Dodgers vs. Reds MLB Lines & Pick for Wednesday Evening

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A few years ago, Noah Syndergaard was one of the most dominant pitchers in the NL for the New York Mets but injuries and the like have largely torpedoed his career since, and struggling “Thor” might be pitching to save his job with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday as they visit the Cincinnati Reds as solid favorites on the MLB odds.

Dodgers vs. Reds | 2023 MLB Expert Analysis

How to Bet Los Angeles at Cincinnati MLB Odds & TV Info

When: Wednesday, 7:10 PM ET
Where: Great American Ball Park
Probable pitchers (away/home): Noah Syndergaard/Brandon Williamson
TV: MLB Extra Innings
Stream/gameday audio: https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/
Opening MLB Lines: Dodgers -165, Reds +145 (total 11)

Why Bet on Los Angeles?

Entering this series, the Dodgers are 40-20 against the Reds in the past 10 seasons with three different winning streaks of at least eight games.

LA averages 2.27 runs per game this season, which leads the National League and trails only Texas and Tampa Bay in the majors. The Dodgers are second in the majors in homers and have not gone two straight days without a homer since April 29-30.

Ahead of this series, the team called up right-hander RHP Nick Robertson from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Robertson was a seventh-round selection by the Dodgers in the 2019 MLB Draft and will be making his major league debut when he gets into a game. The 24-year-old righty has posted a solid 2.13 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 37/7 K/BB ratio across 25 1/3 innings (24 appearances) this season for OKC. Fellow right-hander Tayler Scott was sent down to make room.

Outfielder and NL Rookie of the Year candidate James Outman was not in the starting lineup Tuesday against the Reds. Jason Heyward started in center field and hit seventh. Outman has gone 2-for-31 (.065) with 15 strikeouts over his last 12 games and is slashing just .161/.257/.276 in 101 plate appearances since the beginning of May.

No. 1 starting pitcher Julio Urias (hamstring) threw live batting practice Tuesday in Cincinnati. It was his first time facing live hitters since he was placed on the injured list May 20 due to a left hamstring strain. He appears to be tracking toward a weekend return at Philadelphia.

It’s Noah Syndergaard (1-4, 6.54) on the bump here, but if he struggles again could be shipped to the bullpen or even released. Syndergaard was torched for five runs over five innings last Wednesday in a no-decision against the Nationals. The Dodgers don’t really have a ton of alternatives to replace Syndergaard — who served up three homers in this one — at least until Urias is ready. Syndergaard has a bloated 6.54 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 35/9 K/BB ratio across 52 1/3 innings. The Dodgers have gone 3-7 in his 10 starts this season.

“It really sucks,” Syndergaard told reporters. “Right now I just feel like I’m the weakest link on this team. I want to go out there and compete and be successful for the other guys in this clubhouse, but it’s just not working out. … I would give my hypothetical firstborn to be the old me again.”

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Why Bet on Cincinnati?

It has been a big week already for Cincinnati, which has the best record in the NL Central since April 23. The team called up one of its top pitching prospects on Monday in Andrew Abbott and he dominated the Brewers in a victory. On Tuesday, the top prospect in all of baseball per ESPN, No. 2 per CBS Sports and No. 4 per MLB.com, infielder Elly De La Cruz, made his big-league debut – albeit at third base.

At 6-foot-5, the switch-hitting De La Cruz is the team’s shortstop of the future. The 21-year-old is hitting .296 with 12 home runs, 11 stolen bases, 36 RBIs and an OPS of 1.031 in 158 at-bats this season. He started the season on the injured list after suffering a left hamstring strain during spring training. Signed out of the Dominican Republic as a teenager, De La Cruz hit 28 homers and stole 47 bases across Class A and Double-A last year. He takes the roster spot of infielder/outfielder Nick Senzel, who was placed on the injured list with a right knee injury. The Reds are short in the outfield with TJ Friedl and Will Myers also on the IL.

Cincinnati has some very good young talent in the lineup now. Spencer Steer was May’s National League Rookie of the Month. Shortstop Matt McLain was last week’s National League Player of the Week.

Another rookie, lefty Brandon Williamson (0-0, 4.29 ERA), gets the call on the mound Wednesday. Williamson did not factor into the decision last Friday, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks over 6.2 innings in a 5-4 loss against the Brewers. He struck out six. Williamson, who is ranked as Cincinnati’s No. 10 prospect by MLB Pipeline, needed only 90 pitches as he reached the seventh inning for the first time in the big leagues.

Manager David Bell is usually averse to having starters face a lineup three times, but Williamson was so efficient that he was given that chance. He showed he could handle the longer outing, retiring 10 of his last 12 batters.

“I was pretty happy with being able to get to the seventh, landing all my pitches, getting ahead of guys,” Williamson said. “Just giving the team a chance.”

He was called up in mid-May and has been a hit-or-miss player through his first four starts at the big-league level. The 25-year-old has never faced the Dodgers.

Bet Reds to Win Today
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