Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Colorado Rockies Pick

Los Angeles Dodgers (0-0) vs. Colorado Rockies (0-0)

When: 4 p.m., Thursday, April 1

Where: Coors Field, Denver

Moneyline: LAD -222/COL +190 (Get Dimeline Betting >>> Underdogs pay more and favorites cost less! It’s the ONLY way to bet baseball games!)

Runline: Dodgers -1.5/Rockies +1.5

Total: 11.5

Starting Pitchers: Clayton Kershaw (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP) vs. German Marquez (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP)

Pressure’s Off

The big question for 2021 is how well the Dodgers will handle their new reality as the kings of baseball? Los Angeles is the hunted, but the Dodgers have been in this situation for the past eight years, as they’re the eight-time NL West champions along with being the World Series champions. Plus, the Dodgers now no longer have to hear the questions about bringing a world championship to Los Angeles for the first time since 1988. They have their title now, and they won’t have the pressure that comes with carrying a three-decade drought in the country’s second-largest city.
So that means the Dodgers will likely be different from just about any other world champion in recent memory, as they won’t be dealing with the intense pressure that most champions face. These Dodgers are still an outstanding team, and the prospect of them playing free and loose is a terrifying one for the rest of the National League.

Short-Circuited

Where is the offense going to come from for Colorado? The Rockies lost their biggest offensive threat when they sent Nolan Arenado to St. Louis, and Brendan Rodgers is injured, forcing Colorado to shift its entire infield around. Ryan McMahon and Josh Fuentes can hit pretty well when they connect, but that little caveat is the thing that provides a world of problems for the Rockies. Both players strike out too often, and against Kershaw, you need every out that you can get at your disposal.
The Rockies do have some solid outfield players, namely Charlie Blackmon, but the infield just doesn’t look to be all that strong without Arenado and Rodgers on the field. Colorado could really find itself struggling to put anything together against Kershaw, as the offense just doesn’t have enough threats to put some hits together.

BET ON MLB GAMES LIVE IN PROGRESS AT BOVADA SPORTSBOOK!

Kershaw Concern

Clayton Kershaw has been about as sure as it gets on Opening Day for the Dodgers, but he’ll have to pitch a lot better than he has this spring once the games count for real. Truth be told, Kershaw isn’t the Dodgers’ ace anymore (that honor goes to Walker Buehler), and he’s the Opening Day starter more out of tradition than anything else. But he’s still an outstanding pitcher who would be the ace on most staffs, assuming that he’s the pitcher he’s been in the regular season. In the spring, he’s been hit pretty hard at times, getting whacked for eight earned runs in his final tuneup for the regular season.
The Dodgers don’t seem to be concerned with Kershaw, and he’s had bad springs before and then delivered when the games counted. But this could be a live bet opportunity, as it might be worth grabbing the over if Kershaw labors through the first inning.

Rocky Mountain Low

Think Coors Field is all about offense? Not so much these days. The “Rocky Mountain Low” was a common trend in games in Denver last season, as Colorado still has a reputation of being a homer-happy location, and the totals tend to get pushed too high in games at Coors. The reputation isn’t totally undeserved, as nobody gave up more runs than Colorado last season, but the Rockies’ hitting doesn’t make up for it, leaving the totals short.
The total is again high for this game, and with these two pitchers on the mound, it looks like Vegas has again made a mistake with the number. Kershaw’s reputation on Opening Day is well known, and Marquez was 8-3-1 to the under a season ago. When the “over” did hit with Marquez on the mound, it wasn’t the Colorado pitcher’s fault, as two of his three over starts came because the Rockies gave him plenty of run support while he held the opposition to three runs or less.

Betting Trends

· The Dodgers are 39-13 in their past 52 road games.
· The Rockies are 4-11 in their past 15 against the NL West.
· The Rockies are 2-5 in their past seven games.
· The Dodgers have won five of their past six in Denver.
· The under is 6-1-2 in the Rockies’ past nine home games.
· The under is 5-1-1 in the teams’ past seven meetings in Denver.

Weather Report

The wind will be a mild five-mile per hour breeze heading toward the third-base line with temperatures in the mid-50s.

Dan’s pick

If all goes according to plan for the Dodgers, they’ll win 110 games and become the first National League team since the 1909 Pittsburgh Pirates to accomplish that feat. If all goes according to plan for the Rockies, they’ll lose 110 games and nose out the 2021 Pirates for the No. 1 overall draft pick. That’s how far apart these franchises are, and as long as Kershaw is himself, the Dodgers should roll to a victory in this game. Double your baseball betting bankroll by scoring a HUGE 100% real cash bonus on your first deposit of $100 to $1000 at BetNow Sportsbook!