Saturday he held San Francisco to two runs and seven hits through five innings of a 7-2 Los Angeles victory. And over his last five starts he’s allowed just five runs and 23 hits through 30 innings, with 38 strikeouts.

LA is 5-3 with Hill this season, 2-0 over his last two starts.

In three career starts against Chicago, one each in 2016-17-18, Hill allowed just one run and eight hits through 17 innings. The Dodgers won two of those three games.

Hendricks is 7/13 on quality starts this season, working on a run of three in a row. Last Sunday he held St. Louis to one run and eight hits over seven innings of a 5-1 Cubs win. And over his last three starts he’s allowed five runs and 18 hits through 22 innings. 

The Cubbies are 8-5 with Hendricks this season, 3-0 over his last starts.

In his only start against Los Angeles last season Hendricks got clipped for six runs and eight hits, including two dingers, through just 2 2/3 innings of a 7-5 Chicago defeat.

Friday’s Batting Splits

Chicago is batting .240/.332/.444 against left-handed pitching this season. Cubs bats have also scored at least five runs seven times in their last 11 games.

Los Angeles is batting .269/.350/.479 against right-handed pitching this season. But Dodgers bats have also been held to three runs or less five times in their last seven games.

The Bullpens

• The Cubs bullpen owns a 4.28 ERA this season and a 1.44 WHIP.

• The Dodgers pen also owns a 4.28 ERA but a 1.22 WHIP.

• Totals Report

• Overs are 36-31 in Cubs games this season.

• Totals are split 33-33 in Dodgers games this season.

• Overs are 16-14 in games played at Dodger Stadium this season.

• Unders are 9-4 with Hendricks this season.

• Overs are 5-3 with Hill this season.

• Overs are 3-1 in Cubs-Dodgers games this season.

Free MLB Pick

We give Los Angeles short edges in all three of our main baseball handicapping factors, so we like the Dodgers here for our free MLB pick for Friday. | Discuss this MLB pick!