Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs: Odds, Prediction
L.A. is a -150 favourite to win on the MLB odds with a total of 8.0 runs.
Betting Analysis
This two-game set from the Tokyo Dome between the Dodgers and Cubs is the 10th time overall that the MLB season has opened outside the USA and Canada. It marks the 25th anniversary of the first regular-season games being held in Japan, when the Cubs played the Mets at the Tokyo Dome on March 29-30, 2000. This series marks the first time in Japan for the Dodgers, who are now that country’s most popular MLB team by far because of Japanese superstars Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki on the L.A. roster.
After Wednesday, both clubs fly home and will return to spring training games after a few days off with MLB’s domestic Opening Day on March 27. The Cubs were the home team for Tuesday’s 4-1 loss and will be again Wednesday. The Dodgers will visit Wrigley Field for a two-game set starting April 22, while the Cubs are at Dodger Stadium for a three-game series starting April 11, so these clubs will be done with each other early.
However, they could easily meet in the National League playoffs. The Dodgers are clear favourites to repeat as World Series champions, much less in the National League and NL West. The Cubs are +125 favourites to win the NL Central and return to the playoffs for the first time in a full season (i.e. not including the 2020 COVID season) since 2018.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers took the opener 4-1 on Tuesday despite playing without two former league MVPs in shortstop Mookie Betts and first baseman Freddie Freeman. Betts it was known would miss both games of the series as he recently was dealing with an illness that cost him about 15 pounds. Freeman was expected to play Tuesday but scratched with some rib discomfort. Hard to imagine that Los Angeles would risk it with Freeman on Wednesday.
The Dodgers shuffled the lineup without Freeman, moving Kiké Hernandez to first base and putting Michael Conforto in left field. Playing his first game back in his native Japan, reigning NL MVP Shohei Ohtani was 2-for-5 with two runs scored atop the L.A. lineup. Ohtani is the most popular MLB player in Japan by a significant margin.
No. 2 might be Dodgers rookie right-hander Roki Sasaki, who makes his big-league MLB debut on Wednesday. Every team in the majors tried to sign the 23-year-old mega-hyped international free agent this winter, but it was no surprise he landed in L.A. This spring, Sasaki looked great by not allowing a run in seven innings over two appearances with just three hits.
Chicago Cubs
The Cubs’ two big moves this offseason were trading for Houston outfielder Kyle Tucker, a perennial AL MVP candidate, and reliever Ryan Pressly from Houston. Pressly should be the Cubs’ closer, but he didn’t get into Tuesday’s loss. Tucker was 0-for-4, and the Cubs had just three hits against five total Dodgers pitchers in the loss.
Chicago is without Gold Glove second baseman and leadoff hitter Nico Hoerner due to offseason surgery, but he’s expected to be ready for the March 27 USA opener.
It’s ace lefty Justin Steele on the hill Wednesday. He was a Cy Young candidate in 2023, finishing fifth, and then went 5-5 with a 3.07 ERA in 24 starts last year. Steele didn’t face the Dodgers in 2024 and is 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA in 12 career innings against them. The southpaw was 1-1 with a 9.35 ERA in three spring starts in Arizona this year. Tommy Edman has faced Steele more than any Dodgers hitter – Ohtani hasn’t seen him – and is 4-for-10 with a double.
