Chris Boline
• Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals
• Saturday, April 29 at 9:00 PM ET
• Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California
In easily one of the best series of the weekend, the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers are all set to face off. These two powerhouses would love nothing more than to deliver an early-season jab on the other, as there’s a good chance that we could end up seeing these two teams in the postseason later this year as well. Entering Saturday’s matchup, the Dodgers are favored to beat the Cardinals with Clayton Kershaw pitching.
We probably don’t have to tell you, but Kershaw is easily one of the best starting pitchers in the game. That’s bad news for St. Louis, especially with this game taking place at Dodger Stadium in California. Kershaw may not have started Opening Day for the Dodgers, but that doesn’t mean he’s not at an ‘ace’ level for this organization. Against the Cards, he’s going to want to get out of the gates hot and not let off.
| Dodgers vs. Cards odds |  |  |  |  |
| Dodgers to win | -115 | -115 | -115 | -115 |
| Cardinals to win | +125 | +125 | +125 | +125 |
| Over to hit | -110 | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Under to hit | -110 | -110 | -110 | -110 |
The Cardinals have a balanced lineup, which of course features former NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt. They’re going to need all of their batters to try and be at their top form when going up against someone like Kershaw. On the year, Kershaw is 4-1 on the season and he holds an impressive 2.32 ERA. He also has 32 strikeouts to his name, which speaks to how dominant he can be when on the hill.
According to the best-rated sportsbooks, which includes the reliable Bovada review, the Dodgers hold -115 MLB betting odds to post a victory on Saturday, while the Cardinals have been placed at +125. This indeed is a game that could be a preview of a playoff matchup down the road. Los Angeles is going to want to defend its home field. We think they’ll do that, as we’re going with the Dodgers as our pick.
Victory formation!
Dodgers x @Yaamava pic.twitter.com/599bGqc2xr
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 26, 2023
Not a ton of runs are expected in the Cards vs. Dodgers battle
For this contest, not a ton of runs are expected in the Cards vs. Dodgers battle. Kershaw is all set to start for LA, while lefty Jordan Montgomery is going to be getting the nod for St. Louis. Montgomery may not be as strong as Kershaw, but he’s still a fantastic hurler and a player that the Dodgers will need to prepare for. On the year, Montgomery is 2-3 on the season, but with a 3.81 ERA.
His issue during his starts is that he hasn’t been able to get a ton of run support. The St. Louis bats are going to need to come alive in order to help out the starter, but that’s going to be a tough task for them on Saturday with Kershaw leading the way for the Dodgers. Despite climbing in age a little bit, Kershaw keeps on performing at a fantastic level. It has people excited to see him this weekend.
Clayton Kershaw’s week: 13 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 15 Ks. So yeah, NL Pitcher of the Week is on the table. #Dodgers
— Howard Cole (@Howard_Cole) April 23, 2023
“Tonight’s performance really kind of epitomized who he is as a competitor,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after a recent Kershaw win. “Just overcoming a three-base error with a team that’s swinging the bats really well and to punch three, to give us that confidence, that momentum going into the bottom of the first inning, that was Clayton. He essentially put us on his back today. For him to get that 200 (career wins) at home, I know that’s something he was really excited about.”
With Kershaw’s confidence quite high, another strong showing could be on the way. Per the oddsmakers, the over/under has been set at seven runs, with -110 MLB betting odds. With Kershaw and Montgomery getting the starts here, it will be a challenge for both lineups to be consistent in putting the ball in play. With all of that said, we’re going with the under as our pick. This should be a low-scoring affair.
Dodgers are now chasing the Braves in the National League
In a bit of a plot twist, the Dodgers are now chasing the Braves in the National League, as LA is no longer the favorite to capture the pennant. The Dodgers are right around .500 right now, which is fine with the campaign just getting started. However, the inconsistency has been a bit troubling.
Meanwhile in Atlanta, the Braves have been cruising and they’re looking like the best team in the NL. Because of this, the Braves hold +330 odds to win the NL, while the Dodgers are behind them at +380. This is going to be quite the rivalry throughout the rest of the season. If these two clubs meet in the NLCS, it would really be something that fans would love to see.
After winning the World Series in 2020, the Dodgers are looking to get back to the highest level. They’ve certainly got the pitching and offensive power to get the job done. Yes, the struggles early on have been a touch concerning, but this team is too good to not get hot in the near future. They’re just too loaded in this case.
